How to change a light bulb
How much does it cost to make a video?
How long does it take to get an animation done?
What kind of quality can you produce?
We haven’t got much budget but we need it to look amazing.
Can you get the video done this week?
We haven’t got a script but I’m sure it will all come together.
If you work in our industry, you would have heard this all before.
If you don’t, those may be some questions that were already on your mind.
Let us take a moment to explain a few basic elements in the video world, and what can be expected.
There are 3 main elements of client’s concern when enquiring about a video.
Time – How long will my video take to complete?
Cost – How much is it going to cost me to get the video made?
Quality – What will the video look like and will it be good?
We like to think we always do our best here a 77 Productions, to tick every box for every customer, constantly putting our best work forward, hitting deadlines and offering competitive pricing…
However, there is usually a compromise when the demand for one of the above questions is a major priority.
It is summed up quite nicely in this graph below:
Given the obvious compromise, as an experiment, we put a test to our team…
to break them.
So, in our busiest period of the year, we came to the team with a brief…
not an elaborate, detailed brief…
a simple and vague brief…
Our brief was to create a video, using whatever medium of communication necessary (character animation, acted footage, motion graphics, 3D, etc…) to demonstrate how to change a light bulb.
There was no budget.
There was no script.
And we only gave them a week to complete it.
The experiment was to see which element would fall first in the triangle, time, cost or quality.
The result can be found at the top of the page.
Needless to say, it was a train wreck and the triangle gave a snowball effect.
Because there was no budget, the video was instantly pushed back as a low priority and left to the last minute to complete.
Because the video was left to the last minute to complete, the production was rushed and the quality was significantly compromised.
Although the team were able to come up with a humorous concept, there are only so many hours in a day and with no budget, they were limited to using themselves and friends to act, as well as repurposing existing footage and animations.
On the flipside.
If the team had a budget:
They could’ve hired professional actors; high-quality film equipment and used real sports cars instead of matchbox cars.
If the team had more time:
They could’ve improved the animation; special effects and green screening; filmed in better locations and come up with a more in-depth storyline.
At least we all had a good laugh and learnt something along the way.
That light bulb is still working by the way.
