TIPS TO completing PROJECTS THAT WILL NEVER END

When John from Mr. Build and I started the process of making his company branding video, I knew it could take a while. I’ve done construction branding videos before and you are at the mercy of their project calendar.

What could have just taken 2 months, instead took over a year. There were many times that I thought, “Will this ever get done?” We kept waiting and waiting and waiting to get all the footage so that we could complete the branding and client review videos

What kept us on track? Here are three steps that were taken, so that the project was completed.

Why are we making this video? What footage do we need to capture?

1) Make a checklist for what you need. We started this project, like all my projects, with pre-production, and planning. We ask ourselves: “Why are we making this video? What do we need to accomplish that goal? What’s the list of footage that we need?”

With that shot checklist, you are kept on track, no matter how many months can go by. You always know what you need.

2) Have regular emails and phone calls with clients. Make sure you keep in contact with the client. Set scheduled emails. Even if it’s just to check in that you can’t shoot yet, it lets the client know that you’re still here and you’re working. It’s also there to remind you and the filmmaker, of the same thing. You are still here and still working on this.

3) Remind yourself why it is that you’re taking so long. There were two reasons why it took so long to complete this video project. 1) The weather. We need good weather. We could have shot in shitty weather for the whole video, but I wanted to make sure that the clients finished work (completed homes) looked amazing. The only way we could do that is sunlight. So we waited. 2) The client had some soon-to-be-finished projects that he wanted in his video, and he needed more time to complete those projects.

Reminding yourself that there are reasons for taking so long. You’re not wasting your time. And when those problems get solved, you’re going to get back to work. When you see the finished, you know it was worth it.

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