FAQ's

• Why select Wrap Up Productions?
  
• How much does a program cost?
  
• What kind of production do I need?
  
• Can I do it myself?
  
• How can I help?
  
  

Why Select Wrap Up Productions?

Most production companies would tell you about their state-of-the-art digital equipment or their award-winning productions, and we have those too, but that’s not the most important result of our service. I can sum up or greatest strength thusly - We get it right. If there is one thing that impresses our clients over and over again, it’s our ability to learn about their product, service and needs and effectively communicate their message to their audience. We are able to come up to speed on our client’s product or service in a remarkably short time. Our clients range from Silicon Valley giants like Intel to traditional manufacturers like Gillig Corp and General Motors. Our programs cover topics from Bay Area transportation issues to teaching social skills to visually impaired children. All our productions are client driven. While we like winning awards, sometimes the potential award winning concept obscures the client’s message. We will always put the client’s needs first.
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How much does it cost?

The cost of a complete production varies widely. On the low end a simple production can cost as little as $5000 and on the high end, over $100,000. Many of our productions cost between $10,000-$20,000. Our productions are billed on a time and materials basis. Research, scriptwriting and scouting are billed at $75./hr. A day of field production costs $750. for a state-of-the-art three chip camera, digital VTR and an experienced videographer with tripod, color monitor and audio and lighting package. Larger/more complex productions take bigger crews and more equipment. Subcontractor rates are passed through with no markup. Our editing rate with an experienced director/editor is $150./hr. Figure out how much you have to spend and then ask various production companies what they can do for you in that range. Ask to see examples of programs they have produced for similar amounts. We believe our programs provide the best value for the money spent. Many of our clients are new to video production so we are used to educating customers on the costs and pitfalls of the process. We do this patiently and cheerfully. After more than 15 years of video production experience, we take pride in the fact that our estimates are accurate as long as the concept doesn’t change.
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What kind of a production do I need?

The first step is to focus on your audience. What do you want to motivate them to do? What kind of information do you need to get across to accomplish your goals? What are the audience’s expectations and how motivated are they to receive your message? A highly motivated audience will watch a program with simple production values, while an uninterested audience will need a more entertaining and persuasive message. No matter what delivery method you choose (videotape, CD ROM, DVD, Streaming web video), the program’s goal should remain the same... to communicate your message the most effective way possible, with Clarity, Credibility and a little “Pizzaz”. Productions can be as simple as taping a presentation, then inserting titles and the presenter’s Power Point slides at the correct spots or as complicated as a fully scripted program utilizing professional actors. Some concepts lend themselves to taping reality, while others need an animated virtual presentation. Your needs and your budget will determine the elements that make up your program.
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Can I do it myself?

It is possible, but if you don’t have a real interest in learning the technology and the time to devote to creating the presentation, you are going to short change your audience and lessen the impact of your message. Poor production values (bad audio, poor lighting, shaky camera work, fuzzy images) can cause your audience to focus on the problem instead of the message. The “Blair Witch Project” worked because the use of consumer video cameras and shaky camera work fit the concept of the movie and increased its credibility. Other programs would just look cheap and unprofessional, not an image coveted by most organizations. While the price of consumer-grade equipment capable of producing quality images has gone down and the quality that software-based editing systems are capable of producing has increased greatly, the learning curve to use these systems effectively is long and intensive. That learning curve should include the traditional skills of scriptwriting, composition, camera operation, audio, lighting, direction, and editing. Only experience teaches how to deal with backlighting, how to light a chroma-keyed subject, what microphone is best in a noisy room or the most effective sequence and timing of shots while editing together a scene. Professional equipment gives you the tools to accomplish your vision because it gives more control over the results than does consumer gear, and a professional should know how to use these tools to your program’s advantage.
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How Can I help?

The most important part of any producing a program is called pre-production. This includes everything that goes on before any tape is rolled and provides the basis upon which everything else is built. It includes research, writing narrative, visualizing scenes, hiring crew, selecting talent, site surveys and all the organization that goes into putting together the program. Our clients provide valuable information and guidance during this and all parts of the production process. The more information that is provided to us, the more effective the program becomes and the less time we have to devote to research, which reduces cost. We encourage our clients to take an active part in the production. This is especially important in lower budget programs, because we tend to be perfectionists, and it’s nice to have the client there to say “That’s good enough.” A certain amount of client participation is always expected, because of the client’s greater familiarity with program content. During production the client must approve the correctness and suitablity of all scenes. If interested, the client can sit in on the editing process. Almost everyone finds computerized non-linear editing fascinating, at least for the first few hours. Non-linear editing has made rough cuts unnecessary, because the system is capable of rearranging or editing scenes at any point in the post-production process, very much like word processing for video.
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