Client doesn't like footage...advice, opinion, please.

jdorsey

jdorsey

Active member
After a shoot, I slapped this footage together to show the client and they didn't like it. I won't tell you their complaints about it (yet) but I will say their response was a total surprise to me (in part because they didn't have a single positive comment--even to at least pad their critique).

I know it's not great, but....anyway here it is (WARNING: HUGE FILE).

http://www.boomkinproductions.com/thePonds/thePonds_footage1.html

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
I thought it was good photography with a few shots that showed some clipping.

Since you tipped us off that the client had some reservations and I'm forced to guess what their issues were I have to be more critical than usual.

I wonder what color the house really is? There seems to be a golden/mustard cast in some of the clips, which looks very nice, but if the property has to be featured, they may need the colors to be accurate, but I'm guessing.

Also, there is some clipping going on. On most shots I can tell you decided what was important in the frame to properly expose but a few of the final clips I would have dumped and not shown the client.

The jib moves are very nice, but if I have to be critical, there's a shot where the camera is not properly balanced and a few moves could have been smoother. Cutting around the very slight jerkiness would be a simple fix.

Over all though, I think you did a very nice job.

Now tell us, what were the issues they brought up and how do you plan to resolve them?

(Sorry if I seemed critical).
 
I don't know what you and client discusses, but I would have added more people to those beautiful shots.

Looks good...Just gets a bit drab for me looking at scenery only.

I would be more than happy to put some of those shots on my reel. Good work
 
I have to agree with the above comments - overall I don't see any glaring issues with the footage,
especially if this was put together quickly just to show the client what was shot.

I would agree that seeing more people would have been nice - but again, I don't want to critique the editing if that's not what the issue is.

As far as the footage itself, some clipping issues, as Bill mentioned, as well as some shaky/jerkiness in some of the moves.
But I didn't see anything that I didn't think could be cut around.

So what exactly did the client have issue with?
And more imporantly, what exactly did the client expect to get?

Setting realistic expectations is probably the most important thing when dealing with clients -
sometimes it has nothing to do with the quality of the product, but just the fact that it is different than what was expected.
 
That is the situation you can run into when doing the kind of work we do. We run the chances of doing what we hope is a great job only to have a client not like it. Hopefully you can work with the client and make the necessary changes. It should not be hard to re-shoot some stuff if that is what they want. It is always a challenge to fully satisfy the one that is footing the bill. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the comments and critique.

You're pretty much right on, Bill, about the client comments. They said that it was too yellow and hot. I can definitely see that in a few of the clips (as you mentioned), but I deliberately wanted a warm look to the whole thing to give it an early a.m. feel for the most part.

I'm planning to color correct them, bring down the yellow and try to even out the exposure a little bit--but not much I can do there besides getting the shots again on the next shoot (more are scheduled). I suggested more people and activities, like you suggested, Jason and Luis, on the next shoot. So hopefully we add a little "life."

The jib shots by the way were not really jib shots. The porch shot was my poor man's version. I just held the collapsed tripod at the bottom and raised the camera up while overcranking. Probably about as good as could be expected. The garden shot was a DIY dolly ($25).

BTW, what's the best way to eliminate clipping without artificial lighting...like on the end shot of the house??

Thanks again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top