The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Video Production Company in the UK

As so many companies move their business activities to the online world, the demand for video content is increasing more than ever before. So with that, many individuals are venturing into the video production world to meet these needs.

If you are wondering how you can start a video production company within the UK, this guide by Incorpuk is positioned to get you started. You will learn everything you need to know about the video production business.

How to Start a Video Production Company in the UK

The points/steps discussed below would help you get started with your video production company.

1. Select a Niche

When it comes to video production, there are a lot of niches available. It is important that you select a particular niche that you are most interested in before starting a company. Do you want to produce videos mainly for events like weddings, birthdays or other ceremonies or do you want to render a corporate videography that will focus on creating videos for marketing and brand building? Niching down your services will enable you to understand who your clients are, what they want and how to find them. Apart from that, niching down will present you as an expert in the aspect of videography that you choose as clients prefer companies who are more specialized in a niche than a general service provider.

2. Get a Portfolio

Once you’ve decided on the selected niche, you should begin building a portfolio on that niche. Apart from telling your potential customers about your experience and expertise, they would usually be interested in seeing the samples of the work you have done. You can showcase the best of your samples on your company website and social media handles like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and so on. You should make sure that any sample to be displayed must be quality work as that can influence a potential client's decision.

Building a portfolio could sometimes be tricky but it could also be simple if you are willing to make some sacrifice. Most start-ups usually render free videography to businesses that need their services or better still offer a discounted price range for the service. This would in the long run help them connect with the business and get a paid job if they’ve done a good quality job in the first instance. With this, you can easily build a portfolio while also proofing your expertise and networking.

3. Create a Business plan

A business plan is also an important aspect you should consider working on when starting your video production company. The business plan should outline your business goals and visions and how you will achieve them. It should specifically provide an insight into your business budgeting and whether you would be needing some form of funding or not. Apart from that it should help you identify some potential obstacles and how you could deal with them.

4. Select a business name

Before registering or incorporating your business, you would need a suitable business name. With that, you need to get a list of names that you would eventually choose one from. It is important that you select a professional, easy-to-remember and memorable name. Preferably, the name should also connote what your business is also into. Once you have a name ready, you should check the UK Companies House website to see if the name hasn’t been already used by another business. Apart from that, you should also be sure that the name meets up with the UK Company naming guidelines. As such it must not be offensive or sensitive.

5. Incorporate your company

Now that you have your company name ready, you should go ahead and incorporate your company with the Companies House. Incorporating your business helps indicate that your business is being recognized by the UK government and no other company can use your company name. Apart from that it shows that your company is a credible one and thus makes it easy for you to seek funding, open a UK business bank account and so on. You can incorporate your business as a limited company and you can set it up as a sole trader.

Sole trading is a business structure which is set up and run by a single individual. It is the simplest business structure as the profit and loss of the business, administration and management of the business is carried out by the sole owner. With sole trading, the owner has total control over the business and he or she is personally liable for the debt incurred by the business as the business is not recognized as a separate legal entity.

Limited companies on the other hand are recognized as a separate legal entity, meaning the debt incurred by the business is cleared by the business itself and so the personal assets and properties of the owners are protected against risk. Limited companies can also be owned by an individual who would be the shareholder and the director of the company. Registering your business as a limited company helps you build trust easily with different stakeholders. However, it could come with more annual filings and reporting.

6. Get the Necessary License and Permits

To operate as a video production company, there are some licenses and permits that you would need. It is important to contact your local authority in order to familiarize yourself with the ones that are needed. You might also want to find out if any of the assets to be used for business operations need to be licensed or permitted before using them for your operations. If you will particularly be incorporating music and images into your project, you should be aware of the intellectual property of others.

Generally, the licenses and permits that will be needed will be dependent on the type of videography you are carrying out, whether or not you are using a public space for your filming, the category of the population involved in your filming, business location and so on. It is therefore crucial that you find out the ones that will be needed before beginning business operations.

7. Set up the Video Production Space

A video production space is also a major requirement for your video production set-up. Either you will be producing your videos right in the comfort of your home or you will need some special locations for your filming, it is important that you sort this out before starting your business operations. If you will be setting up a home studio, then you need to ensure that your environment is free from noise. You would also want to ensure that you incorporate natural lighting into your videos as much as possible and make use of some lighting equipment like ring lights. You can also opt for some decorations and aesthetics to make the studio more attractive.

8. Get the Necessary Equipment

Your content quality is dependent on the type of equipment that is used for the video production. As such you need to invest in getting standard ones. Some of the equipment you might need includes a camera, lighting equipment, lenses, computer and so on. While it is great to get good quality equipment, it is also good to consider your company budget. Generally, the type of equipment you will need will be dependent on the niche and the specific requirements of your customers. For some projects, you might want to consider renting the needed equipment if they aren’t available within your company.

9. Build Your Production Team

As you begin your video production company, you might need to get one or more professionals to join your company. This could be due to the loads of projects you get or some specific expertise that is needed. It is therefore essential that you get one as soon as it’s needed so you don’t compromise your project quality. With that, you can get some freelancers from platforms like Upwork and Fiverr and you use their expertise whenever it’s needed. However, you would need to check out their reviews, ratings, expertise and skills when making your selection. Apart from that, you could simply use your company's social media handles to search for talents that will be willing to work with you.

10. Create a website

Getting a website for your video production company is also essential. A website can help you showcase your portfolio and expertise. Apart from that it could demonstrate how legit your business is. You can decide to do your website design yourself using WordPress, Wix etc or you can hire the service of a professional website designer.

While getting a website, ensure that it is mobile-friendly, easily accessible and professional. A website could potentially help you drive more customers and increase sales. As such you should be ready to invest in it.

11. Build your Social Media Handles

Almost every company today has social media handles. Immediately you register your company, you should start creating professional social media pages. This should be solely for your business and should be different from your personal ones. Your social media handles should contain your portfolios, your contact address, phone number and so on. You should also be willing to engage people more on the social media handles so you can drive more followers. The more attractive and interesting your social media contents are, the higher your chances of gaining customers from a social media handle.

12. Set Your Price

The next step would be for you to set your price. You would need to do some research here as regards what competitors are charging, especially the new start-up like you. Apart from that you should consider the location you are in the UK and what other companies with similar experience and expertise are charging.

It is important that you do not go far below or higher than what competitors are charging. However, you should know that charging a fair price while also giving the best quality job can help you attract more customers as a new start-up.

Your website and social media handles could indicate how much you charge per project, but remember to indicate what each project tag entails. On the whole, you should consider the complexity of the project, the amount of work to be done, the costs of equipment to be used, the timeframe required to carry out the project and your profit margin before giving a customer a price.

13. Network and Market your service

Networking in business is important and it should start as soon as you’ve incorporated your business. You should be willing to network with people as much as possible. Apart from that, you are expected to build a long-term relationship with the clients that you get. Once you are able you produce a brilliant job for a client, It becomes easier for you to connect with them and they can recommend you to their friends and family.

Apart from networking, you would need to invest in marketing. You can do this using Facebook, Instagram and other social media handles paid marketing. Apart from that you can also invest in SEO marketing.

14. Build your skills and knowledge

Building your skills and learning continuously will help you stay more relevant and competitive in your industry. To ensure that you give the best to customers, then you must stay updated regarding the latest software, tools,  and other technological devices within the video production industry.

With that, you can join several communities both offline and online through social media. You can attend workshops, training, programs, and courses that will help you stay updated in the video production world.

What is the Price of Hiring a Video Production Company in the UK?

When it comes to the price of hiring a video production company in the UK, you should expect a varying amount. This price is dependent on a lot of factors like the location, type of project, duration of project and the company itself. On average you should expect to spend within £1000  to £12000 per project.

While you might want to consider cost efficiency before going for a video production company, it is important that you take cognizance of expertise and the quality of the videos that have been produced by the company in the past. All of these are important in helping you achieve the purpose for which the company is hired.

Reasons You Should Use a Video Production Company for Your Business?

As a business owner, you need a video production company for a lot of reasons. Here are some of them.

1. With video content, you could generate a lot of engagement in the online world. This would be achieved through some captivating and interesting content that will draw the attention of people to your social media channels.
2. Videos have also been proven to generate a lot of conversions. So you would need them when running an ads campaign for your brand.
3. Also with video content, you would be able to create brand awareness within the shortest possible period. The online world is already saturated, so you would likely catch the attention of people only when your videos are captivating.
4. When you constantly give video content, you help your brand stay memorable in the minds of your audience. So when they need a product or service relating to your industry, you will be easily remembered.
5. Above all, a video production company gives you the best in terms of job quality, expertise, software and equipment to be used. All of these combined gives a great job compared to what a novice would do.

Are you ready to make your business official?

Start a Limited company with Incorpuk. This platform is loved and trusted around the world, and numerous entrepreneurs have expressed their satisfaction with the team’s prompt and dependable support, creative business strategy, and superior customer care. Being business specialists, we can help you choose the best Limited Company types for your needs and support you through every stage of starting your own company. Contact us today.

Conclusion

As you would expect, setting up and starting a video production company requires that you strategize and dedicate a lot of time and attention so you can achieve the best. While it might not all go smoothly from the beginning, with the right steps as expatiate in this guide, you will surely be on your way to success. If you have any questions about starting a video production company in the UK, don’t hesitate to contact us here, and we’ll do everything we can to help.