CategoriesBusiness Development Consultancy Design Filmmaking Game Development Publishing

Bridging the Gap: Creatives and Clients

Bridging the Gap: Creatives and Clients

Let’s be on honest, we all have heard potential clients say, “your packages are too expensive”, “do you have a discount?”, or “I can find someone who can do it cheaper.”

 

This can be frustrating especially for freelancers, start-ups, and small businesses because we have to make a profit in order to keep the lights on and food on our tables. However, clients (potential and actual) have the right to control where they spend their money just like anyone else.

 

And if we are completely honest, you probably could find someone to do it cheaper, but the question that clients really should be asking is, “if I choose to invest my money into your services or product, then can you guarantee that your work will reach my expectations?” And I mean reasonable expectations of course.

Portfolio

Early on, creatives will want to ensure that potential clients have seen at least one example of your previous works, so they can have realistic expectations for the project that they are hiring you for since we all know that there are clients that want Hollywood level quality for little to no budget.

 

This is why creatives need to build a quality portfolio, and why clients need to view them— because portfolios are the best way to gauge the quality or value that the creative will bring to each project. This also allows clients to know what look the creative generally gravitates towards and whether that look and feel is one that the client is interested in.

However, if you are just starting out, then your client may still have some questions, fears, or, in the worst case, ask for a discount.

So, how can you minimize a client’s questions, fears, and desire for a discount?

 

The Right Package For You

Let’s be honest, there is no one answer that I could give that would stop every potential client from questioning your pricing; but, through clear communication, you can reassure your client by setting clear expectations for what the project entails and what it doesn’t.

 

Every freelancer, start-up, and small business should have a list of packages that gives a rough outline of what each package entails, so potential clients can see if there is a package that works for their needs.

There will be clients that ask for audio, video, and photo coverage of an event or project, despite the package they paid for only including video. You need to ensure that they know that adding onto their chosen package will increase the price, as it may require more help (boom operator, photo editor, audio engineer, etc.), and it will undoubtedly require more time.

However, there will always be clients that want to pick-and-choose various parts of your different packages.

This should lead the creative to one question: “Should you allow custom packages?”

That’s a question you have to ask yourself: “Does this improve my brand?” and “Can I output consistent quality for each client, if they all asked for custom packages?”

Some of you will answer “yes,” while others will say, “no.” And that’s okay. All that matters is that you know your own limitations— whether based on ability, brand, reliable helpers, or something else.

There is a saying that I have been hearing a lot recently and that is, “Under promise, over deliver”.

Whether you are a freelancer, owner of a start-up, or small company president, these four words could be integral to your success (as you recognize that you do not have access to the same budget as a large company for each project that you are hired to create), but you will still reach and surpass expectations by giving clients more value than they expected— given the limitations.

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CategoriesStorytelling

Building A Character: Active vs. Passive

Introduction

You can ask all your friends, family, followers, and even strangers about who is the worst main character that they have seen from any book, TV show, streaming series, film, or game and I would bet that there will be a common factor that these characters share: their passivity.

One thing that I will note is that a majority of other unfavorable characters lie at some extreme. For example, the extremely talkative character that does not allow for a moment of silence or in the case of this article, the extremely passive character.

Musings: Active v. Passive

Let’s take a look at how building a character is actively or passively can affect the story. Passive characters have been utilized since the beginning of storytelling, but what makes these characters less desirable compared to their active counterparts?

Now, I’m no psychologist, but there was a concept put forth by Julian B. Rotter called one’s Locus of Control that I think highlights why writers are taught to use active characters rather than passive ones. In its most basic sense, one’s locus of control is broken into two types: internal or external.

 

If someone has an internal locus of control then they believe that they are “in control of their actions, destiny, fate, etc.” while one with an external locus of control believes that they are “at the whims of outside factors such as those around them or fate and they cannot change it”.

To simplify the difference, I would claim that active characters recognize what they want and are willing to work towards getting their desires while a passive character has desires that are buried deep and are less willing to pursue them.

Imagine that you are reading a story, playing a game, or watching a movie, the main character that you are supposed to connect with does absolutely nothing and the narrative of the film just ferries them around or they are heralded as the hero though they have not worked for that position. It would feel unsatisfying, right?

I would argue that it is because of our intrinsic nature of working hard and expecting others to work just as hard as we do thus, we can empathize with characters who go through hardships and attain their dreams or goals. This is what is appealing about the American Dream and why so many novels used it in the past, though many modern writers choose to subvert those ideals as not everyone achieves their goals or dreams. However, even then we can empathize with their characters if they continue to push forward rather than languishing in failure.

This is why when you look at the Heroes Journey or Dan Harmon’s Story Circle, there is a moment where all hope seems lost, but the characters do not stay there! They push forward come hell or high water.

Great writers know how to craft active characters that propel the plot rather than having the plot lead them along.

There have been and will always be stories that have passive characters that evolve into active protagonists, but we as the reader or viewer need to recognize that growth is not immediate otherwise it will cheapen the experience of seeing these characters grow and mature.

You can look to The Giver and many others that have more passive characters grow over the course of the story. He grew not to only have his society or the book’s narrative pull him along, but into an active character that moved the narrative.

One note that I do want to make is that active characters can have passive or reactive moments rather than being proactive. This is evident when writers create living worlds around their active characters meaning that even the antagonists can be pushing the plot forward in response to the protagonists leading into a character-driven narrative that highlights the qualities of both characters rather than pitting a two dimensional antagonist against a fleshed-out three dimensional protagonist.

So, when you are working on your next project keep in mind whether your character has an internal or external locus of control and whether that changes or strengthens over the course of their journey.


“I would argue that it is because of our intrinsic nature of working hard and expecting others to work just as hard as we do thus, we can empathize with characters who go through hardships and attain their dreams or goals.”

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CategoriesBusiness Development Consultancy

Next Steps: Why You Need Media

Why You Need Media for Your Business

I hope all is well and your seizing every opportunity to build your business! 

There’s no better time than the present to increase productivity, sales, and recognition. We, at Heir Media, believe that the art of storytelling is the best way to accomplish this. The art of storytelling is more important than ever in the business world. In a fast-paced, constantly-connected world, it can be easy to lose sight of the human element in business. Storytelling allows businesses to connect with their customers and partners on a personal level, which can be the difference between a one-time transaction and a lifelong relationship. Through storytelling, you can connect with your audience on an emotional level and create a strong connection with your brand. When done well, it can make your brand more memorable and distinguish it from the competition, making you stand out in a crowded marketplace. There are many different ways to tell a story through film, book creation, design, or even creativity itself. The important thing is to find the right medium to deliver your message and product with passion and excellence.

It gives you the opportunity to show, not tell, potential customers why they should care about your products or services. So if you’re looking to take your brand to the next level, consider incorporating storytelling into your marketing strategy! Taking your brand to the next level via storytelling is what Heir Media does and is here to help you do just that!

Creativity is key to bringing your story to life, whether it’s in the form of visuals, words, or both. You may ask, “Who is Heir Media?” This is who Heir Media is and what we’re about.

We believe excellence in storytelling is Important for your business’ success, that is why our motto is “Where Creativity Meets Excellence”.

By creating an emotional connection with your audience, you will be able to better communicate your message and build trust with potential customers. Let’s connect, communicate, and build!

Are you passionate about your business and what you do? Passion is one of the most important ingredients for success in any field – including business. When you’re passionate about what you do, it shows in everything you do – from the quality of your work to the way you interact with customers or clients. If you want people to believe in what you’re selling, it’s essential that you believe in it yourself first!

Be inspired this day!

The art of storytelling is more important than ever in the business world. In a fast-paced, constantly-connected world, it can be easy to lose sight of the human element in business.

 

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Every project is different. From commercials and TV spots, to novels and brand design; we are a one-stop-shop for both the business venture in its infancy and the entrepreneur who’s looking to take their brand to the next level. Take a look at a few of the services we offer below, or click the button to the right to see more.

Tell Your Story.

We pride ourselves on our personalized, creative (and oftentimes, innovative), story-first approach to each of our clients’ projects. We realize that every video, every logo design, every word that is written on your website directly effects your brand; and we also recognize that every brand (regardless of how big or small it is) has a story to tell… and we want to help you tell it!

Experience in a Variety of Fields.

Our team of creatives have created dozens of shorts, features, music videos, and ads (as well as published many books) for a variety of clients.

CategoriesNews Press Release

A New Beginning

 

A New Beginning

We have some very exciting news to share!

 

To Our Customers, Employees, and Future Clients:

It’s been a long journey, but we have some exciting news. Since we started this company over ten years ago, we’ve channeled our passion for storytelling into creating meaningful, creative, and story-driven content for our clients’ needs.

And now, more than ever, we believe that storytelling is not only useful for branding and advertising, but it’s necessary to connect with your audience. Engaging your customers, fans, and potential audience is crucial to brand success — and we’ve gotten pretty good at helping our clients tell those stories.

We’ve been blessed with the unique ability to provide our clients with a one-stop-shop in media production: from publishing and brand design, to film production and music composition, we’ve been able to tap into our employees talents to give our client the full gambit of media production.

Still from our film, “Saving Savanna.”

And now, more than ever, we believe that storytelling is not only useful for branding and advertising, but it’s necessary to connect with your audience.

Our Announcement

With that being said, it is with excitement that I announce two exciting pieces of news. First, we have a name change. Yes, you read it correctly, we’ve changed our name. Last year, we decided that it was important to make the shift from HRM Incorporated, to Heir Media permanently.
While we love what we accomplished as HRM Incorporated, we wanted to begin a new chapter in our company’s life — one that’s more creative, more innovative, and one that takes on more challenges. We wanted our name change (and logo, and color changes) to reflect our bold mission statement: “Where Creativity Meets Excellence.”
Second, we’ve moved! What started out as a family business in the basement of our home, has transformed into a business full of life and creativity. We’ve moved our business from our home state of Maryland to North Carolina — Wilmington to be precise. NC has a lot to offer (and it’s closer to the ocean which we love), and we’re excited to hit the ground running.
 
Finally, I want to thank everyone who has helped us — whether they freelanced with us, worked for us, or interned with us — while we were in Maryland. You all made our time exciting and fun, plus your work was phenomenal.
 

To our clients in Maryland, I want to extend a ‘thank you’ as well. We’ve enjoyed your candor, big ideas, and excitement for your businesses. We look forward to continuing to work with you in the future as we start our new beginning. We look forward to hearing from you!

Kimberly Bryan
President

While we love what we accomplished as HRM Incorporated, we wanted to begin a new chapter in our company’s life — one that’s more creative, more innovative, and one that takes on more challenges.

Kimberly Bryan

President

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