After 16 years working as a TV host and producer, Jason Dundas saw an opportunity to use his experience and professional network to create his own video content agency. So Jason started Dundas Media, a video production company that offers end to end creative services for brands looking to create time-efficient, cost-effective, and mobile-friendly videos for their audience.
Over the past few years, Dundas Media has been well-positioned to meet the rising demand for premium, short-form content across brands and online channels, and their growing business works with global brands including GQ, Verizon Media, Architectural Digest, and Chase. Recently, Jason’s team worked with Condé Nast Traveler and American Express to produce 48 short-form travel videos across New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The videos feature local tastemakers as hosts, who take viewers to their favorite spots in and around each city.
Needing to fill several roles on the shoots (including second camera operator, camera assistant, and runner), and confident in the caliber of talent available on Vimeo, Jason turned to Vimeo For Hire to staff his projects. We caught up with Jason to hear more about his experience sourcing talent with Vimeo For Hire, how he picked his crew, and his tips for creators and brands looking to connect on Vimeo.
Why did you decide to use Vimeo For Hire for this project?
I use a core team of creatives for all of my Dundas Media productions, but when it comes to travel content, it makes sense to use certain crew who are locals. This has worked really well for us as it allows us to gain local insights and also cut costs on travel expenses for some of the production team. As a business, we use Vimeo every day when delivering content to our clients around the world, and using Vimeo For Hire was a natural step.
What specific roles did you fill through Vimeo For Hire on this project?
I hired several creative pros through Vimeo For Hire for this project, including a camera assistant and second camera operator in New York City, a sound recordist in San Francisco, and a production assistant in Chicago.
What helped you identify individual video professionals that would be a good fit?
I loved how I could narrow down my search criteria and see their body of work right away. It made finding the right creative fast and easy. I like to move fast and also hand pick who I want to fill a certain spot on my team, so it made more sense for me to select a creative pro and reach out directly, rather than run a job post.
What was the communication process like once you reached out?
This was really fast and easy, with most of the pros I reached out to replying through the platform the same day.
Any advice for other businesses who are looking to hire video pros?
Take the time to watch their body of work and make sure it’s in line with the project or video you are after. This was a huge help for me when identifying the right creative.
Any advice for video pros who are looking to get hired?
Make sure to keep your videos constantly updated on your Vimeo profile. I know it can be hard to chase up copies of your recent projects, but for someone like me who is looking through Vimeo to hire creative pros, your work is the only thing I look at. If you have just bought a new camera, list it, and make sure you list all the gear you have access to, as I often rent small things like lenses from the local hires.
