When we first opened the doors to our midtown Manhattan studio, my wife (who knows a thing or two as the CEO of Pace Public Relations) gave me a valuable piece of advice; the client experience is just as important as the final product. To be clear – it is not MORE important, it’s just IMPORTANT. Part of this means that we want to be accommodating and professional in the production process, but that goes without saying. The overall experience is also about the setting. One of the biggest differentiators that we provide is a cool and cozy studio and a warm office environment.
This doesn’t have to cost a ton of money. You don’t need a fancy lobby with a fountain, a nitro cold brew tap, or funky $1000 chairs. In fact, you can make your space warm and inviting with an almost zero budget if you’re willing to invest some elbow grease.
A studio can be very boring and messy, and we wanted to change that. As our company took on its brand identity as a new and digital video company with roots in traditional storytelling, a theme emerged in our studio design: art deco. Every piece of furniture has a function as well as form. After all, it’s a studio: we need to be able to shoot video from every angle! That said, I will always choose to invest more in quality equipment and labor than a fancy creature comforts.
With a few projects in my dad’s basement (including our beautiful studio marquee and old-timey TV set – see below for photos of the process) combined with subtle antique touches (and snacks, of course), we find that clients and partners feel at home here. We put client logos into the marquee and record voiceovers in a vintage telephone booth (this was generously handed down from another company that was moving offices). The key here is that you can do a lot with a little, and clients appreciate the little things.
Take a look at the office tour video above and some of the photos of the studio here. Of course, if you’re ever in the area, we’d love to show you around!