There’s something to be said about getting things done by yourself. For example, it can be incredibly satisfying to buy a new car, move into a new home, or start a business on your own. However, while some might prefer the solitude of self-starting, when it comes to film and video, working as an army-of-one can be a daunting task.

We spoke with one of these multifaceted directors — Ibrahim Zafar from Lens End Media — about his own personal journey turning his hobby into his career and growing his solo operation into a tight-knit, agile team strong enough to tackle any video project.

If you want to grow your video production company and take on bigger (and more lucrative!) brand video and film projects, take Zafar’s lead. Let’s look into some of his experience and discuss tips and guidelines for growing your video production company.

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Taking the first step

For many film and video professionals, it can be tricky to break into the industry. However, Zafar recommends starting small and organically. While there may be production companies out there that start big, the majority come from humble origins and scale up as demand increases. For Zafar, navigating the early days of his career included working as a producer, director, a shooter and an editor, often juggling the various tasks and roles needed to pitch, produce and deliver a project as a true army-of-one turnkey production company.

Eventually, Zafar’s vision for his own company fully transitioned from his army-of-one — a company where he wore all the hats — to be more of a CEO and film director with a team of talented filmmakers at his disposal.

When asked about how others could learn from some of his experiences as they look to build their own companies and brands, his advice really came down to adding value.

“Doing everything from start to finish was my main way of working, so getting people involved into the process was foreign to me. We’ve naturally needed more help as we’ve grown, which I think is the proper way to handle transitioning from a solo director to a company.”
Ibrahim Zafar

Turn your hobby into your job

One element of Zafar’s career that is inspiring is that he was able to transition into it from another career path altogether.

“I was working in consulting prior, traveling to other countries for a large company. In my free time though, I’d go out and start shooting videos for fun and film international “day-in-the-life” content. That started my passion, and let’s just say, things grew from there,” said Zahar.

For Zafar, videography was simply a passion and a hobby which he did on the side as he learned the ropes and developed his style and skills. At the behest of his wife, Zafar admits, he finally made the jump to full-time to pursue his new career shortly after getting married.

It’s been a path with its own challenges though as Zafar’s career change coincided with COVID-19. However, there was a silver lining to starting a new career during a pandemic — Zafar finally had enough downtime to fully focus on his first clients and their needs.

Know when to ask for help

At first, Zafar only needed to rely on himself to handle all the production work from clients. And for many with the same mindset, it can actually be quite productive (and satisfying) to take the reins on handling each stage of a project from pre- to post.

Still, Zafar admits he needed to bring in some extra help here and there to stay on top of the work.

“I knew that I had to grow the company, but there was just so much work with the client management stage, the being on set stage, the bringing in revenue stage, the building your brand and managing your social media stage, so my days were spread pretty thin trying to manage everything at once.”
Ibrahim Zafar

3 steps to start growing your video production company

If you want to follow in Zafar’s footsteps, you need to do your homework and think through your production company’s development. Start by following these three tips gleaned from Zahar’s story.

1. Be intentional with your video marketing resources

For many film and video professionals, it can be tricky to break into the industry — so start small and grow organically. While there may be production companies out there that find immediate or award-winning success, the majority come from humble origins and scale up as demand increases.

When you start small, your marketing strategy has to reflect that too. It takes a certain mindset and resolve to handle the army-of-one mentality needed to be successful early on.

“Doing everything from start to finish was my main way of working, so getting people involved in the process was foreign to me. We’ve naturally needed more help as we’ve grown, which I think is the proper way to handle transitioning from a solo director to a company.”
Ibrahim Zafar

2. Turn your filmmaking hobby into a video advertising business

It’s not uncommon to have multiple revenue streams in today’s economy. In fact, 39% of adults in the U.S. have a side hustle. If you’re already shooting and recording for fun, you could try to shift that into a recording and promotional video business.

You could even use video editing software to translate some of your favorite high-quality clips and social media reels into video templates for others to download and use.

Other types of videos you can consider adding to your product and format list — depending on your skill set — include:

  • Explainer videos
  • Animated videos and/or 3D animation
  • Interactive videos
  • Live-action videos
  • Commercial videos and corporate video production
  • Documentaries and non-profit videos
  • Motion graphics

3. Learn how to budget and cut production costs

Once you begin your transition from an army-of-one to a leadership role for your young team, you’ll need to shift from strictly focusing on the videography. Instead, turn your gaze toward cost management, production, and company growth.

If you want to work on budgeting and cost reduction, that may mean sacrificing and paying yourself a lower salary for the first few years while your company grows.

Tips for scaling your video production company

If you’re looking for cost-cutting techniques and simple ways to scale your video production company, AI tools and automation are your friends.

✍️ Curb writer’s block with an AI script-writing tool

You’re getting into the video production business to record and produce content, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re great (or fast) at scripting. If you want to write effective video dialogue quickly, try an AI script generator.

With Vimeo’s AI script generator, you can break the barrier to video pre-production entry and create video scripts in a matter of seconds.

⏲️ Save time with a teleprompter

Once your script is ready, your on-camera talent should use it to prepare. However, when just beginning a video production company, you may not have access to seasoned on-air personalities. Whether you’re putting yourself on film or working with someone who may not have news anchor-level confidence on screen, a teleprompter can serve as a very helpful tool.

Vimeo’s teleprompter tool helps you record videos in one take and overcome on-screen jitters.

🔡 Simplify the process with text-based video editing

Most video producers will tell you that editing is one of the most difficult and time-consuming parts of the post-production process. One way to save time and automate some of the work is by using a text-based video editor.

Vimeo lets users edit high-quality videos as easily as they edit a text document. The text-based editing tool includes native search functionality to find and cut clips easily. It also helps users bulk-delete filler words and long pauses.

Add value in your own way

If you want a career like Ibrahim Zafar’s, take his testimonial to heart and focus on the value your video production agency can provide.

Focus on your craft and how your team can best benefit your clients. This might even mean working for reduced rates to hook new customers. Another factor you’ll want to consider is a video platform that can also serve as an army-of-one tool, tackling hosting, branding, and analytics all in one place.

Ultimately, you’ll demonstrate the true value and full potential of your work later, so work smarter, not harder, until you can charge the kind of rates that will allow you to reach the next step.

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Originally published on December 20, 2021 and updated on August 17, 2023