So you now have some idea of what is involved in making good video. It's a lot! Filmmaking, as it was once called, is a labor-intensive undertaking.

So let's say your company needs a KOL video for its latest product, a drug that fights liver disease. How do you go about selecting the right agency for the job?

If one of the candidates is a company you've never worked with before, you're going to want to see some of their past examples of similar work. They're "reel," as it is called.

This may be as simple as visiting their website, or you may have to ask them to send you some files of their best work.

So what, specifically, is important in a good KOL video? It goes without saying that it must be nearly perfect on a purely technical level.

The lighting should be flattering, the audio clear without any distracting background or mic noises. You should be able to hear the speakers, every word without straining. Everything in the frame, but especially the subject's eyes, should be in sharp focus. The picture must be high resolution. These days, your agency shouldn't be shooting in anything less than 4K.

It's easy enough to compress a high-definition video down to web levels. But there's very little you can do to sharpen a video that wasn't shot to current standards.

It's okay if there are some subtle lap dissolves between takes here's one you barely even notice if I weren't calling it out. But you don't want any distracting jumps or Max Headroom-like movements.

Hair and makeup don't have to be at moviestar levels, but you can't ignore them either. Those are all givens.

What you're most looking for is a team that can draw a strong performance from your expert. You want your KOL to be clear and engaging.

Obviously you'll have to work with the expert you've dealt, and that is a bit of an art in itself. Everyone, including the KOL, wants the KOL to look good. But a KOL who has the credentials and comes across well on camera? That's a rare gift.

A good team knows when to push for multiple takes to get the KOL to hit just the right word in the sentence to make its meaning clear.

A good team will offer pointers to make it less obvious they're reading from a teleprompter, which they most certainly will be.

And a good team will also know not to wear out the KOL halfway through the day's shooting in pursuit of the perfect take.

So take note of how the speaker looks at the end of the video compared to how they started. Are they still fresh? Or are they looking a little wilted?

Speaking of which, wardrobe is important. Again, we're looking for authenticity and reassurance. So your KOL is likely to be wearing either business attire or a lab coat in certain settings.

In most cases, it's business attire, which should bend towards the conservative. You want them to look competent and reassuring while showing a restrained enthusiasm for the product.

Oh, and of course, the KOL should avoid wearing fine stripes, which can result in something called the Moiré effect because, again, distracting.

There's one other major element of the KOL video you'll want to consider.

Graphics are often added to back up an expert. These might be simple bullet points, or they might be animations illustrating some relevant data. In either case, these graphics should enhance rather than distract from the KOL's points.

Look for timing and smooth integration with live-action images. Do they cut between full-screen graphics and the KOL appropriately? And do the graphics present the data in a clear and interesting way?

What about a 3D MOA animation? What are the qualities to look for there?

In our KOL video, we were looking for authenticity and clarity from a human performer.

In an MOA animation, you're also looking for clarity. This time it's to help us understand and believe something never seen by the naked eye. Like a virus invading a liver cell or how a new drug keeps that from happening.

Mechanism of Action animations are representative of real processes and yes, they must be clear and accurate. But at the same time, a good team takes a certain amount of artistic license in how they portray the biology and chemistry on a molecular level.

So look for images that are not only clear, but almost transporting. It's hard to describe, but the very best 3D Mechanism of Action animations almost make the viewers feel as if they've been miniaturized and are now witnesses to a real process.

For electrical or mechanical processes, for example, how a tissue analyzer uses dyes and lasers to detect cancer cells in a blood sample, you're looking for a clear understanding of a process other than a literal representation of events.

Either way, you're looking for that feeling of, "Okay, now I see. Now I understand."

All right, we've talked about the work itself, but whoever you choose to hire has to be someone you can work with. Get a feel for their personality and working style. You're looking for someone who listens to you and takes some time to understand the project's goals.

You want someone who will include you in the process at the appropriate intervals.

You also want to assess how well organized the agency is and what their project management process is like. Are they going to stay on top of things? And how many other projects are they juggling at the moment? No one wants to be at the back of the line.

You want the agency's best and most creative ideas, but as they apply to your goals. What you don't need is your agency creating some career milestone for themselves that bears little resemblance to what you asked for.

I'll let you in on a little secret. Most of these guys really want to be Steven Spielberg. And when I say most of them, I really mean all of them. But that kind of ambition, properly channeled, could serve you well.

Finally, is it important that the agency has experiencing producing medical videos specifically? Well, yes.

Because medical marketing is an endeavor where accuracy and adherence to regulations are essential. Medical videos are subject to much more stringent legal review than other products.

An agency that is already familiar with the legal bounds of medical product claims will also know how to navigate the whole approvals process. I can save you time and money.

All right. I hope this has been helpful in choosing an agency to produce your medical video. With a little luck and some research, your next project will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.