As Private Equity Companies Plan Annual Investor Meetings, Video of Portfolio Companies is High on Agenda, According to Voices & Visions Productions

As private equity firms plan their annual investor meetings at this time of year, some, cognizant of the exploding informational role of video across many platforms, are building colorful video presentations of portfolio companies into their agendas. When produced professionally so that the visuals and content are reflective of a depth of understanding of the companies, the videos distinguish the private equity firms, imparting their corporate values and giving their investors a heightened sense of confidence.

Every company has a story, and storytelling is our passion

(Vocus) April 29, 2008 -- Tis the season for private equity firms to plan their annual investor meetings. In a market of investors more wary than in prior years coupled with a video-saturated world, some firms are working with video production companies that specialize in financial services industries to create colorful videos highlighting successful messages about portfolio businesses.

"Introspective and high-energy videos presented at intervals throughout an annual investor meeting infuse the audience with information and enthusiasm about where they have invested their monies," Ellen Friedland, president of Voices & Visions ("V&V") Productions, said. "And a PE firm can use snippets of the video recorded for a range of other purposes after the meeting, including web clips on a variety of topics."

Two firms that have embraced V&V videos for their annual meetings are The Riverside Company and AIG Investments. According to Christine M. Croissant, Managing Director of Marketing & Investor Relations for The Riverside Company, the largest private equity firm investing in premier companies around the world that are at the smaller end of the middle market, "In just a few short minutes, a Voices & Visions video takes our investors into a portfolio company's facility, introduces them to the management teams and products, and gives a sense of the value we've imparted to a company in a way no speech ever could. Through the use of videos, our investors gain better knowledge of our widespread and diverse portfolio and increase their confidence in our investment decisions."

Key to the success of the videos is the extent to which the video company understands the PE market as well as the myriad of portfolio companies that come under their wings. V&V's principals are comprised of Friedland, who began her career as an attorney clerking in the federal district court in Manhattan where a wide variety of complex matters were an everyday occurrence, and Curt Fissel, an award-winning TV documentary cinematographer and editor for almost 30 years. Their collective strengths ensure that every interview and background shot combines a depth of understanding of the subject made comprehensible to the viewer through organized scripts, coherent sound bytes, artistic visual angles and effects, and creative graphic design.

We knew we wanted to present videos highlighting several of our portfolio CEOs for our annual private equity meeting last year, and needed some creative input to manage this project the right way," said Deanna Devloo of AIG Investments. "V&V took charge immediately, came up to speed in no time about the investee companies we were highlighting, found time to interview nationwide and ask our CEOs pointed and pertinent questions, then produced the six videos we needed, all within a nearly impossible deadline."

Depending upon the locations and complexity of the portfolio companies as well as the complexity of the video the private equity firm is introduced in presenting, video production can be a time-consuming process. Consequently, discussions about its inclusion at an annual investor meeting should be addressed in the early stages of planning, which often occurs in April and May.

Friedland and Fissel, who also produce documentaries internationally, enjoy working with portfolio companies. "Every company has a story, and storytelling is our passion," Friedland said.

V&V is headquartered in Montclair, NJ outside of Manhattan, will be opening a west cost studio in Los Angeles in June, and videotapes throughout the world.

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