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Hiring

What questions should I ask before hiring a video production company?

Short answer

Ask 5 things: do you have work in my industry, what is your pre-production process, can I talk to clients who hired you twice, who owns the footage, and what is included versus billed extra. The answers separate a real partner from an order-taker.

Do you have work in my industry?

Anyone can show a highlight reel. Ask specifically whether they have done work in your category and whether you can see it. A manufacturing capability story and a restaurant commercial are different skills. You want proof they have solved a problem like yours.

What is your pre-production process?

This is the tell. If the answer is vague, the video will be too. Strong companies describe a real process: discovery, narrative development, scouting, interview coaching, a shoot plan. Pre-production is where a video is won, so ask them to walk you through it.

Can I talk to repeat clients?

References from clients who hired them more than once are the cleanest signal of reliability. One-off projects can go fine by luck. Repeat work means the process holds up. Ask for 2 or 3.

Who owns the footage, and what is included?

Confirm you own the final video and the raw footage if you want it. Some companies retain raw files to lock you in. And get the scope in writing: how many revisions, how many deliverables, and what triggers an extra charge. Surprises here are the most common source of friction.

Related questions

What is a red flag when hiring a production company?

Leading with a gear list instead of asking about your goals, a vague pre-production answer, and refusing to share repeat-client references. Any one of those is worth pausing on.

Should I get the quote scope in writing?

Always. The quote should name the deliverables, the number of revision rounds, footage ownership, and what is billed separately. A clear scope prevents most disputes.

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More answers

Pricing

How much does corporate video production cost in Chicago?

Corporate video production in Chicago typically costs between $5,000 and $50,000 per finished piece, depending on length, crew size, and how much pre-production strategy is involved. Most B2B companies land in the $15,000 to $30,000 range for a single hero video.

Timeline

How long does a brand film take to produce?

A brand film typically takes 6 to 10 weeks from kickoff to delivery: about 2 weeks of pre-production, 1 to 3 days of shooting, and 4 to 6 weeks of post-production.

Concepts

What's the difference between a brand film and a corporate video?

A brand film is documentary-style and tells the story of a company's identity, values, or origin in 2 to 5 minutes. A corporate video is functional, usually shorter, and explains a specific product, service, or process to a defined audience.

Logistics

Do you travel for video shoots in the Midwest?

Yes. The Maestro Media is based in Columbia City, Indiana and regularly travels for shoots across Chicago, Indianapolis, Columbus, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, and St. Louis. Travel within a 4-hour drive of Fort Wayne is built into most production estimates.