FAQs

 

What should your budget be?

A reference video is a great place to start.

  • The best way to get a quick budget estimate is to have a reference video to compare to. (I.e. “How much would something like ‘this’ cost.”)

  • Let us know your budget

    • Every business has a budget and yet most businesses are reluctant to share budget figures hoping they will get an amazing deal if they don’t disclose anything. We’ve been on both sides (client and agency side) and we've always had better results when we said ‘Here’s our budget, here are our business objectives, what can you do for us?” If you don’t declare a budget then the production company will have to guess at a budget. We recently lost a job because the budget we guessed at was too high – even though the client really liked the concept that we had proposed. (Does the company that guesses closest to your undeclared budget win?)

  • An open mind helps

    • Many businesses begin the video development process with; 1. A specific video type or style in mind, 2. A prepared script and/or 3. Specific creative approach in mind. That said, it’s still a good idea to listen to alternative approaches – presumably you are hiring a video production company because of their experience and expertise.

How do we take payment?

  • Non-Refundable Deposit: 50% of the project cost due upon booking.

  • 2nd Payment: 100% of the remaining balance is due within 1 week of the planned filming/production date.

  • E-Check / ACH Bank Transfer (Preferred): Pay online with no additional fees.

  • Paying online with credit: For you're convenience, we do have an option to pay online. This method would be an additional 3% to cover the merchant fee

Are there any additional fees?

Prices do not include a 10% overage administrative fees, contingency fee and other ancillary items.

What are the image rights and licensing fees?

A license is a contract in which the photographer grants specific rights to the client who wants to use the image. The client can only use the image within the scope of the agreement. There are many variables when pricing image licensing fees. Also, we do offer reduced price for upfront production with customized ad buy % backend payments. Situations like this will determine license usage and length.

Some questions to keep in mind that will help us determine the cost of your license are:

  1. Media Permissions. An accurate description of the media in/on which the client will use the image, and the extent to which the client may use the image in that media. Example 1: Surfers Journal Magazine Advertisement.

  2. Distribution Format. The format in which the specified media may be distributed. Example 1: Printed. Example 2: Electronic Download.

  3. Placement. The locations/positions at which the image may appear in/on the specified media, and the maximum number of placements permitted in each instance of that media. Example 1: Single placement on the front cover. Example 2: Multiple placements on cover and interior.

  4. Size. The “image size” — the maximum size at which the image may be reproduced in/on the specified media Example 1: up to one-half page.
    Example 2: up to 8.5 x 5.5 inches.

  5. Versions. The maximum number of design versions, editions or issues in/on which the image may be reproduced. Example: First edition only.

  6. Quantity. The maximum number of reproductions of the image that may be distributed or displayed in the specified media. Example 1: 10,000 Brochures. For magazine or newspaper advertising. Example 2: Total circulation of 850,000.

  7. Duration. The scope of the time period during which the client may exercise the license. Example: Six months.

  8. Region. The geographic locations in/to which your image may be distributed or displayed in/on the specified media. Example: Oregon only.

  9. Language. The language/s of text that may be reproduced in the specified media in/on which the photograph is reproduced. Example: English only.

  10. Exclusivity.The exclusivity provided. Example: Non-exclusive..

  11. License Start Date. The date on which the license commences. This is different than the Duration.

  12. License End Date. The date on which granted rights expire. The license start date plus the duration equals the license end date.

  13. Media Constraints. Region Constraints, Product/Service Constraints, if applicable: Specific limitations on or exceptions to the licensed media. Media example 1: Snowboarder Magazine only. Media Example 2: Only at the following URL: www.hippytree.com.com/specialoffer Region Example: Only in South Pasadena. Product/Service example: Only for Volcom Clothing.

  14. Image Information. One of the most critical elements of any license description is the description of the image or images that are associated with the license. The license description should precisely define or identify the quantity of images that may be used under the license.




What is the turn around time?

This depends on your deadline.  If you need your final product delivered within a few days of the shoot a rush editing charge may be applied.

Do we charge travel rates?

You are responsible for covering additional fees and costs related to location choice (admission fees, parking, etc). The first 50 miles of travel and the first 1 hour of travel from our office located in Los Angeles, California is included. Time and travel beyond that will be billed separately at $1 per mile and $15 per hour per person.

What about raw footage?

RAW FOOTAGE

Simply put, yes you can, but for a fee. When hiring us to shoot your event, commercial, promo material, etc. etc. you are investing in our crew's time and the requested edited, final deliverables. Anything outside of that scope, such as the raw un-edited media and project files isn't included.

  • The cost for the client to purchase the raw footage is 150% of the contract price. If a clients project is $10,000 then the rights to the raw footage comes out to an additional $15,000. This fee grants the client access to the raw footage and permission to use it at their discretion. Some of the reasons we don't include the raw are explained below.

THE COPYRIGHT

    • This is the big one. And it is mainly about protecting the rights of everyone involved. When you make a video the production company will be very clear on what the video is for and where it will be displayed. They will then make sure everything is cleared for this and license the copyright over to you specifically for the usage you require. . More importantly they will cost it in to the quote. This will not include the raw footage. Therefore if you think you will want the raw footage mention it at the start of the process.

THE COST

    • Following on from the copyright reason handing over raw footage does have a cost implication. If you imagine that on some high-end cameras an hour of footage can be 765 GB. If on a project 10 hours of footage is filmed that would be 7,650 GB! Nearly 8 terabytes of data! The hard-drive cost alone would be into the hundreds of dollars. On top of this there is the time it would take to export all the data, it could run into 20+ hours of computer time.

THE LOSS OF FUTURE WORK

    • This is the first reaction for any production company when you ask for the raw footage. The client is going to take our work and get someone else to work on it for half the price! We are in a very paranoid industry!

    • Imagine being an interior designer and being asked to plan you're someone’s interior, then instead of them paying you to enact their plan, they still using their plan to do themselves or have someone else more inexperienced do it for you. Or being a baker, being asked to make someone your special cake. Because the client liked the cake they now want you to give them the ingredients and the recipe for free, for them to make the cake at home and never come to you again.

    • In most cases the client motives are genuine and have an innocent reason behind them. But that doesn’t stop production companies sweating with fear at the thought of the implication. They also worry that someone else is going to ruin their work. It does seem crazy but most creative people have an attachment to their work no matter whom it is for. And the thought of someone blemishing that is hard.

ONE FINAL NOTE

    • It’s worth mentioning that although the production company holds the raw footage it doesn’t mean we are free to do what we want with it and use it without first seeking your approval.

What’s our process?

Our Process Outlined

  • You meet with production team to figure out your needs, wants, and expectations

  • A budget is established and we offer a proposal suited to your project including; pre-production logistics, production method, and post-production timeline.

  • We send over a quote treatment that includes everything we discussed and what you'll be receiving.

  • You approve the quote and we send you a contract that you can sign electronically.

  • A 50% non-refundable deposit is collected to lock in your shoot date in our calendar.

  • Pre-production and logistics begin leading up to the shoot date. This is where we find your story and present the concept(s) for your ad.

  • We setup a pre-shoot meeting to make sure our teams are all on the same page.

  • 25% location deposit is due upon securing filming location and locking draft 1 of script.

  • The remaining 25% balance is due one week before the shoot

  • Shoot day executed

  • We import and make a backup copy of the footage

  • First “rough cut” is delivered to you based on your schedule. This cut is rough, does not have finished sound design, finished graphics or is color corrected. You give us feedback and let us know what isn’t working for you.

  • Our editors make revisions and the second cut is delivered within 5-10 business days. This cut will begin to look more polished and we start color correcting the film. You give us feedback and let us know if there is anything else the

  • We purchase the music license, cater to your revisions, complete color correction, and button up the film. The final cut is delivered via digital download in the format that you requested

  • Project wrap!