5 Things to Know Before Hiring a Production Company for Your Brand

A straightforward guide to finding the right video and photo production partner-and avoiding expensive mistakes.

Hiring a production company is a significant investment. Whether you're creating your first brand video or refreshing your entire visual identity, the partner you choose will shape how your audience sees you.

The problem? It's hard to evaluate production companies if you haven't worked with many. The portfolios all look professional. Everyone claims to be "full-service." Pricing varies wildly with no clear explanation why.

After years of working with brands navigating this decision, here are the five things we wish every client knew before signing a contract.

1. "Full-Service" Means Different Things to Different Companies

Some production companies are truly full-service-they handle concepting, scripting, location scouting, casting, shooting, editing, color, sound, and delivery. Others use "full-service" to mean they'll shoot and edit, but everything else is on you.

Neither is wrong, but the distinction matters for your budget and timeline.

Questions to ask:

• What exactly is included in your proposal?
• Who handles pre-production tasks like scripting and storyboarding?
• Do you have in-house editors and colorists, or do you outsource?
• What's my responsibility versus yours?

A legitimately full-service company can take a brief and deliver finished assets without you managing multiple vendors. That's valuable if your team is small or stretched thin. If you have an in-house creative team that just needs execution, a leaner production partner might be the better fit.

2. The Portfolio Shows Capability, Not Guarantee

Every production company's website showcases their best work. Those reels are impressive for a reason-they're highlight reels. What you're really buying isn't a guarantee that your project will look like their best project. You're buying their process, their problem-solving, and their ability to execute on your specific needs.

What to look for instead:

• Work that matches your industry or content type
• Range and versatility, not just one style
• Case studies that explain the challenge, not just the result
• Willingness to show work at different budget levels

Questions to ask:

• Can you show me a project similar in scope and budget to mine?
• What was the biggest challenge on that project and how did you solve it?
• What does a typical project process look like with you?

The best production partners are honest about what's achievable at your budget rather than showing you champagne work when you've communicated a beer budget.

3. The Real Cost Includes More Than the Quote

Production quotes often cover the shoot itself-crew, equipment, location, talent, and basic editing. But final delivery-ready content usually requires more.

Costs that sometimes surprise clients:

• Music licensing (stock music vs. custom vs. popular tracks)
• Talent usage rights (paying actors for extended or expanded use)
• Additional edit revisions beyond what's included
• Platform-specific versions (different aspect ratios, lengths)
• Motion graphics, animation, or text overlays
• Expedited timelines or rush delivery
• Travel and lodging for non-local shoots

Questions to ask:

• What's included in this quote and what might be additional?
• How many revision rounds are included?
• How do you handle music licensing?
• What are the usage rights for any talent involved?

A trustworthy production company will walk you through these details upfront rather than surprising you with add-ons later. If a quote seems too good to be true, it probably doesn't include something you'll need.

4. Communication Style Matters More Than You Think

You're going to spend weeks or months working with this team. Their communication style-responsiveness, clarity, flexibility-will determine whether that experience is smooth or stressful.

Pay attention during the sales process. How quickly do they respond? Do they answer your questions directly or dodge them? Do they listen to your needs or just pitch their capabilities? Are they organized in how they present information?

Green flags:

• Clear timelines and expectations set early
• Transparent about limitations or concerns
• Responsive within a reasonable timeframe
• Willing to explain their process and reasoning
• Ask thoughtful questions about your brand and goals

Red flags:

• Slow or inconsistent communication during the proposal phase
• Vague answers about pricing or process
• Overpromising or agreeing to everything without pushback
• No questions about your brand, audience, or objectives
• Pressure to sign quickly

The production process involves a lot of decisions and feedback loops. A partner who's difficult to communicate with during the sales phase will be difficult during production too.

5. Timelines Are Usually Longer Than You Expect

Quality production takes time. Even a relatively simple project-say, a single brand video-involves concepting, scripting, pre-production planning, scheduling, the actual shoot, editing, revisions, color grading, sound mixing, and final delivery.

Realistic timelines for common projects:

• Single brand video (1-3 minutes): 4-8 weeks
• Product photography (10-20 images): 2-4 weeks
• Campaign with multiple deliverables: 6-12 weeks
• Full brand video package: 8-16 weeks

These assume no major delays like location issues, talent availability, or significant creative pivots.

Questions to ask:

• What's a realistic timeline for this project?
• What factors could extend the timeline?
• What do you need from me, and when, to stay on schedule?
• Do you charge for rush timelines?

If a production company promises to deliver complex work in an unrealistically short timeframe, either they're cutting corners or they don't fully understand the scope. Neither is good.

Bonus: What "Good Fit" Actually Means

Beyond capability and budget, the best production partnerships happen when there's genuine alignment.

Signs you've found a good fit:

• They're genuinely curious about your brand and goals
• Their creative instincts align with your vision
• They're honest about what's achievable at your budget
• You feel comfortable giving them feedback
• They've asked about how you'll use the content, not just what you want to create

Production is collaborative. The best results come when both sides are engaged, communicative, and working toward the same outcome. Technical skill matters, but so does the working relationship.

The Bottom Line

Hiring a production company is about more than comparing reels and quotes. It's about finding a partner who understands your brand, communicates clearly, and can deliver quality work within your real constraints.

Take time to ask the right questions, pay attention to how companies communicate during the sales process, and be honest about your budget and goals. The right partner will appreciate the clarity-and you'll end up with better content because of it.