Startups run hot. Budgets are tight. Timelines are real. You need a production partner who can move with you and still protect the craft. This is the playbook we wish more teams used before they signed anything.
1) Do they actually understand startups
Not “we love founders” on a website. Real signals.
Can they explain your product back to you in plain language.
Have they shipped under changing scope and shifting roadmaps.
Can they work inside a product launch calendar with hard code-freeze dates.
Will they help translate story into outcomes you measure.
Ask: “Describe our user, our moment, and the one thing this film needs to make people feel.”
If they drift into buzzwords, keep looking.
2) Define the shape of the work
Know exactly what you are buying. Get it in writing.
Anchor piece: one launch film or brand spot. Length, aspect ratios, captioning.
Social kit: number of cuts, runtimes, ratios, subtitles, burned-in supers.
Proof assets: testimonials, product walkthroughs, founder bites.
Stills: frame grabs or dedicated photo set for site and PR.
File delivery: project archive, editables, LUTs, and music licenses.
Red flag: “We will figure it out later.” Later is when budgets break.
3) Budget and where it goes
Ballpark ranges vary by concept, crew size, and finish.
Lean product reveal: 15k to 30k. One day shoot. Small crew. Simple locations.
Cinematic launch: 30k to 100k. Multiple locations. Light VFX. Original score.
Campaign with testimonials: 45k to 150k. Anchor film plus three to five shorts, photo, and paid placement cuts.
Make sure the estimate shows line items: creative, pre-pro, production, post, color, sound, music, licensing, deliverables, contingency.
Tip: Protect 10 to 15 percent for distribution and creator cuts after launch. The internet forgets fast. Plan for the second wave.
4) Timeline that respects reality
A clean, realistic run looks like this.
Brief and strategy: 3 to 5 days. Message, audience, call to action.
Treatment and script: 5 to 10 days. Visual world, narrative spine, shot plan.
Pre-pro: 7 to 14 days. Casting, locations, permits, crew, schedule.
Production: 1 to 3 days. Get more coverage than you think you need.
Post: 10 to 20 days. Edit, graphics, color, mix, subtitles, versioning.
Compressing is possible. Compressing everything at once is not.
5) Distribution is part of the job
A video is not done when you press publish. It is done when it moves people to act.
Platform map. Where it runs and in what order.
Version plan. 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, with and without captions.
Hook testing. Three opening beats for paid and organic.
Retargeting plan. Who sees the second and third touch.
Landing page integration. Video above the fold with a clear next step.
Ask: “How will we turn attention into sign-ups, demos, or preorders.” If the answer is “post everywhere,” that is not a plan.
6) Creative voice that feels like you
In saturated feeds, only voice survives.
Watch their reel. Do you feel a point of view or just expensive images.
Look for restraint. Not every frame needs fireworks.
Do they know when to choose founder truth over product hype.
Ask: “What would you cut from this idea to protect the core feeling.” Good teams can kill their own darlings.
7) Rights, licenses, and the boring things that save you later
Get this crystal clear before cameras roll.
Who owns raw footage and final masters.
Music licenses and term. Internet, paid, international.
Talent releases. Especially internal staff and customers.
Insurance certificates. Locations and equipment.
Revisions, kill fees, weather plans, and overtime rules.
Safety is not glamorous. Safety is what keeps your launch on track.
8) How they handle the week after launch
The second wave separates hype from momentum.
Social cuts scheduled for week one and week two.
A behind-the-scenes or “what we learned” short.
Testimonial or case study pulled from the same shoot.
A clear metric stack. View-through, click-through, sign-ups, demo requests, retention on page.
If there is no plan for week two, you are buying a firework, not a system.
9) Proof you can trust
Ask for two references you can call. Not just logos. Actual people.
Ask about missed shots and hard days. You learn more from the friction than the praise.
10) Quick checklist you can copy into your brief
One sentence problem and promise
Primary audience and where they live online
Action you want in the first 24 hours
Deliverables list with counts and ratios
Timeline with real decision gates
Budget with line items and 10 percent contingency
Distribution plan and measurement
Ownership, licensing, and releases
Who signs off at each stage
Plan for week two
Context you should know
The video production market is big and growing. Size does not equal fit. You are choosing a partner, not ordering a commodity. Vet the work. Vet the people. Vet the plan.
If you want our version in one line
Move fast, protect the story, and ship enough versions to outlast the scroll.
Final thought: Your video partner is not just a vendor. They are your voice at scale. Choose the team that can carry it without dropping the feeling.