How to Choose a Video Production Company in Chicago: 9 Questions to Ask
Chicago has hundreds of video production companies, and most showreels look impressive. The difference between a great investment and an expensive disappointment usually comes down to questions nobody thinks to ask before signing. Here are the nine we’d ask — even of ourselves.
1. “What should this video accomplish for our business?”
Ask this and watch what happens. A camera crew will talk about visuals. A production partner will ask about your sales process, your buyers, and how you’ll measure success. If strategy isn’t the first conversation, the video is a coin flip.
2. “Who writes the script — and what’s your process?”
The script is 80% of the outcome. Ask who writes it, how many revisions you get, and whether messaging strategy is included or billed separately.
3. “Can we see work for businesses like ours?”
Beautiful footage of restaurants doesn’t prove they can make a B2B software company compelling. Ask for relevant examples and — better — what those videos achieved.
4. “What exactly is included in this price?”
Shoot days, crew size, revision rounds, music licensing, captions, cutdowns, usage rights. Vague quotes become change orders. Fixed written scopes protect you.
5. “How do you handle people who hate being on camera?”
Almost every corporate shoot involves nervous non-actors. Experienced directors have a coaching process; inexperienced ones just roll and hope. This single skill separates usable footage from stiff, wasted takes.
6. “What happens after delivery?”
A file in a Dropbox folder is not a marketing outcome. Ask whether they provide cutdowns, platform versions, and a distribution plan — or whether that’s your problem.
7. “What’s the timeline, and what could delay it?”
Good producers give you a dated schedule: discovery, script approval, shoot, first cut, final delivery. If they can’t, expect drift. (Ours is 21 days, in writing.)
8. “Who owns the footage?”
You should own the finals outright, with rights to use them anywhere — including paid ads. Confirm whether you also get the raw footage and at what cost.
9. “Why are you the right fit for us?”
The honest answer matters more than the polished one. The right partner will tell you when a smaller package serves you better, or when you don’t need video at all yet. Listen for candor.
Red flags worth walking away from
- No discovery process — straight to “when do we film?”
- Day-rate pricing with no defined deliverables
- No examples of coaching real employees (only actors or event footage)
- Rights and revisions “to be discussed later”
Choosing well takes one extra week of diligence and saves a five-figure mistake. And if you’d like to put us through these nine questions, we’d enjoy the conversation — book a free discovery call.