FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Generally filming and editing is broken down into half day (4-5 hours) and full day (8-10 hours) pricing. Because we are constantly hauling equipment, driving, setting up lights, adjusting cameras, walking actors and on-camera talent through the process, tearing down equipment, and more, what may seem like a one hour shoot to you is actually much longer for us and unfortunately for you we have to charge for it. That's why it's always best to have as much done at one time as possible. So if you are planning on recording weekly video blogs, we would help you plan to shoot multiple on one day, rather than come back each week. It will save you a ton of money! Also, we include at least a half day of planning and strategy time before 99% of our shoots so we can get you the best return. We aren't the cheapest option on Thumbtack but we're the most detailed and can give you the most guidance on best practices.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Usually we like to get to know the company first. We want to know why you want to have a video and what you hope to say in it. So we always offer a free discovery session to see if it's a good fit - or if we should recommend someone else. After the discovery session if you want to move forward, we work on your messaging, your story, and a script if you have one. If not, we can help draft one. Then there's a lot of administrative pre-production work we do at our end to make sure we're ready for the shoot and everything is accounted for. After filming, we put together a narrative edit so you can hear the story without seeing all of the video work. It'll look choppy because it's a first edit but locking in the story is most important. Then we'll do a rough cut with video and then a fine cut and then finalize everything. Every project gets one free round of revisions at any stage of editing. Once we've locked the video, we'll help you get it out to world, either working with your web person or uploading it to a platform ourselves. We try to make this process as easy and transparent as possible so that you can focus on your business while we focus on the marketing/PR video.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I personally have been working in the video world for over 15 years. I've taken hundreds of hours of classes focusing on video technique, story design, editing, and more. Half of High School was spent working at a technical school in their visual communications program, and then spent 2 hours at a junior college learning the ins and outs of live tv and radio. I spent another 3 years at Columbia College Chicago in the Film & Video program jumping around concentrations so I can get the most experience in a little bit of everything, including Directing, Producing, Cinematography, Editing, and Screenwriting. Since college, I worked as a videographer learning about education and design processes while starting my own business part time. I co-owned Network Entertainment Studios for 5 years before forming Emblem on my own over 3 years ago. I frequently sign up for new online classes and attend workshops to better understand the marketing world so I can help guide my clients on using video correctly, rather than a "show-up and point-n-shoot approach."