New York has hundreds of video production companies, and their quotes for the same project can differ by tens of thousands of dollars. This guide is how I'd tell a friend to compare them, including the questions that expose weak vendors fast. Yes, I'm one of the options, but everything below applies whether you hire me or not.
1. Watch the reel, then ask who actually shot it
Agencies often sell with a beautiful reel, then hand your project to freelancers you never meet. That isn't automatically bad, but you should know who is holding the camera on your shoot day and see that person's work specifically. When you talk to me, the person on the call is the person on set and the person in the edit.
2. Look for work in your world
A team that only shoots weddings will struggle with a product campaign. Ask for an example close to your project. If you're a brand that sells something beautiful, look at product and campaign work like my EFFY jewelry campaign. If you need people-driven storytelling, look for documentary work like the MESA school film.
3. Ask about process, not just price
A real professional can walk you through discovery, concept, shot list, shoot day logistics, and the edit schedule without hand-waving. If the answer to "what happens after we sign" is vague, the project will be too. You want to hear a clear sequence and who owns each step.
4. Get the all-in scope in writing
- Music licensing. Unlicensed tracks can get your ads rejected and your videos muted. The license should be included and named.
- Revision rounds. Two included rounds is standard. "Unlimited revisions" usually means a padded price or a team that plans poorly.
- Deliverables. Horizontal for the site, vertical for social, cutdowns for ads, captions. Every format should be listed.
- Usage rights. You should own the final videos outright, and it should say so in the agreement.
5. Weigh a small senior team against a big crew
Day rate math is simple: more people on set, higher invoice. What matters is who those people are. A large crew of juniors will lose to a small senior team on most brand work. I cover the full cost picture in what video production costs in NYC.
Red flags I'd walk away from
- A quote that's one number with no breakdown of what's included.
- No contract, or a contract with no delivery dates.
- A reel that's mostly stock footage or other people's work.
- Nobody will tell you who is actually shooting your project.
- Pressure to sign today for a "discounted rate."
The one question that tells you the most: "Walk me through your last project like mine, start to finish." Confident professionals love this question. Everyone else improvises.
Quick checklist before you sign
- You've seen relevant work by the actual shooter.
- You have a written scope with deliverables, timeline, and revisions.
- Music licensing and usage rights are spelled out.
- You know exactly who will be on set.
- You've talked to the person directing your shoot, not just a salesperson.