Video Production Companies near you

Anyone recognisable on camera should sign a release before filming, covering how the footage may be used, in which media, where and for how long. That includes staff, customers, members of the public in the background and children, for whom a parent or guardian signs. Retrofitting consent after an edit is approved is a miserable exercise.

The Copyright Act also protects performers in relation to recordings of their performances, and gives performers moral rights including attribution and integrity for recorded performances. For a business video this mostly means dealing properly with actors, presenters and musicians through written agreements rather than assuming a day rate covers everything.

Locations need permission. Councils, transport authorities, shopping centres, national parks, ports and schools each run their own filming approval processes, and requirements vary by state and by site. Ask who is obtaining approvals and whether their cost is in the quote, because permit fees and supervision costs are a common source of variations.

A production quote usually assumes a particular use. The same edit used as a paid advertisement, on television, on an overseas campaign or for several years may require more expensive licences for music, footage and talent. Set out the intended use in the brief so the quote is built for it.

Talent agreements commonly price by usage: an internal training video is not the same deal as a national advertising campaign, and a one-year term is not the same as perpetuity. If the video succeeds and you want to keep running it, find out early what renewal costs rather than discovering it when a licence lapses.

Ownership of the finished film and ownership of the raw footage are different questions. Decide whether you are buying the delivered edit, the project files, or the rushes as well, and put it in writing. Many production companies keep the raw material as standard, which is reasonable but should be a decision rather than a surprise.

Pre-production is the script or interview questions, the shot list, the schedule, the locations, the talent, the permissions and the risk assessment. Insist on seeing a shot list. It is the clearest indicator of whether the company has actually thought about your video or is planning to improvise on the day.

The shoot itself should be efficient because the planning was done. For interview-led work, brief your people beforehand and accept that most of them will need a few takes. Book more time than feels necessary for anything involving a workplace, because production always waits on operations.

Post-production is where timelines slip. Agree how many rounds of revision are included, what counts as a round, and who consolidates feedback. Ask for captions and the vertical and square versions as part of delivery, plus the delivery formats and a plan for where the master files will be archived.

Filming in an Australian workplace brings the site's work health and safety obligations with it. Crew need an induction, the right protective equipment and a documented risk assessment, and the host business has duties towards them as workers on its site. Ask to see the production company's risk assessment and its public liability cover before a worksite shoot.

Aerial work is regulated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and what an operator needs depends on the weight of the aircraft, where it is flown and the nature of the operation. Ask the operator to tell you in writing what category they are flying under and to provide evidence of the accreditation, licence or operator certificate they rely on, plus any approval needed for the specific location.

Height, water, traffic, live plant and public areas each add their own controls. A production company that answers these questions with paperwork rather than reassurance is the one to hire for anything beyond an office interview.