Advice
How do you choose a production company for a research film?
Pick a company that has filmed research before, quotes against your written brief, states what the price includes and agrees in writing who owns the film. Ask at least two companies, using the same brief.
Brief every company the same way
Quotes only compare if the brief is identical. Settle these seven points before you ask anyone:
- The message. One sentence on what the film says.
- The audience. Narrow it to the people who most need to hear the message.
- The job of the film. Change minds, attract funding or show impact.
- The deliverables. Length, widescreen or vertical, subtitles, variant edits.
- The dates. The deadline and any fixed filming dates.
- The sign-off. Who gives final approval.
- Your budget range. A three-minute film of talking heads can cost £2,500 or £250,000, depending on ambition and scale, so a range lets each company design the right film for you.
Seven questions to ask each company
| Question | What a clear answer looks like | Cambridge TV's answer |
|---|---|---|
| Have you made films about research like mine? | Films you can watch from start to finish, made with researchers. | A documentary and podcast series on linguistics for the University of Cambridge, a history of Cambridge computing and mini-documentaries for Newmarket Equine Hospital. |
| Who will film and edit it? | Named roles, and whether freelancers join the crew. | Carl Homer directs and interviews, and Joe Donaghy edits. Freelance camera and sound crew join when a job needs more hands. |
| What does the price include? | Filming days, crew on each day, edit days, travel, music, stock footage, insurance. | The estimate lists crew and edit days, plus a named line for project management, meetings, filming logistics and insurance. Travel is added where a shoot needs it. Stock media may cost extra, and we say so before buying any. |
| How many rounds of changes are included? | A number, and a stated rate after it. | Two rounds of unlimited amendments. After that, £90 +VAT an hour. |
| How do we give feedback? | One place where every comment sits. | A private Vimeo page. Comments attach to the exact frame, and your whole team sees them. |
| Who owns the film and the rushes? | Copyright position and how long the unused footage is kept. | Copyright transfers to you when the final invoice is paid. We keep the rushes for at least six months, and longer on request at no charge. |
| What are the payment terms? | Dates, and any deposit. | 30 days as standard. A deposit, if needed, is shown on the estimate. |
How to compare the quotes
- Count the same things in each quote: filming days, crew on each day, edit days and deliverables.
- Check a low quote for gaps. Some companies quote low and add extras later, while others quote higher and include everything.
- Ask for options. Our proposals carry three alternatives, Essential, Standard and Added Value, so you can see what each level of ambition costs before committing to any of it.
How to choose: if X, choose Y
- If the film must explain research and make an audience care about the people behind it, choose a company with documentary experience and watch one of its films all the way through.
- If two quotes differ widely, compare the lists of days and deliverables line by line before comparing the totals.
- If your budget is fixed, choose the company that proposes a smaller scope at the same quality, since cutting scope is better than cutting quality.
- If several colleagues must approve the film, choose the company whose feedback process keeps every comment in one place.
- If you may reuse the footage later, for a grant report, social clips or a podcast, choose the company that states copyright and rushes in writing.
Prices exclude VAT.
Cambridge TV makes research films, creative films and podcasts for universities, researchers and innovative organisations. We are based at the Bradfield Centre on the Cambridge Science Park. To talk about a film, see the contact page.