What to Expect After You Order a Custom Video
We get asked this a lot so here’s what actually happens after you place a custom video order with us.
Deposit and Scheduling
Once we’ve agreed on the concept, cast, and price, we take a deposit to lock everything in. The balance is due 2 weeks before the shoot date. Once the deposit clears we start booking talent and finding a date that works for everyone.
Scheduling can be straightforward or it can take a minute. Solo scenes are easy. Multi-performer customs take more coordination because you’re matching the availability of 2-3 people plus our crew. We typically book out a few weeks to roughly 2 months in advance.
Script and Pre-Production
If you have a script, we’ll review it with the team. Sometimes it’s good to go. Sometimes we’ll suggest changes for practical reasons… maybe a position won’t work on camera, maybe the scene is running too long for one shoot day, maybe a particular prop or location isn’t available. We always want to produce what you wrote but we’ll tell you if something needs adjusting.
If you don’t have a script that’s fine too. A lot of clients just describe what they want and we build from there. Some of our best stuff came from a paragraph and a vibe.
We’ve had scripts go through 3+ rounds of revisions before everyone was happy. That’s normal. We’d rather get it right on paper than figure it out on set.
The Wait
This is the part where you just have to sit tight. We’re scheduling around performer availability, other productions, and sometimes life stuff that comes up. Models get sick, flights get canceled, schedules shift. We’ve had shoots move a week or two because someone came down with something the day before.
We’ll keep you updated if anything changes. If a performer becomes completely unavailable we’ll work with you to recast with someone comparable. It’s rare but it happens and we’ve always found a good solution.
Shoot Day
This is where it all comes together. We’ve already covered this in detail in our shoot day post but the short version: your script gets shot, the performers do their thing, and we capture as much as we can. Some shoots are a few hours, some go all day depending on complexity.
After the shoot we’ll usually send you a few snapshots as a preview. Just a taste of what’s coming 🙂
Editing and Delivery
Turnaround from shoot to delivery is usually 15-20 business days. Sometimes sooner if the edit is straightforward. More complex productions with multiple scenes or effects can take a bit longer.
You’ll get a download link for the finished video. That’s your custom. You own the viewing rights, we retain the production rights. Most customs eventually make it into our store (which helps keep costs accessible for everyone) but your copy comes first.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
Real talk… custom production has a lot of moving parts. Performers are humans. Shoot days are long. Sometimes the whipped cream melts under the lights or someone can’t nail a particular position or the wardrobe doesn’t arrive in time. We’ve been doing this since 2011 and we’ve gotten pretty good at rolling with it.
If something on the final video isn’t what you expected, reach out. We want you to be happy with it. Repeat clients are the backbone of what we do and most of our regulars have ordered multiple customs with us.
Ready to Order?
Head over to our order page and tell us what you’re thinking. Browse our video library to get ideas, check out the talent directory to see who’s available, or just describe your concept and we’ll take it from there.
