Who will plan and film the project?
Ask who will lead discovery, shape the production plan, prepare questions, coordinate the schedule, and attend the shoot. The proposal should identify the key roles even if the final crew is compact and one person manages more than one responsibility.
If the people on the sales call will not be on location, ask when you will meet the producer or director responsible for the filming day. Clear introductions reduce last-minute confusion and make it easier to know who can approve practical decisions.
Who will edit the final video?
Editing determines the story, pacing, interview structure, sound, colour, graphics, captions, and final exports. Confirm whether the editor is part of the core team or a trusted partner, who briefs that person, and who reviews the work before the client receives a cut.
Outsourcing is not automatically a problem. The practical question is where responsibility sits. One person should remain accountable for accuracy, quality control, feedback, and the final delivery date regardless of who operates the editing software.
Can we review complete projects, not only a showreel?
A showreel can demonstrate visual taste, but it cannot show whether a complete story remains clear, whether interview audio is consistent, or whether quality holds between the strongest shots. Ask to see finished projects that are close to your intended length and complexity.
The company does not need to have filmed an identical business. Complete work from several industries can show adaptability, storytelling, technical control, and the ability to learn unfamiliar subject matter without relying on a few isolated highlights.
How will interviews and inexperienced speakers be directed?
Most clients are not trained presenters. Ask how the team prepares speakers, explains where to look, develops interview topics, and uses follow-up questions to help people express their own ideas naturally without memorizing a script.
Professional direction should improve confidence, eyeline, posture, pacing, and clarity while preserving the speaker's own meaning. The answer should also explain how unnecessary pauses and repetition will be handled in the edit.
What crew size is proposed, and why?
Crew size should match the locations, schedule, camera coverage, audio, lighting, talent, and complexity of the production. A focused interview may need one or two people, while a commercial with actors and art direction can require several specialized roles.
Ask what each proposed crew member will contribute. A larger crew is appropriate when the project needs parallel departments or a complex setup, but the quote should explain that practical need rather than treating headcount as a measure of quality.
What deliverables and versions are included?
The proposal should list the number, approximate length, aspect ratio, resolution, caption treatment, and intended platform for each final file. A main website video, vertical reel, short cutdown, and presentation version are separate deliverables even when they use the same source footage.
Clarify whether social versions are thoughtfully reframed and re-edited or simply cropped from the main timeline. Also confirm whether thumbnails, captions, clean text-free masters, alternate calls to action, or language versions are included.
How many revision rounds are included?
Ask how many rounds are included, what counts as one round, how feedback should be consolidated, and what additional revisions cost. A round should have a clear start and finish so the client and editor share the same expectation.
The proposal should also distinguish corrections from a new creative direction. Fixing a misspelled name is different from replacing the approved story after editing has begun, and the process should explain how each situation is handled.
What is the production and approval schedule?
A useful schedule identifies preparation, filming, rough cut, client review, revisions, final approval, and delivery. Ask which dates are firm, which depend on access or feedback, and whether the turnaround allows enough time for a careful review.
An unrealistic promise can create pressure at the exact stages where accuracy matters. The schedule should fit the amount of footage, number of deliverables, graphics, approvals, and revision rounds rather than offering one standard turnaround for every project.
What does the client need to approve and by when?
Confirm who approves the brief, interview topics, schedule, locations, participants, brand assets, rough cut, names, claims, and final exports. The production company should explain what information it needs and the latest date each decision can be made without affecting delivery.
Internal approval delays are common when several departments or executives are involved. One client contact should consolidate feedback and confirm final decisions so the editor is not asked to follow conflicting instructions.
What music, footage, and usage rights are included?
Ask where the finished content may appear, including websites, social platforms, paid advertising, broadcast, events, partner channels, and internal presentations. Music, stock footage, talent, locations, fonts, and graphics can each have separate licence conditions.
The proposal should identify any important limitations and whether future paid campaigns or alternate edits require additional licensing. Clear intended use at the start helps the production team choose appropriate assets and avoid replacement work later.
Who owns the final files, raw footage, and project files?
Confirm the client's rights to approved final videos and whether raw footage is included, available for an additional fee, or retained only for archive. Raw camera files are not the same as an organized editable project with linked media, graphics, fonts, and licensed assets.
Ask how long the company keeps footage and project files, what the client should archive, and what is required for future updates. The answer should distinguish ownership from third-party licences that cannot be transferred without conditions.
How are travel, overtime, additional edits, and other extra costs handled?
A final quote should explain travel area, parking, permits, setup, overtime, extra filming hours, added locations, rush delivery, additional revision rounds, new graphics, extra exports, and any other common costs that fall outside the approved scope.
Not every possible change can be priced in advance, but the method should be clear. Ask which costs require written approval and who can authorize them. Once these answers are documented, the proposal is easier to compare and the project is less likely to encounter avoidable surprises.