The most common question we hear before a first conversation is some version of: what does this cost? It is a reasonable question. And the honest answer is that it depends — on scope, on crew, on talent, on how many shoot days are required, and on where the work will ultimately run. But "it depends" is not useful if you are trying to understand what you are working with before picking up the phone. This article gives you real ranges — industry-standard investment levels for..

Every Intrigue Studios production begins with a discovery conversation. Before any creative work starts, we spend time understanding what you're trying to accomplish, what kind of content will serve that goal, and whether we're the right partner for what you're building. If it's the right fit, production moves forward. And regardless of the type of project, it always follows the same fundamental arc. The two phases below always exist. What changes is the specific form each ph

When a marketing director decides it is time to move forward with a video production, the first question is almost always the same: what level of investment does this actually require? The natural next move is to start conversations with production companies or creative agencies to get a sense of what the work should cost. Those conversations often move quickly toward numbers — some production companies will offer a ballpark or even a formal quote based on a general descripti

If you've ever wondered whether what you're being quoted for a TV commercial is reasonable — or how it compares to what other brands are spending — this guide gives you the industry benchmarks to answer that question for yourself. What is the AICP? The Association of Independent Commercial Producers — known as the AICP — is the leading trade organization representing production companies that produce commercials in the United States. Founded in 1972, AICP has grown to become

The campaign ran. The video looked polished. The color grade was clean, the edit was tight, the music landed. Leadership signed off. The agency liked it. Everyone involved felt good about it. And then it ran. The metrics came back acceptable. Views were there. Completion rates were reasonable. A share here and there. Nothing embarrassing — nothing you could point to and call a failure. But also no clear lift in conversions. No measurable brand movement. No moment where anyone

Walk into any production kickoff meeting at a well-run marketing department and you'll find alignment on the things that are easy to align on. Budget is confirmed. Timeline is agreed. Deliverables are listed. The platform is decided. Everyone is ready to move. What rarely makes it into the brief — even when it has been thoroughly discussed — is a clear answer to what the video actually needs to accomplish in the specific environment where it will run. The strategic thinking e

A Brand's Guide to Setting Production Up for Success TV commercial production has a well-established process — but the work that happens before cameras ever roll has a major impact on the quality, clarity, and effectiveness of the final spot. Most brands focus on the production itself. The smarter question is what happens before production begins. This guide walks through both models brands use when developing and producing a TV commercial, step by step. By the end, you'll ha

One of the most common misconceptions in commercial production is that selecting a concept means selecting a price. It doesn't. The concept is the creative idea. The budget is how ambitiously that idea gets executed. These are two separate decisions made at two different stages of the process — and confusing them leads to budget conversations that go sideways before production even begins. The one place where concept and budget connect There is one moment where the concept do