10 Questions to Ask a Colorado Video Production Company
What to know before you hand over the budget…
Hiring a video production company can feel like a leap of faith. You’re trusting a creative team to translate your brand into something visual, emotional, and public. And in a place like Colorado, where rugged terrain meets massive creative potential, the stakes (and the budgets) are often high.
But it’s not only about choosing a team that can point a camera and capture pretty scenery. It’s about alignment. Story. Logistics. Budget. Values. Process. The how behind the work is just as important as the work itself.
Over the past decade, I’ve worked as a production partner and director for outdoor campaigns, branded documentaries, and high-impact commercials across the Rockies. I’ve worked with global brands like Netflix, HBO, Microsoft, Patagonia and Garmin. I’ve also cleaned up the mess when someone hired the wrong team first.
So if you're searching for a Colorado video production company, here's the real checklist. These are the 10 questions I’d recommend every brand or agency ask before you sign anything.
1. Have You Worked in the Colorado Backcountry, Mountains, or Wilderness Before?
Colorado is one of the most cinematic states in the U.S. but it’s also one of the most unpredictable. High altitude. Fast-changing weather. Limited access. Long travel times. Shooting in the mountains requires a crew that knows how to move safely and efficiently through the landscape.
Ask the team about their experience shooting at elevation. Do they have protocols for safety, communication, and gear protection in cold or remote areas? Have they filmed on public lands, and do they understand permit requirements for places like National Forests or BLM territory?
This one question could save you thousands of dollars - and hours of wasted daylight.
2. What’s Your Process for Pre-Production?
Pre-production is where a good shoot becomes a great one. It’s where you clarify the story, scout locations, build a shot list, align on deliverables, and prepare for curveballs.
Any production company worth hiring should have a clear pre-pro process. Ask:
Do you develop creative concepts, or should we bring our own?
Will you handle permits, call sheets, and location logistics?
Do you scout in advance, or rely on digital planning?
How do you approach scheduling around lighting, weather, and talent?
If their answer sounds like “we just show up and figure it out,” keep looking.
3. Can You Show Us Work That Matches What We’re Trying to Create?
You’re not just hiring based on general talent - you’re hiring based on fit.
If you’re looking for an emotionally grounded brand film, and their portfolio is filled with music videos and flashy drone edits, it’s probably not the right match (even if the work looks great). The tone, structure, pacing, and storytelling style should reflect your goals.
Ask for relevant case studies. Look beyond highlight reels. Watch how they handle interviews, natural light, pacing, VO, transitions, and product integration.
If you’re building something story-driven, look for more than just “cool footage.” Look for depth.
4. Who Will Actually Be On Set - and Who Will Be Leading the Creative?
Sometimes the people pitching you the project aren’t the people showing up on shoot day.
That can be fine—unless the person who pitched the creative vision is the only one who actually understood it. So always ask:
Who’s directing?
Who’s DP’ing?
Who’s producing and managing logistics?
Is the director on set the same one who worked on pre-pro?
In small crews, the director might also be the DP (that’s often the case for me). In larger ones, roles are split. Either way, you want to know who’s leading the creative in the field—and whether they were part of shaping it from the start.
5. What’s Your Approach to Storytelling?
This is a big one.
Do they think in terms of story arcs, emotional beats, audience connection? Or are they more technical—focused on gear, lighting ratios, transitions?
Neither answer is wrong but if you're an outdoor brand trying to tell a compelling story, you want someone who thinks narratively. Who can shape interviews. Who can structure scenes. Who understands the difference between a pretty film and a powerful one.
Ask them:
How do you structure a branded doc?
How do you direct unscripted moments?
How do you decide what to cut, what to keep, and what drives the emotion?
A strong Colorado video production company will be able to walk you through their storytelling lens, not just their equipment list.
6. Can You Scale Based on Our Budget and Needs?
Not every shoot needs a 12-person crew and a RED camera. Not every shoot should be one guy with a Sony FX3, either.
The best teams know how to scale. They can build a lean setup for scrappy shoots—or bring in a full crew when production demands it. They’re honest about what you need, what you don’t, and how to stretch your dollars without compromising quality.
Ask about how they build crews. Do they own their gear or rent? Can they offer multiple options at different price points?
Smart scaling is what separates a video partner from a content vendor.
7. What Do Your Deliverables Include and What’s Extra?
This one catches a lot of brands off guard.
You assume you're getting a full edit suite… and then realize only one version is included in the base quote. Need cutdowns? Social-specific formats? Vertical exports? That’s extra. So is color correction. Or music licensing. Or revisions after the second round.
A transparent Colorado video production company should outline exactly what’s included in your estimate:
How many final videos?
What lengths? What formats (16:9, 9:16, 1:1)?
How many revisions are included?
Will you get raw footage?
Are licensed music tracks part of the base cost?
Clear deliverables reduce confusion later—and help you compare estimates apples-to-apples when vetting different production teams.
8. What Happens If Weather or Conditions Change the Plan?
In Colorado, it’s not if the weather changes - it’s when. Wind, wildfire smoke, sudden snow, or 50-degree swings in temperature can all derail a well-planned shoot.
Ask any production team: “What’s your contingency plan?”
A good answer might include:
Backup locations or flexible shot lists
Scouting for morning vs. evening light windows
Carrying backup gear to handle exposure and moisture
Building weather holds into the schedule
Having a crew that can pivot fast without sacrificing quality
This is another reason to hire a team that’s local to Colorado. We are familiar with reading the terrain, the season, and the forecast like a second language.
9. Can You Provide References or Case Studies With Measurable Outcomes?
Past work is one thing. Past results are another.
Great production companies can point to specific projects and tell you what they achieved:
“This campaign helped increase DTC sales by 40%.”
“This video got 2M views on YouTube and drove signups for a new trail event.”
“This short doc helped launch a new product and was picked up by REI and Trail Runner.”
If they can’t speak to how the content performed - or if their clients aren’t eager to vouch for them - that might be a red flag.
10. Why Do You Love What You Do?
This isn’t a soft question. It’s actually one of the most important.
You’re trusting a production company with your brand’s story - something you’ve probably put years of energy into. You want to work with people who give a damn. Not just about cameras or drone shots, but about people, about moments, about the outdoor space, and about what your brand stands for.
Ask the team why they love telling stories. Why they work in the outdoor industry. What projects have meant the most to them and why.
The best creative partnerships start with shared values. You’re not just hiring a vendor. You’re choosing who gets to shape the way your audience sees you.
If their answer moves you, you’re probably in the right place.
Final Thoughts: Hire the Team That Feels Like a Partner
Colorado is full of amazing places to film and just as many production companies to choose from. But your brand deserves more than just good visuals. It deserves a creative team that listens, guides, asks smart questions, and cares deeply about the outcome.
When you ask the right questions, you’ll quickly separate the button-pushers from the storytellers. The gear guys from the emotional architects. The vendors from the partners.
And when you find the right partner, someone who understands story, strategy, and the wild beauty of filming in this state, your content doesn’t just land. It lasts.
Looking for a Director-Led Colorado Video Production Company?
I’m Roo Smith, a Colorado-based filmmaker and Emmy-nominated director. I’ve worked with brands like Netflix, HBO, Patagonia, Garmin, Microsoft and the North Face to craft branded documentaries, launch campaigns, and emotionally grounded outdoor content.
I build lean, flexible crews designed for the mountains, and I care about your message as much as your footage.
If you're ready to make something meaningful (and beautiful), I’d love to chat.
Why We Should Work Together…
When I’m not on this website rambling on about filmmaking, I’m actually out there making films. From crafting memorable branded documentaries to capturing stories and products that move people, I’ve got you covered. Need a filmmaker who can scale mountains, brave the surf, or just tell a dang good story? Let’s chat!
In case I haven’t convinced you, here are three reasons why it might be fun to work together…
I believe in stories that stick with you - like campfire smoke on your clothes. The kind that makes you laugh, cry, or immediately want to call your mom.
I’m just as comfortable at 14,000ft as I am in front of a timeline. You get me in the mountains, in the ocean and in the editing room, making sure the magic out there really shines in the final cut.
I’ve filmed in some pretty wild places, but the best stories are the ones that bring people together. It’s those shared moments -big or small - that remind me why I love what I do.
Let’s Connect
Roo is an Emmy nominated commercial/documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Boulder, Colorado but travels all around the world for his filmmaking career. He has directed documentaries for Patagonia in California, produced films for Outside Magazine throughout Europe and Africa, camera operated for Netflix in the Rocky Mountain West, photographed among indigenous communities in South America, and has received notable recognition in his hometown of Orcas Island in Washington State for his work telling uplifting stories in the outdoor space.