We get a lot of questions about a variety of topics, below are several common questions we come across. Contact us if you have other questions.
What are your "rates"?
Good question and the most common one. We price everything by the project and it doesn’t come down to a simple hourly or day rate. We want to collect as much information related to the scope, budget, and needs of your project then Dan, our president, will get you a custom quote and we can continue the conversation from there. Send us a note about your project, we would love to get your a bid!
I have a shoot with you, what should I expect? What should I wear?
Great question! We always send a resource out right before our shoots but you can take a look at our handy resource here to read about wardrobe tips and other important things.
Do I need to write my own script or can you help?
We can help! We are professional scriptwriters who would collaborate with you/your team to pull together critical information in order to craft the script. If you do have the ability to write your own script that is great too! Here are some tips for script writing. That can often save money in a production. One word of warning, the video will only be as good as the script and the story. The script is not something to shortcut, you want it done right.
Do you travel?
We do if needed! We have a nationwide network of video professionals so there are times when it would make sense for us to travel and other times it makes sense to “keep it local” and use one of our trusted partners. The wonderful thing about this is we can be your one-stop shop for video projects across the globe, let us do the hard work of securing the resources.
Do you provide acting talent or do you use client resources?
Good question and it depends on the needs of the project. MOST of what we produce utilizes client resources. Many projects have a goal of establishing trust between the prospective customer and the organization, so in general, it makes the most sense for the on-screen “talent” to be someone from the organization, someone a customer might actually interact with in real life… like the business owner, CEO, marketing, sales or support rep, etc.
If the video is going to leverage more of a spokesperson role or is a product demo than it can make a lot of sense to source the right talent. That said, we have connections with some fantastic talent for both on-screen and voiceover. We talk through these details during our discovery or kickoff meeting.
What is your turnaround time for a project?
Good question, it can depend on the complexity of the project but in most cases when we do a FULL production, from the time we start planning (pre-production) to final delivery it can take 4-6 weeks with a live-action video and 6-8 weeks for an animated video. This all depends on how quickly we can get the footage, how quickly you respond with feedback, etc. We have a very efficient process in place and work hard to meet deadlines. If you have a project that requires a quick turnaround it will increase the cost but we should be able to complete it. Let us know.
What forms of payment do you accept?
Our preferred payment is ACH/e-check and also accept all major credit/debit cards through our secure online payment portal, Venmo (@livewirefilms), and Paypal (@livewirefilms). We also accept checks.
What are your standard payment terms?
To launch a new project we require a 50% deposit with the signed agreement, this locks in our resources and secures the project on our production calendar. In most cases, we would then bill for the next 25% around the time we start the post-production/editing phase then bill for the balance when the project is completed. Our terms can vary depending on the project and we can be flexible if needed.
Do you have a teleprompter available?
Absolutely! We use our teleprompter very often. We also provide a lot of on-set coaching when we work with people who have not used a prompter before.
Do you provide hair and makeup services with your production?
If it is needed, yes! While having a professional hair and makeup artist will always add value, it isn’t always absolutely needed. It often comes down to budget. It is safe to say that a very small percentage of the videos we have produced since 2010 had a hair and makeup artist. If it is a need, we can provide the service.
How do you handle project delays?
We strive to have open communication during a project and believe in always being upfront and transparent if there are any challenges that pop-up on our end that could impact the production. If there are delays that are caused on the client end we would need to discuss the details and determine the impact on the production. If there will be a significant delay (30+ days) where the momentum to the project will be completely lost (it has to sit dormant for a while), we may need to charge a “delayment” fee to re-boot the project again when it is ready. The reason for this is that when momentum is completely lost and we move on to other projects it takes time and effort to go back and pull out the project files again and get recalibrated on where things were left off, we then need to adjust the current project schedule to make room for the re-booted project again. The fee varies and is typically a very small percentage of the total project cost.
How many revisions do I get with a project?
Our projects include 2 rounds of revisions for the script development as well as the video editing. So if we are developing your script, we would send you draft #1 to get feedback for changes, then draft #2 for feedback then the final draft for official signoff. We do the same thing for each video we are producing. We have found that 2 rounds is sufficient to reach a final product. The cost of additional revisions will vary depending on the complexity of the work.
Can you work under an NDA/confidentiality agreement?
Absolutely! We do this often and can be trusted to work out details that best fit your needs.
Do I get the "raw" footage?
We would need to define “RAW”, that term can have several meanings. We never include the raw materials in our standard pricing but if they were needed we would adjust the cost accordingly to allow us to purchase a hard drive and organize the materials for you.
Do you do video tape to DVD transfers?
No we do not but there are many places that offer that service. New places pop up all the time so we don’t have a good recommendation. Consult The Google for the latest and greatest results.
Do you shoot weddings?
We do not. Wedding video production is a different animal than video for businesses and nonprofits. If you are looking for a wedding video company contact us for a referral, we know some great ones!
Do you do still photography?
Yes and it depends. We do work around the country so let us know the location you have in mind and we can confirm if we have a photo pro in that area.
Do you shoot music videos?
Yes… BUT… we are super picky about what projects we take on. We would need to hear the track in advance to determine if we are willing to bid on the project. If it is explicit in any way we are not interested. If you have a music video in mind send us the sample track(s) and describe your project and let us know the budget, music videos can get expensive if we don’t have a well defined scope.
Do you have a physical studio/office?
Not anymore. We had a brick & mortar video studio/office for several years and it didn’t make sense to have any more. The vast majority of the productions we do are shot on location and if a “studio” type environment is needed we can rent the perfect space or use our “pop-up” studio with backdrops, etc. So to keep overhead down and pricing competitive we decided to shut down the physical office.
Are you hiring?
For employment… not anytime soon. If you are a freelancer interested in joining our network please fill out THIS FORM.
Was your name inspired by Mötley Crüe?
Not completely. Although our co-founder, Dan Rollins was a huge Crüe fan in the 80’s (yes he had a mullet to boot). The song Live Wire is one of Mötley Crüe’s best songs and may have had an unconscious influence when the name LiveWire Films was selected in 2009. The idea behind our name was primarily about the idea of giving an unforgettable experience… like touching a live wire, but without the shock.
Do you shoot "adult entertainment" projects?
Absolutely NOT. Please follow this link to read about how destructive this type of media is. It is destroying our kids, our nation, our world and our brains.