Frequently Asked Questions...

Hours may vary based on the current production calendar. Accordingly, all meetings are by appointment only. Please fill out our contact form, and we will reach out to you shortly.

When needed, yes, we will reach out to industry freelancers. Their rates will be calculated into the total due. Reasonable efforts will be made to contact the client, consult with the client, and obtain/confirm the client's consent before moving forward with any choices that are expected to adversely affect the project budget or total payment due from the client.

"More" is typically better. But, really, an "idea" is all you need to get started. It is perfectly okay if your concept is still "developing." Just know that the more specific you can be regarding the details of your project, then the better prepared & equipped we can be to bring it to life. Here are some things that we will be discussing in our first meeting : - What do you want your video to do/be? Is it a short film? Music video? Commercial Promo? - Have you already made any progress on the project? If so, what is the current status? - What can we help with? - Do you have a script? - Have you hired any cast or crew? - Have you scouted locations or applied for necessary permits? - What is your budget? - Do you have any deadlines or are you trying to keep to a prescribed timeline? - Do you need motion graphics, animation, or other effects? - Do you need to license music? - How would you like to receive updates, review cuts, and receive final delivery? - Is this video intended for social media? YouTube or Vimeo? Broadcast television or a streaming service? Again, you don't need to have all of the answers right now, figure out what you can and we can try to help you with the rest.

Every project is different, and so what the process "looks" or "feels" like may vary from one project to another. In general terms, however, most productions will fit the following framework:

We understand that plans change. Here is how cancellations are handled based on how much notice is given: SHOOT DAYS & LIVE STREAMING: 14+ days notice: Deposit applied to a rescheduled date OR refunded minus a $50 admin fee. 7-13 days notice: 50% of deposit forfeited; remaining 50% transferable to a rescheduled date within 60 days. 3-6 days notice: Full deposit forfeited; no reschedule credit. 48 hours or less / no-show: Full deposit forfeited + 50% of remaining balance owed. HOURLY WORK: 48+ hours notice: No fee; session rescheduled at no cost. 24-47 hours: 1-hour minimum billed at the applicable rate. Less than 24 hours / no-show: Full session minimum billed. For the full cancellation policy, visit our Cancellation Policy page.

Yes, and we always prefer a reschedule over a cancellation. Here is how it works: Rescheduling with 7 or more days notice is always free. Your deposit transfers to the new date automatically, no questions asked. Rescheduling with less than 7 days notice is treated as a cancellation under the standard cancellation terms. Any remaining reschedule credits must be applied within 60 days of the original booking date. To reschedule, contact us as early as possible at Info@outlawpoetdigitalfilm.com.

Yes. A 40% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking date for all shoot days, packages, and hourly sessions of 3 or more hours. This deposit is applied toward your total balance. For project packages, the 40% deposit secures your start date and confirms the project scope. The remaining balance is due at milestones established during the Development phase. For monthly content retainers, a 40% deposit is due at the start of each billing cycle. All deposits are confirmed in writing before production begins. No surprise charges, ever.

Life happens, and we take that seriously. In the event of a verified Force Majeure - including medical emergencies, family bereavement, severe weather, natural disasters, or government-mandated restrictions - the following applies: The affected party must provide written notice within 48 hours. Upon verification, any deposit paid will be transferred (not forfeited) to a rescheduled date mutually agreed upon within 180 days of the original booking. No penalty fees will be assessed to either party. Please note: This clause does not apply to scheduling conflicts, financial hardship, or circumstances that were reasonably foreseeable at the time of booking. To notify us of an emergency, contact Info@outlawpoetdigitalfilm.com as soon as possible.

Monthly content retainers are month-to-month and can be cancelled at any time with 30 days written notice. Here is what you need to know: Your retainer auto-renews at the end of each monthly billing cycle. To cancel, written notice must be submitted no later than 30 days before your next renewal date. Cancellations submitted after the 30-day window take effect at the close of the following billing cycle. No partial-month refunds are issued once a cycle has begun. You will receive an email reminder 7 days before each renewal date. To cancel or modify your retainer, email Billing@outlawpoetdigitalfilm.com with the subject line: Retainer Update - [Your Name].

Yes, you can! Sure, it provides me some security knowing that a client has paid in full & upfront. However some expenses can vary over the course of a production, so it's easier for some clients to pay at predetermined benchmarks. During the "Development" phase, a series of benchmarks will be identified, and a dollar amount assigned to each. This will be the minimum amount of your total price tag that is due before proceeding to the next phase.

It's possible! As a matter of professionalism, we will always strive to stay under budget. However, sometimes a video or film will require additional cast or crew. Sometimes weather will intervene in such a way requires additional shooting days, permitting, or simply funding to feed the cast & crew. Reasonable efforts will be made to contact the client, consult with the client, and obtain/confirm the client's consent before moving forward with any choices that are expected to adversely affect the project budget or total payment due from the client.

Currently we accept PayPal, Venmo, and CashApp.

Yes. Depending on the scope of the project you will see one of two script formats: a narrative script or an "A/V script".

A narrative script is a format you may typically think of when you imagine a script for a stage play or blockbuster film. These are usually seen in both feature-length and short films. They are referred to as a "narrative script" because their focus is the story, unlike an A/V script. A/V (Audio/Visual) scripts are often used for projects such as music videos, commercials, and some television shows. As the name indicates, A/V formats include everything seen & heard on screen, divided into two columns. One is the scripted dialog and a description of any music or sound effects; the other is a description of the visual "action" as well as visual effects, on-screen text, etc.

"Dailies" are a collection of unedited footage recorded in a single day of shooting. The term originated when movies were shot on film, and the footage was developed, synced with sound, and printed into a new film print for viewing. Traditionally, this collection is used by the creative team to assess the quality of the day's shoot, determine if any reshoots are needed, or make any other adjustments to their plan. Some projects (such as live-streaming a music event) won't include any dailies. When dailies are shared, we will use a platform called Frame.io, which will allow you review the footage and to leave "live", time-stamped comments and questions for follow-up.

This is something that will be established at the outset of the project. You may receive the final video(s) either- 1) as downloadable files from Dropbox or Frame.io 2) by providing the requisite information and/or access for an FTP upload to YouTube or Vimeo 3) or for an additional charge, you may receive the video(s) physically via a digital file storage device such as an SD card or portable external hard drive.

No. It pains me to say that, as I would prefer to make things easier for each client that we work with. However, it comes down to security. Not everyone exercises the same security discipline and posture with their digital devices, and there is no way for me to "know" that a given individual's storage device isn't compromised. For this reason, if a "physical" copy is requested, we will provide the storage device for a fee starting at $50/storage device (SD card/HDD/SSD). In an effort to mitigate the cost, we will strive to ensure that the purchased device is no larger than what is reasonably needed to move the relevant files.

Yes, we will pick the music or curate a selection for you to choose from. Unfortunately, many popular songs cannot be legally licensed for a reasonable price. Those that can will often require a significant amount of time and money. So, we pay to license music from several sites. If you have an original song or score, then you must have all legal usage rights, and waivers will need to be signed by the composer(s)/songwriter(s).