{"id":607,"date":"2026-10-04T00:41:47","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T22:41:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thatdog.fr\/index.php\/choosing-video-photo-provider-10-questions\/"},"modified":"2026-10-04T10:17:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T08:17:22","slug":"choosing-video-photo-provider-10-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thatdog.fr\/index.php\/en\/choosing-video-photo-provider-10-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Choosing your video provider: 10 questions to ask before signing"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section admin_label=\u00a0\u00bbsection\u00a0\u00bb]
\n\t\t\t[et_pb_row admin_label=\u00a0\u00bbrow\u00a0\u00bb]
\n\t\t\t\t[et_pb_column type=\u00a0\u00bb4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=\u00a0\u00bbText\u00a0\u00bb]<\/p>\n

You have three quotes on the table, a video to launch, and a doubt: which one to choose? Price matters, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Here are ten questions to ask before signing, with what a good answer should contain, and what should alert you.<\/p>\n

1. Have you already shot in my sector?<\/h2>\n

Ask for a portfolio, but above all look for projects close to yours: same world, same constraints. A restaurant isn’t filmed like a factory. Red flag:<\/strong> a portfolio with no complete film, only clips of a few seconds.<\/p>\n

2. Who will be on the shoot?<\/h2>\n

Is the person who meets you at the appointment the one who will come to film? How many people will be there? Who edits the film? Red flag:<\/strong> a vague answer, or undisclosed subcontracting.<\/p>\n

3. With what equipment?<\/h2>\n

No need to memorise model names. Simply ask why this equipment, for this project: camera, lighting, sound, possibly a drone or stabiliser. A good provider explains how it changes the result, without jargon.<\/p>\n

4. How many rounds of revisions are included?<\/h2>\n

The edit is approved over several versions. The quote must specify how many rounds of feedback are included, and what happens beyond that. Red flag:<\/strong> \u201cunlimited changes\u201d with no framework, or conversely no possible revisions at all.<\/p>\n

5. What distribution rights, and what assignment?<\/h2>\n

This is the question most often forgotten. A film is a work, and its author holds rights over it. For you to be able to use it, an assignment contract must specify where, for how long, and on which media. Under French law, each assigned right must be the subject of a separate mention, with its scope, purpose, place and duration. Ask for this to be written in black and white. The people filmed must also have given their permission.<\/p>\n

6. Who owns the raw footage?<\/h2>\n

Raw footage is the unedited material, before the edit. Some teams keep it, others deliver it. No answer is \u201cthe right one\u201d, but it must be in writing. If you plan to re-edit in two years’ time, you’ll need to know whether you’ll be able to.<\/p>\n

7. What are the lead times?<\/h2>\n

Ask for a schedule: preparation, shoot, first version, delivery. And what happens if your approval comes late. Red flag:<\/strong> very fast promises with no preparation stage at all.<\/p>\n

8. And the music?<\/h2>\n

Music \u201cfound on the internet\u201d isn’t necessarily royalty-free for commercial use. Ask where it comes from, which licence applies, and for which uses. A good provider can tell you precisely.<\/p>\n

9. Which versions are included?<\/h2>\n

Short version, vertical formats, clips for social media, photos taken from the shoot: is all this included, optional, or impossible? This is often where the real value for money is decided. See how one shoot can feed thirty pieces of content<\/a>.<\/p>\n

10. Are you insured?<\/h2>\n

Ask for a professional insurance certificate. A shoot involves equipment, sometimes the public, and locations. If an incident occurs, it’s better to know who is covered.<\/p>\n

\n

Tip<\/strong> Send these ten questions in writing to each provider, and compare the answers side by side. It tells you as much as the quotes themselves.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Red flags, in brief<\/h2>\n