Commercial Video Production in Denver
Thirty seconds, fifteen, six. Broadcast, streaming, and social cutdowns from one shoot.
Free quote, no obligation · We respond within one business day
Thirty seconds is not a short brand film. It is its own discipline — one idea, one turn, one reason to act, and nothing else in the frame. We treat commercials like the big-budget work they are competing against: the same cinema cameras and lighting packages used on national television spots, run by a crew who have made them.
One shoot day, a full campaign set
Concept & script
The idea comes first. We will tell you when a concept will not survive contact with thirty seconds, before anyone books a crew.
Cinema crews & gear
RED, ARRI, full lighting and grip packages when the spot calls for it. A team of film and commercial veterans, not a videographer with a second camera.
Casting & talent
Talent sourcing, auditions, direction on the day, and usage terms written so you are not surprised in year two.
The cutdown set
:30, :15, and :06 from the same shoot, plus verticals for social and stills. Planned before we roll, not salvaged after.
Broadcast & streaming specs
Delivery formats, closed captions, and clearance to the spec each platform and station actually requires.
Music & licensing
Original score or licensed tracks, cleared for the territories and terms you need.
From the idea to every delivered version.
- 01
Concept 1–2 weeks
We start with who the audience is and the one thing the spot asks them to do, then write scripts around it. You see the idea in words before anyone books a crew.
- 02
Pre-production 1–2 weeks
Casting, locations, permits, wardrobe, the shot list and a schedule for the day. Every cutdown and vertical is planned here, so nothing has to be salvaged in the edit.
- 03
Shoot day 1 day
A crew of four or more with cinema cameras, lighting and grip. One well-planned day can cover the hero spot, the shorter cuts and stills.
- 04
Post-production 2–3 weeks (can be faster with prompt reviews)
Edit, color, sound mix, music and graphics, with rounds of review built into the schedule.
- 05
Delivery 1–2 days
Every version cut and exported to the spec each station, streaming platform and social channel requires, with captions.
What a commercial costs to make.
Commercials start at $8,000. They need more pre-production than other video work and a crew of four or more on the day, which is why they start higher than corporate video.
What moves the price up:
- Shoot days. A second day adds crew, gear and time in post.
- Locations. Each move costs setup time; some locations carry fees or need a permit.
- Talent. Professional actors cost more than your own team, and union talent more again.
- Usage. How long, where and on which channels the spot will run. A year of Colorado streaming is priced differently from national broadcast.
Shooting in Denver and across the Front Range.
We shoot on Denver streets, in downtown offices and in the mountains an hour west, and everywhere on the Front Range is local for us: there’s no travel fee from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins. We are experts at navigating permits. When a location needs a film permit from the city or we need to get FAA approval for a drone shot, we arrange it as part of pre-production and have the permit on hand, so the shoot day is about the work.
If you also want the spot placed and managed, that’s the other half of what we do. Commercial production and TV advertising in Colorado →
The Wilhite Law Firm
After 45 years, the firm needed commercials that introduced a new managing partner without breaking a brand built over four decades. This spot is one of more than 50 broadcast commercials we’ve made for the firm, filmed from Denver to Aspen to Dallas.
Questions we get.
How long does a commercial take to make?
From first call to final delivery, most commercials take about four to seven weeks. Concept, pre-production and post take most of that time; the shoot itself is usually one day.
Who owns the talent usage rights?
Actors are paid for where, how long and on which channels the spot runs. We agree those terms before casting and write them into the talent contracts, so you know exactly when a renewal is due and nothing surprises you in year two.
Can we shoot several spots in one day?
Yes, if they’re planned together. Spots that share a location and cast can often be shot on the same day, along with the shorter cuts and verticals. We’ll tell you in pre-production what fits in one day and what needs two.
Do you shoot outside Denver?
Yes. The whole Front Range is local with no travel fee, and we’ve filmed for clients from Aspen to Dallas to Roatán, Honduras.
Free quote, no obligation · We respond within one business day