Hiring a production company for the first time — or after a bad experience — can feel like a gamble. You hand over a brief, a budget and a deadline, and you hope something good comes back. It doesn't have to feel that way. Here's exactly what the process should look like when you work with a professional production company in Nairobi, from first contact to final delivery.
Week 1–2: The Discovery Conversation
A professional production company does not quote you before they understand you. The first conversation should be about your goals, your audience, your brand, and what you want the viewer to do after watching. If a production company gives you a quote before asking any of those questions, they're not building your film — they're building a template.
Expect to discuss: what type of content you need, your target audience, your distribution plan, your timeline and your budget range. Bring as many of these answers as possible. The more clarity you bring to this conversation, the better your quote and production plan will be.
Week 2–3: The Brief and Quote
After the discovery conversation, the production company should provide a written brief summarising their understanding of your project and a detailed, itemised quote. Review both carefully. The brief tells you whether they understood what you asked for. The quote tells you whether they've priced the actual project or a generic template.
Questions to ask at this stage: Is this itemised? What's included and what's not? What happens if the scope changes? What are your revision terms?
Week 3–5: Pre-Production
Once you've signed and paid a deposit, pre-production begins. This is the most valuable stage of production — and the one clients interact with least. Your production company should be: researching your subject and audience, developing the narrative structure, confirming interview subjects, scouting locations, building a detailed shot list and shoot schedule, and coordinating all logistics.
You should receive a pre-production document before the shoot day with all of this information. If you don't, ask for it. A shoot day without a pre-production document is a crew flying blind.
Shoot Day(s)
On shoot day, your job is to make the environment as good as possible for the crew and the subjects. Handle access, introductions and any organisational approvals in advance. Do not try to direct the shoot unless you're the creative director — trust the director to do their job. Be available for decisions that require your authority (location access, subject availability) and step back for everything else.
Expect a professional crew to operate efficiently and quietly. They should be respectful of subjects, on schedule and communicative about any issues that arise.
Post-Production: Weeks 1–6 After Shoot
After the shoot, expect a period of silence — that's post-production. Footage is being logged, selected and assembled into a rough cut. You'll typically receive:
- Rough cut (week 2–3): The full story assembled. You'll see the structure and flow. This is when you give structural feedback — not line edits yet.
- Fine cut (week 4–5): Tightened edit incorporating your feedback. Focus on story, pacing and specific moments.
- Picture lock + audio/grade (week 5–6): The edit is locked. Colour grade, sound mix and music are applied.
- Final delivery: Master file plus all agreed cut-downs and formats.
What Good Communication Looks Like
A professional production company should be reachable, honest and proactive. They should flag problems before they become crises. They should be clear about what's included in each revision round and honest if the scope is changing.
At Artlink Agency, we build a clear communication schedule into every project brief — so our clients always know what's happening, what's coming next and what we need from them. No guessing, no chasing. Book a free call to discuss your project and see how we work.