Services and methods

California Story Company creates award-winning visual stories that capture the essence of exceptional people, explore contemporary themes and elucidate binding human truths. 

Beyond straight-ahead journalism and documentary commissions, we team with select clients who use the work we create together to drive capital campaigns, take center stage at events, gain new business, mark a milestone, advance brand identity, or underwrite exploration of an issue that is aligned with, or adjacent to, their values.

We also team with agencies, museum designers, animators and illustrators, web and app developers, and interactive designers in supportive roles to consult on editorial development, distill story and then help direct it across multimedia landscapes.

Importantly, we work in accordance with the codes of ethics set forth by the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Press Photographers Association. 

Here is how we can help you.

Consulting and development

Whatever the commission, our work always begins with paper, pens and simple audio recorders.  By listening, learning and exploring.

For many original commissions, it means first taking in objectives or brand personality before canvassing a client’s available landscape to find the best available characters and suitable story arcs. Often, we accomplish it by getting to know you through calls, at least one multi-day visit and informal audio interviews while we’re on site. The deliverable: a story play book scaled to clients’ timelines and budget parameters, created within a relatively short period. We explain story options, along with associated costs, in a perfectly transparent manner so clients can form a plan that works best for them.

We apply the same to commissions in which clients already know the person or theme they wish to explore: phone interviews or in-person pre-planning, with an eye toward filming at the best available moments and budget options to match. This is especially useful for videos honoring award recipients, or introducing new executives, facilities or initiatives.

Conversely, for clients starting with only a general thematic idea for a video project, we help distill objectives and ideas through on-site, guided brainstorming sessions before moving forward with you through character selection and budget scoping. 

Complete, original video storytelling

Production: Building on a development phase, we film nimbly and with a light footprint, using far less crew than many video production services. It means greater ease for subjects, and budgets that stay focused on storytelling at all times.

Postproduction: We create first, second and final drafts for client feedback featuring custom scores, expert color grading and tasteful, contextual branding.

Companion products and promotional help: Social media cutdowns, copywriting to support deliverables, keynote speeches for related events can all be added to maximize an investment in videos of enduring quality.

Guidance for in-house teams and edits

For clients with in-house video teams wanting to take an important project to the next level, we provide help with character selection, interview assistance, scriptwriting, postproduction guidance — or any combination of such services. We can also provide on-site workshops for in-house teams wishing to sharpen their story-finding, storytelling or production planning skills.