No Limit On Geography

IMW has over 20 years experience in the broadcast news and corporate video production arenas. For two decades, we’ve developed solid, proven and reliable relationships with video professionals worldwide. If your project scope requires it and your budget supports it, IMW will go to the ends of the Earth for you.
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Video Quality

Absolutely. In fact, in many cases, our approach yields even better results than the video you are used to seeing on broadcast network programming. Our DPs are selected because of their additional expertise and experience in lighting. The professionals we work with also go on assignment for major news networks, cable television shows, major motion pictures and Fortune 500 corporate marketing projects. Many of our photographers are also independent film and documentary makers. They bring their cinematic eye to every project, no matter what the budget size or scope.
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Formats Available

Our worldwide network business model means we can essentially provide any format your project requires. The most popular and primary formats requested by our clients are BetaSP, BetaSX, DVCPro, Dvcam and MiniDV. Although high-definition is still gaining momentum, we have an entire HD package available for quick deployment on any project. We can provide crews and equipment proficient in the following formats: HD (high definition), Digi-Beta (high quality digital), Beta SP (commonly used, considered high-end, but being phased out slowly for digital), DVCam (medium quality digital format for Sony products), DVCPro (medium quality digital format for Panasonic products), DV or Mini-DV (medium quality digital format for both Sony and Panasonic.)
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The IMW Producer

IMW assigns a dedicated project manager to every client engagement. This is a single point-of-contact for the client and a highly experienced producer that communicates with every member on the production team. Many production companies will provide quotes for services without including a producer. This means that the client is responsible for ensuring that video crews capture exactly what they want as well as any and all coordination involved in keeping the project moving forward. Over the years, IMW has found that nearly every client we’ve worked with simply doesn’t have the time, expertise or desire to fill this role. Our project budgets include all coordination, video shoot oversight, post-production supervision and management of all deliverables from creative consultation through the finished product.

Your IMW producer will travel to every video shoot to ensure project cohesiveness between the various crews we use nationwide. The producer is usually the only crewmember that incurs airfare and hotel travel expenses.
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IMW Video Crews…and beyond!

Along with our IMW producer, a standard video crew will be present at each shoot. Our standard video crew contains two professionals; One DP (with lighting expertise), and an audio operator (A1). However, if your project requires only cover video (“b-roll”) without special concern for lighting or interview sound, we may use just a cameraman. If your project will be a heavily involved on-location affair with actors, we can provide make-up artists, production assistants, grips, gaffers, electricians and any other crewmember needed to ensure you get the best quality video outcome possible. When it comes to talent, we can also organize casting, auditions and booking through reputable agencies. The thing to always remember is that with IMW you can literally build any production scenario you desire…from simple b-roll shoots to live broadcast, multi-camera remotes.
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IMW Standard Video Crew Gear Package

Our standard two-person video crews include the camera, tripod, viewing monitor, basic light kit, audio gear and minimal grip equipment to each shoot. Our thorough consultation process will identify what additional gear may be needed before your shoot date so your budget avoids any “surprises”. Some popular “add on” items are a wide angle lens, wireless video transmitters that allow the producer or client to see exactly what the camera is capturing, advanced lighting packages, steady cams and video transcripts.
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Lead Time and Right Of First Refusal Policy

Essentially, we can deploy one of our local crews within the Charlotte/Carolinas market within 24 hours notice. However, most of our clients do have time to consult and preplan their scope. As soon as we complete the creative consultation session, we put the most appropriate crews “on hold.” If another client requests one of our crews for that same day, we will give the original client ROFR (Right of First Refusal.) This means that the original client can immediately “firm up” or “book” the crew, or allow them to take the next offer. Should this happen, IMW will then work aggressively to book another crew for the original client without impact to their project timeline.
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“Portal-to-Portal”

When an IMW video crew is booked for a full or half day, their time clock starts ticking the moment they leave their office for the drive in to the location. If a crew must drive three hours round trip, they will have seven hours on site before the “full day” limit ends and overtime begins. Sometimes, crews will allow themselves to be booked as “local” which means it’s close enough to their office that they will not charge mileage, gas, parking, meals or other travel expenses. Outside of a 50-mile radius, most crews will need reimbursement for mileage, gas and parking. IMW negotiates the absolute best deal that will be a win-win for both the video professionals and the client.
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Half Day and Full Day Shoots

A half-day is any shoot that falls between 0-5 hours, while a full day is 5.25-10 hours. Overtime is billed at time and a half.
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Travel Reimbursement

If a crew must travel more than two hours and the call time is before 8am (in the local time zone of the shoot), the crew, including the producer, will require appropriate hotel accommodations the night before. IMW follows the industry standard reimbursement of $.46/mile for vehicle travel. IMW producers bill a flat travel rate of $250, no matter how many hours were required to travel to the location. IMW’s video crews are located in every major city nationwide, so depending on exactly how long the drive is to the shoot location, travel expenses can be simply hotel, gas and mileage or there may be an additional travel day fee if they are unable to work for other clients on the day prior to your shoot.
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Ballpark rate for video crews

In Charlotte, IMW charges $1,275 for a full day crew, $900 for a half-day crew. You’ll notice that a “half-day rate” is not exactly half of the full day amount. This is because a crew cannot realistically book a second client for the “lost” time on that half day. Depending on market size, you may pay between $1,300 and $1,600 for a full day. Once a client’s creative consultation is complete, IMW can scout and quote the crews needed in every market the project requires. We guarantee that a client will have a solid estimate before shooting ever begins. Certainly, changes in scope and other variables can impact actual cost. These changes are discussed, as they happen, to ensure the client is always aware of the bottom line.
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