Contact SMG Productions

Reaching the right production team early saves time, budget, and creative energy. Whether you have a confirmed brief, a rough idea, or just a question about feasibility, this page covers how to get in touch, what to expect from the first conversation, and how SMG Productions handles enquiries from brief to first call.

How to Send Your Enquiry

Use the contact form on this page for the fastest response. Include the project type, intended delivery date, and any known budget parameters — even a rough range. This lets the team qualify your project accurately and come to the first call prepared rather than spending that time on basics.

For urgent broadcast or live event enquiries, a direct phone call is more reliable than email.

What to include in your message:

• Project type (corporate video, live event, broadcast, post-production, showreel)
• Shoot location or locations
• Intended delivery format (broadcast TX, online, internal screening)
• Approximate timeline and go-live date
• Whether a treatment or script already exists

What Happens After You Make Contact

Response time for standard enquiries is within one working day. Live event and broadcast enquiries are treated as priority because crew and kit availability windows are shorter.

Nothing is committed until a contract is signed. The discovery call is free and carries no obligation.

Services You Can Enquire About

SMG Productions covers the full production pipeline. Enquiries can be for a single stage — for example, post-production only on footage already shot — or for end-to-end delivery.

Production services available:

• Corporate video production (internal comms, brand films, recruitment, training)
• Live event coverage (conferences, award ceremonies, product launches)
• Broadcast production (factual, documentary, talent-led formats)
• Multi-camera studio and location shoots
• Post-production and offline/online editing
• Motion graphics and colour grading
• Showreel compilation and delivery
• Behind-the-scenes content for social and marketing use

If your project sits across more than one category — for example, a live conference that also needs a broadcast-ready edit and a social cut — note that in your message. Bundled production is usually more cost-effective than commissioning stages separately.

UK Locations and Shoot Coverage

SMG Productions operates across the UK. London-based projects are common, but the team regularly works across the Midlands, North West, Scotland, and internationally for UK-originated commissions.

Travel and accommodation costs for shoots outside London are itemised separately in every quote. There are no hidden markups on logistics.

Corporate Video Enquiries

Corporate video is the most common starting point for new clients. Projects range from a single two-minute brand film to a twelve-month retainer producing quarterly content across multiple formats.

Before the first call, it helps to know:

• Who the audience is (internal staff, investors, consumers, trade press)
• Where the content will live (broadcast, LinkedIn, website, event screen)
• Whether there is existing brand footage, a script, or a storyboard
• Approval process and number of stakeholders involved in sign-off

Projects with a defined script and locked locations move faster and cost less in development. If you are still at concept stage, the discovery call can help structure a brief.

Live Events and Broadcast Enquiries

Live event production has narrower lead times than corporate video. For conferences or award ceremonies, six to eight weeks of pre-production is a workable minimum. For large-scale broadcast events, twelve weeks or more is standard.

Key information for live event enquiries:

• Event date and venue (confirmed or provisional)
• Expected audience size and format (in-person, hybrid, fully streamed)
• Broadcast or streaming destination (YouTube Live, proprietary platform, broadcast TX)
• Whether a director and vision mixer are required or just camera crew
• Graphics package requirements (lower thirds, titles, live data integration)

Broadcast production enquiries — factual series, documentary, or formatted content destined for TX — should include the commissioning broadcaster or platform if known, and the expected deliverable specification (4K, HDR, specific codec requirements).

Post-Production Only Enquiries

If footage already exists and you need editing, grading, or finishing, SMG Productions can work from your existing rushes. This applies to:

• Unedited event footage requiring a highlight cut
• Rushes from a third-party shoot needing professional offline and online editing
• Archive material requiring restoration, grading, or re-versioning
• Social media cuts from a longer master edit

For post-production enquiries, include the total footage volume (hours of rushes), the format and codec of the camera originals, and the intended delivery specification. This information directly determines the timeline and cost.

Showreel Enquiries

Showreels for directors, DoPs, editors, and presenters are a specialist output. A showreel is not a highlights reel — it is a curated argument for a specific type of work. The selection, pacing, and music choices all affect how it reads to a commissioning editor or executive producer.

SMG Productions compiles and edits showreels with that context in mind. Enquiries should include:

• The role the reel is for (director, presenter, editor, camera operator)
• The target audience (broadcast commissioners, agencies, corporate clients)
• Existing footage available and rights status
• Approximate reel length required (industry standard is 90 seconds to three minutes depending on discipline)

What Makes an Enquiry Easier to Respond To

Vague enquiries get vague responses. The more specific the initial message, the more useful the reply will be.

Enquiries that are easy to respond to:

• "We need a four-minute brand film for a B2B software company, shooting in London in March, delivery by end of April, budget circa £18,000–£22,000."
• "We have a conference in Manchester on 15 May, 400 attendees, need three cameras, a live stream to our platform, and a two-minute highlight edit within 48 hours of the event."

Enquiries that slow the process down:

• "How much does a video cost?"
• "We need something for social media."
• "Can you give us a quote for a production?"

Neither type of enquiry gets ignored, but specific briefs get faster, more accurate responses and avoid a round of back-and-forth emails before anything useful is discussed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum budget for a production project?

Corporate video projects at SMG Productions typically start from around £5,000 for a single-location, single-subject film with a straightforward post-production pipeline. Broadcast and live event productions have higher base costs due to crew size, kit requirements, and the complexity of delivery specifications. Multi-day shoots, animation, or broadcast-grade finishing will increase the budget accordingly. The discovery call is the most reliable way to get a realistic number for a specific brief.

How far in advance should I make contact for a live event?

For a standard corporate conference or award ceremony, six to eight weeks before the event date gives enough time for pre-production, crew booking, and equipment planning. For broadcast events or large-scale hybrid productions, twelve weeks or more is preferable. Enquiries with less lead time are still considered — availability permitting — but shorter timelines increase the risk of crew or kit conflicts.

Can SMG Productions handle international shoots?

Yes. The team regularly works on UK-originated commissions with overseas shoot components. International projects require additional pre-production for location logistics, local crew coordination, permits, and equipment carnets. These costs are always itemised separately in the project quote. The point of contact and production management remain UK-based throughout.

What formats does SMG Productions deliver in?

Delivery format depends on the end destination. Broadcast deliverables follow the technical specification of the commissioning platform (for example, IMF packages for streaming, AS-11 for UK broadcast TX). Corporate and event content is typically delivered as H.264 or H.265 masters for online use, with ProRes or DNxHR masters for archiving. If you have a specific technical requirement — codec, resolution, frame rate, HDR standard — include it in your enquiry and it will be confirmed at quote stage.