The Business of Video Production

Ryan Spanger
  • 5.0 (3)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Strategy, marketing, sales, delivery and mindset for videographers. 'The Business of Video Production' podcast by Ryan Spanger shares his lessons from over 20 years of running a successful video production company. Through the series we'll explore topics important to a production company owner such as how to: Identify and reach the right prospects. Achieve a consistent flow of work (no more feast or famine). Charge what you’re worth – with confidence. Step back from shouldering all the responsibility for production so you can focus on building your business. https://www.ryanspanger.com

  1. 5D AGO

    What to Do When a Client Questions Your Invoice or Your Value

    Have you ever sent an invoice, felt good about the work… and then the client pushes back? It’s a tough moment. You feel defensive. Like you need to justify yourself. But how you handle it matters. It can strengthen the relationship, or damage it. In this episode, I break down how to respond without getting emotional, how to explain your value clearly, and how to hold your ground while still protecting the relationship. In this episode: Why client objections aren’t always a bad thing Where these situations usually come from A simple 4-step way to handle the conversation When to stand firm and when to be flexible A better way to think about value and pricing Coaching: If you want help handling situations like this in your business, head to: ryanspanger.com/coaching

    23 min

  2. MAR 23

    The Story Behind the Podcast

    If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you probably have a sense of how I think about running a video production business. The strategies, the systems, the way I approach clients and pricing. And if you're new, it will help fill in some gaps and provide context. But what I don’t talk about very often is where all of that actually comes from. In this episode, I take a step back and share the story behind the podcast. Why I started it, what was going on in my life at the time, and how it connects to the way I run my business today. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why I committed to showing up every week, even when no one was listening The role this industry has played in my life over the last 25 years The point where I started questioning what I was building and why How I moved from holding everything close to sharing it openly What this podcast is really about beyond tactics and strategies If you’re in a moment where you’re questioning your direction, or thinking about what the next step looks like, this episode should give you something to think about. And if nothing else, it will give you a clearer sense of where these ideas come from and how you might apply them in your own way.

    19 min

  3. MAR 16

    How to Sell Retainers in Your Video Production Business

    In this episode, Ryan walks through the practical steps behind building recurring video packages that actually work in a production business. You’ll learn how to think about retainers from the client’s perspective, how to structure the offer, and how to avoid the common mistakes that turn recurring work into a production treadmill. Ryan also explains: • The types of clients who are most likely to commit to ongoing video work • Why niching makes recurring packages dramatically easier to sell • How to reduce the perceived risk for clients when introducing a monthly agreement • The role systems and processes play in delivering recurring work profitably • How to define scope clearly so retainers don’t spiral out of control • Why many successful production companies treat retainer clients as a different category of customer If you’ve ever thought about introducing recurring packages into your video business, this episode breaks down how to approach it in a thoughtful and sustainable way. Listen in to learn the practical thinking behind selling, structuring, and delivering recurring video work.

    24 min

  4. MAR 9

    From Wedding Videos to Corporate: What I Learned

    Many videographers start their careers filming weddings. It can be a great training ground and, for a time, a reliable source of income. But for many people, there eventually comes a moment where they begin to wonder if it’s time to move on. In this episode, I share my own experience moving from wedding videos into corporate video production. I talk about the early years of filming weddings, the skills it helped me develop, and the moments that made me realise it was time to step away and build something different. Wedding videos gave me hundreds of hours of practical experience behind the camera. They taught me how to work under pressure, capture moments as they unfold, and deal with unpredictable environments. At the same time, they also came with long days, intense pressure, and the challenge of balancing work with family life. This episode explores both sides of that journey. I also talk about the practical and psychological side of making the transition into corporate work, including how to use the experience you already have and how to start building a portfolio that attracts the kind of clients you want to work with. If you currently film weddings, are thinking about it, or are starting to feel ready for something different, this episode should give you a useful perspective on the path forward. In this episode: • The advantages of starting your career in wedding videography • What wedding videos taught me about shooting and storytelling • The realities of long wedding days and high-pressure shooting • The moment when good work can start to feel draining • Why it can be difficult to walk away from something that still works financially • Practical steps to transition from wedding work to corporate clients • The importance of building a portfolio and proof of capability • Knowing when it’s time to move on to the next chapter If you run or are building a video production business and would like help attracting better clients and building a more sustainable company, you can learn more about my coaching here: ryanspanger.com/coaching

    23 min

  5. MAR 2

    We Need to Talk About AI

    There’s a lot of noise right now about AI. And if you run a video production company, there’s a subtle pressure that you should be doing more. Experimenting more. Automating more. Keeping up. In this episode, I break down how I’m actually approaching AI in my own business. Where I’m using new tools to speed things up. Where I’m deliberately not getting distracted. And how I decide whether something earns its place. We talk about: • Using structured systems to improve website content • Tightening proposal writing • Speeding up the edit process without sacrificing story • Thinking more clearly instead of outsourcing judgement If you’re trying to work out where to focus your energy this year, this should be a good discussion. You can find out more about working with me at ryanspanger.com/coaching.

    18 min

  6. FEB 23

    A Business Idea Worth Questioning

    There’s a business idea that gets repeated constantly in entrepreneurial circles. It sounds smart. Mature. Aspirational. If you hear it often enough, you start to assume it must be true. But the more I hear it, the more I’ve started to question it. In this episode, I take a widely accepted business idea, hold it up to scrutiny, and ask whether it actually serves you as a video production business owner, or whether it could pull you off course. This belief is a big one. You’ve definitely heard it. You may even be measuring yourself against it. In this episode, we explore: • Why certain business ideas spread quickly and get accepted as fact • How repetition can make something feel true, even when it deserves closer examination • The psychology behind wanting less involvement and more “freedom” • What I’ve observed from genuinely successful entrepreneurs, including those running very large organisations • The hidden cost of pulling back at the wrong time • A more practical way to think about leverage inside a production company I also share stories from my own business over 25 years, including periods where I travelled for months while staying involved, and what actually happened when I experimented with stepping away. Some things worked reasonably well. Other things carried a cost that only showed up later. This episode is for you if you’ve wondered whether you’re building your business the “right” way, if you’ve felt pressure to structure things differently, or if you’re still heavily involved day to day and questioning whether that’s a flaw. It’s also for you if you want to think more critically about the advice that circulates online. And if you want support building a video production business that runs well, generates consistent leads, and improves year on year, you can find out more at ryanspanger.com. All the details are there, including how I work and what’s involved. You can join for a month or longer. Connect: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Email⁠

    19 min

  7. FEB 16

    Back to the Beginning: Episode One Revisited

    This week I’m replaying Episode 1. When I recorded it, hardly anyone was listening. Since then, the audience has grown a lot. And I want newer listeners to understand what this podcast is actually about, and what I’m about. In this first episode, I answer some pretty direct questions: Who am I, and why should you listen to me? Do I actually understand the challenges you’re facing? What’s the philosophy behind this show? And what kind of video production business owner is this for? If you’re dealing with inconsistent work, unpredictable income, marketing that isn’t converting, or carrying too much of the production load yourself, this episode will give you clarity on the approach I teach. If you’ve been here since the beginning, think of this as a reset. This podcast has always been about building a consistent, profitable, sustainable video production company. Not hype. Not shortcuts. Just doing the work properly. Have a listen. And if it resonates, you can find out more about coaching at ryanspanger.com/coaching

    12 min

  8. FEB 9

    How to Get Your Video Production Pricing Right

    Video producers often get stuck in one of two pricing loops. Either you’re trying to find the “going rate”, or you’re trying to charge “what you’re worth”. Both sound reasonable. Neither holds up when you’re in the middle of real projects, real clients, real timelines, and real risk. In this episode, I look at pricing as something you shape around the job in front of you, not a fixed number you’re supposed to discover. We talk about how pricing can help you win work, cut down the back-and-forth, and set you up for better long-term client relationships. In this episode: • Why “going rate” advice is mostly useless without context • Why “charge what you’re worth” can send you into emotional pricing • Why complex jobs often carry more value than simple, packageable ones • Bundling vs itemising, and how to remove unnecessary friction • Commodity-based vs value-based pricing (and what you’re actually being paid for) • Discounting with context, including what a job can lead to beyond the invoice • Why over-quoting early can spook a good prospect • Front end vs back end thinking, and how small jobs can turn into long-term clients • Optional extras that sit on the quote without turning into a sales pitch Connect: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Youtube⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Email⁠ ⁠Learn more about video business coaching

    23 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Strategy, marketing, sales, delivery and mindset for videographers. 'The Business of Video Production' podcast by Ryan Spanger shares his lessons from over 20 years of running a successful video production company. Through the series we'll explore topics important to a production company owner such as how to: Identify and reach the right prospects. Achieve a consistent flow of work (no more feast or famine). Charge what you’re worth – with confidence. Step back from shouldering all the responsibility for production so you can focus on building your business. https://www.ryanspanger.com

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