Can I add a 6th star??…read more In preparing to launch a Kickstarter project, I knew I needed someone with serious video skills to put together something special for me. So, the search began and I came across Guy's website. I simply loved his work and it was exactly the style I had in mind. Immediately I sent in an inquiry and refreshed my email about a million times. Being the obsessive compulsive gal I am, after not hearing back from him for all of five minutes I decided I shouldn't put all my eggs in one basket and should really look around and get other quotes. And I did. Umm... $4-5k for a 1 minute video? Are you insane unnamed production company in Evanston? No thank you. The other quotes I got were more to make myself go through the motions. I find it strange how people that work in media don't know the importance of updating their website and putting up work that doesn't look like it's from the 80s. Refresh a few more times and alas! An email from my first pick! Guy and I set up an intro call and I described exactly what I wanted and we both threw out some ideas that got incorporated into the final product. And I was so glad to hear that he thought the $4-5k quote was just as ridiculous as I had thought it was. He also mentioned he was teaching a class in just a few days (which I attended). I'm so camera shy and thought that would be a great way to see how I would respond to his personality, so that was the main reason I went. I'm so glad I did because at the class I ended learning some great tricks that I made sure I did in preparation for our shooting day the following week. One of them was to have fresh flowers around for the interview portion to help bring some natural softness to the scene (genius... I never would have thought it would have made such a difference). Long story short, his really laid back personality during the class made it a no-brainer that I wanted him to do my video. The day of the shoot, he was right on time and ready to go (and was really patient when I needed a few extra minutes). The filming went super smoothly and I was as relaxed as I could have been all thanks to Guy. And today I got my final video and just LOVE the end result. It was short and sweet, straight to the point, and the addition of bloopers at the end really made it more light-hearted. Brilliant. If you're looking for a professional, Guy is your man. If you're thinking twice, don't. The end result speaks for itself. Here is what he did for me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5qu2HXQd6o

Big Shoulders is definitely the go-to when you need to make one call and get what you need for any…read morefacet of video production. They have DPs with great talent and all the equipment you need for small or ginormous productions. I've worked with them with a 2 person crew and with a 15 person team. And their professionalism and creative input in both production capacities are top notch. And after long days on set, they are all very personable. No ego.

"Big Shoulders" is the BEST!!!…read more If I had 10 stars to give, this company deserves it. I have worked as a Producer/Director for over 20 years, and my best experiences in the Chicagoland area have been with "Big Shoulders". I have been loyal to them for more then a decade, and it is because I am always treated as if I am their most important client, even though I know they have a huge client roster and treat everyone the same way. Frank Hanes runs the company with a passion to ensure they are able to offer the latest cutting edge technology to allow for optimum creativity. Plus, he has assembled a "five star" team of talented people on all levels of production and post production. Their staff shooters are top notch! I have recommended "Big Shoulders" to a number of production people in Chicago or coming to Chicago over the years, and everyone has thanked me because they also received the royal treatment, and came away with a product to be proud of!

Our inbound marketing agency a really good experience working with Curtis, Andrew, and Elisa on our…read moreown animated brand video. The whole process was smooth and organized. The end result is fantastic. Will definitely look to them again in the future.

The determination to get it right and the friendliness of this small "family" business is down…read moreright inspiring. They love what they do just as much as they love their clients.

I just finished filming my first commercial. I walked in there as nervous as can be. Immediately…read moreI was met by Tom at the door. He welcomed me in and we went over the script. I started to relax very quickly. The studio was clean, professional, and comfortable to film in. I am in no way an actor but, I was able to get through the script in only four tries. Tom and I reviewed the raw footage and he made this Marla Hooch (what a hitter) look good. I am looking forward to the final product. If anyone is thinking of making video commercials, this is the right company. Thank you, Tom

Dot Productions. I have hired them for several projects and…read morethey have delivered beyond my expectations each time. I've been extremely satisfied. They are creative. Strategic. Reliable. They care about me as a client. Everything leading up to delivering my video was first class. I felt heard and understood. They "got me"- and what I needed from them. They went the extra mile- every time. I highly recommend Dot Productions. Five stars for sure! Jeanne Malnati - The Culture Group

Tightrope Recording, and their owner Max, did not live up to their promises. They promised a great…read morerecording and finished mixes for one price of $1500. They did a great job recording, but sent us home with only the rough cut, and no finished mixes. They claimed that it took a lot of effort to set up for a multi-instrument band and they had to bring in extra help, thus extra cost. They had no more money or time to finish the mixes. Max had the audacity to say that each song would be at least another $350 to finish, even though he promised us finished mixes when we spoke on the phone. I feel that this was unscrupulous practice. Make sure you get your promises in writing from Max, or he may just try to swindle you.

Back again! I had the pleasure of working with Tightrope Recording for my new podcast series, I…read morecouldn't be happier with the results. From start to finish, Jessi, Colin and Max went above and beyond to ensure that every aspect of the recording process was seamless and professional. First and foremost, the studio itself was top-notch. They have an amazing amount of options of microphones to choose from, I went with a Sennheiser 416. Additionally, the studio's acoustics were excellent, providing a clean and crisp sound without any unwanted background noise, we used studio A mostly. The entire recording process was enjoyable and stress-free, I was there a lot so that's saying something- Overall I can't recomend them enough. If you're looking for a recording studio that will deliver then make sure you work with them.

The 119 Crew was a blast to work with and went way above my expectations for my videoo. Ben and…read moreMike were great guys who really guided myself and partner through the filming process. The final edit and copy was so good that I can not stop viewing it and showing it off to family and friends. Thanks a lot to the 119 Production Team. Dude Dip for all you guys!

I worked with Ben and Jude on a promo video and highly recommend them. They are professional and…read morethorough with great vision. They talked us through the process and were available to guide us throughout. They also did a fantastic job editing and the final product exceeded our expectations. My entire team enjoyed working with 119 Productions, they make what can be a difficult process easy and even fun.

Incredible experience and artistic touches that can't beat!! Thank you Midnight Cinema!!read more

One Of Chicago's Leading Premier Full Service Film Studios Located Directly In The Heart Of…read moreChicago. Built From The Ground Up By Visionary & Semi Professional Skater Paul John,Midnight Cinema Film & Midnight Cinema Studios Has Had Their Expertise Used In Many Artists Videos,Reels And Films Across Different Genre's Of Music & Film In Chicago And Entire United States. A Visionary No Doubt. The Great Ones Urge & Push You. The Staff At Midnight Cinema Brings Out The Very Best In All Its Clients And Undoubtedly Separates Themselves From Your Normal Production Studio Giving Full Production Service On Set, Off Set And Down Time Between Scene Shootings. The Craft Service Is Something To Rave About In Itself Combining Local & Ethnic Flavors.Some Requests Are Specifically Geared Towards Client Likes In Order to Ensure Complete Comfortably During The Long Hours Of Filming You Cannot Be Professional Unless You Know And Understand What Profesionalism Is,Here They Prove It And Have A Long List Of Clients Excited About Their Partnership With This All Chicago Company. Look Out For Midnight. In addition to The Midnight Cinema Film Company is Midnight Cinema Studios. It Is A Private Studio And Home Base To Production On All Of The Current Projects That The Midnight Cinema Film Company Is Undergoing. Constant Videos By Known Artists, Up & Coming Musicians And Performers Are Givin Full Treatment As Soon As Negotiations Are Finalized. And Now A Full Length Feature Film Coming ,These Drivin Individuals Will Stop Nothing Short Of Hollywood.

I love the concept of this place and was excited to come here after they moved from their Damen…read morelocation. I came in to get a disposable camera developed. Had I not been here before or knew the process of how it works though, I think I would have had a little difficulty. The person working wasn't too friendly or keen on explaining the form to me, so I took a few guesses and looked at the sign they had on the counter. She was more interested in talking to her coworker and not really paying attention to me so I just filled it out and went on my way. Not the best customer service experience. I felt too inconvenienced to ask about any of the other items they had in the store. My photos however turned out alright but seemed to turn out a lot more muted than my previous prints, This experience has me wondering if I should just do mail in through Darkroom next time.

It seems like all at once and out of nowhere I started receiving ads from a bunch of different film…read moredevelopment companies and those rolls sitting in the back of a drawer started screaming out to me to solve their mysteries. When I found that there was a shop right here in Chicago offering a first roll development and scan free I figured I would give the local option the first crack. So I signed up for the offer and placed some old rolls in a sandwich bag in my jacket pocket but then weeks passed by and it just kept slipping my mind. This was where Bellows first impressed me. I received direct messages from the shop saying that my offer would be expiring soon and asking if I'd like to extend the redemption date which was nice. I finally dropped in the day of that really bad snowstorm back in November and my first impression of the shop was positive. I liked the laidback and clean feel of the place. There is just about every type of contemporary film as well as some cameras and accessories available to buy and they had a good number of people at the counter for taking film development orders. There was also a tintype photographer doing a pop up event which is always cool to witness. I realized while I was there that my already amateurish photography knowledge was pretty rusty so I appreciated the staff going over things with me while I was filling out my development order form without being condescending. I also liked that they said that if the rolls came out blank or with no usable photos they would contact me about price adjusting. I went with the take your time option for development and scans for 3 rolls and the scans were ready for me in 3 days. The development came out about as well as they could with such expired film but nothing some color correction can't fix. They actually turned out a lot better than I expected they would and I am happy that I now have had some of the mysteries revealed. Bellows staff contacted me about picking up my negatives as I was traveling but a quick message and they assured me that they would hold onto the negatives for a little while longer. Although it's very much a shop for serious film photographers I think Bellows is a great local option for film development and I'll probably be returning with some more film to develop soon.