Skalawag Productions

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Kitchen Sink Communications, a PR and marketing agency specializing in serving clients in the hospitality industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Skalawag Productions to accomplish for Kitchen Sink Communications or your hospitality clients?

We needed to create a 'hero' video campaign for our client Kinzie Chophouse that captured the spirit of the restaurant while celebrating 35 years in business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Skalawag Productions created a 30-second hero video with GFX narrative, a 30-second evergreen hero video without GFX, and two 8–15-second social videos. The team handled all aspects of production, including scripting, filming, editing, and graphics.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 2–5 teammates from Skalawag Productions.

How did you come to work with Skalawag Productions?

Someone referred Skalawag Productions to me. We chose them over other options because their pricing fit our budget, they were a great culture fit, and they offered good value for the cost.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000–$49,999.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Skalawag Productions from January–February 2026.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We saw increased website traffic and time on site since the video was launched. We also received real-time updates after meetings, storyboarding and script plans, and run-of-show and schedule reviews in advance of the filming day.

How did Skalawag Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

Skalawag Productions had great project management. The team kept us on track with clear to-dos and deadlines and delivered on time. We communicated in person, via email, and through a messaging app.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Skalawag Productions' team genuinely felt like collaborators. Although we hired them, it felt like they were in this with us, guiding us to make great decisions for the project that would have the most value and longevity.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything for Skalawag Productions to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Associate Director, Communications and Patient Advocacy at a biotech company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Clinical stage biotech company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Skalawag Productions to accomplish?

• Create testimonial videos that married impactful personal stories.

SOLUTION

How did you find Skalawag Productions?

Online Search

Why did you select Skalawag Productions over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned
• Other

How many teammates from Skalawag Productions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Skalawag Productions provided us with video production services to bring to life three patient stories and one caregiver story to authentically share the impact their disease had on their lives. 

The team conducted pre-interviews with the patients which I think really helped day of filming to ensure the patients felt comfortable sharing their stories and had familiar faces. Day of, they had a full team including hair and makeup that filmed the patients. Post production included video editing, color grading, sound mixing, simple motion graphics, 2 rounds of revisions and stock music sourcing. 

The final deliverables for this project were:

• One campaign overview video (90–120s) combining voices from all three patients
• Three individual patient hero videos (2-3 minutes)
• Three short teaser clips (15–30s each)
• Raw footage for our internal future use

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

This project has not launched yet.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The Skalawag team was incredible with project management. They were fast at responding to all our inquiries and adjusting timelines based on our team's schedule. I felt very confident in their execution of the deliverables to meet our timeline. A few weeks before filming we decided to pivot one of the patient interviews to incorporate a caregiver perspective and the Skalawag team made that adjustment seamless so it didn't impact our schedule. 

What was your primary form of communication with Skalawag Productions?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

While the Skalawag team is best known for their food and beverage work, I can confidently and enthusiastically recommend them for developing deeply meaningful patient stories. Our project involved individuals living with chronic illnesses, and the team approached every interaction with empathy, patience, and professionalism. They created an environment where patients felt completely at ease, allowing their personalities and genuine stories to shine through on camera. Beyond their strong production capabilities and ability to manage every logistical detail seamlessly, what truly sets Skalawag apart is their personability. Their ability to build trust and form real connections made an enormous difference in the quality and authenticity of the final videos.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Skalawag Productions could have done differently?

None!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Associate Department Director of Purple Carrot

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a food company that delivers clean, long lasting energy by harnessing the power of plants 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Skalawag Productions to accomplish?

• Create ownable content that one else could make
• Drive awareness

SOLUTION

How did you find Skalawag Productions?

Referral

Why did you select Skalawag Productions over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Willingness to be scrappy

How many teammates from Skalawag Productions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We worked to develop content in 3 critical buckets for our business: food merchandising imagery, campaign assets and brand content.

During our six-month partnership window we hosted 3 unique productions:

1.) End-to-end development of a brand YouTube Series. Resulting in 6, long-form episodes of an interview style show
2.) Support of our establish e-commerce food photography that moved from in-house production to their Chicago studio. We had guidelines that we optimized through the partnership. 
3.) Photography assets for a lifestyle campaign that featured our food on-location and with talent

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Number of assets

Quality of assets

Ingetrated production to scale assets across multiple channels

Deadlines met

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes - incredibly repsonsive.

What was your primary form of communication with Skalawag Productions?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They are a company that isn't afraid to get in the weeds with you and think like a true extention of the team. They go out of their way to understand the business needs holistically to understand where they can bring the most value effectively and efficiently. 

Their expertise in food is a huge differenatior as well - they come with a built-in network of the best in the business in Chicago that extends beyond production.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Skalawag Productions could have done differently?

More formalized documentation - but takes two to tango in that department

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of a consumer products company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company sells small kitchen appliances that make everyday life easier. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Skalawag Productions to accomplish?

• Help the client bring the original campaign creative to life
• Help guide them on best decisions to work within their budget to achieve the best results
• Build a stellar integrated photo and video production that maximized value for the campaign.

SOLUTION

How did you find Skalawag Productions?

Online Search

Why did you select Skalawag Productions over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Skalawag Productions were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We partnered with Skalawag to bring to life our campaign for the launch of our new product collection, with the goal of driving awareness and consideration across CTV, social, and display channels. They produced a :30 CTV spot with a :15 cutdown, three :10 social videos, and five assets for use across social and display. While we came in with the initial concept, Skalawag elevated it with thoughtful creative recommendations that remained true to our brand identity—and executed it beautifully. Mark and Monica were exceptional day-to-day partners, consistently striking the perfect balance of professional, friendly, and collaborative. The entire experience was timely, organized, flexible, and budget-conscious from start to finish, and we were thrilled with both the process and the final creative.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Early in-market results are strong, with a $2.75 CPM for awareness and a 1% CTR for consideration.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our producer, Monica, was incredibly organized, communicative, and proactive throughout the entire process. I never felt like I needed to check in or follow up. She consistently stayed ahead of every detail and made sure things ran smoothly. The team responded thoughtfully to our needs and made it clear they truly valued the partnership. We could not have asked for a smoother process or stronger project management.

What was your primary form of communication with Skalawag Productions?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

One thing we especially appreciated with Skalawag was how intentionally they involved the brand team and ensured our perspective was part of the process. We were included at every step, decisions were made collaboratively, and it truly felt like they were an extension of our own team. They are so passionate about the work, and they are also genuinely good people who want to create stellar creative that reflects your brand in the way you intend. They were also incredibly organized, which was a huge plus for us. There was never any stress around timelines, location reviews, or casting decisions because they were always ahead of the curve.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Skalawag Productions could have done differently?

Honestly, no! The process was smooth, communication was clear, and the collaboration felt strong throughout. We would happily work with Skalawag again.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sr Brand Manager of a food and beverage company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Harnesses the power of the egg to create innovative, high protein, low carb food solutions without flour.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Skalawag Productions to accomplish?

• Build CTV ads to drive awareness of egglife egg white wraps and our new innovation

SOLUTION

How did you find Skalawag Productions?

Networking Event

Why did you select Skalawag Productions over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Skalawag Productions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Storyboarded and animated 4 CTV assets for 4 unique product categories, including Voiceover.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We are just seeing CTV results roll in now, so results won't be available for another month or so.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes, they delievered all assets on time, and we had a very expedited schedule

What was your primary form of communication with Skalawag Productions?

Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They wanted to deliver a great product and ensure we were happy with the outcome, despite a limited budget.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Skalawag Productions could have done differently?

I would have layed out the process and communication preferences earlier to ensure we were all clear on expectations - first having a story board round for each spot, followed by animating so we weren't working backwords to a story board on animation we didn't like.  However, this was due to our expedited timeline.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director of a restaurant group based in Chicago. We have a couple of different concepts under our belt.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Skalawag Productions?

We needed help with still photography and video assets for two of our restaurants.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Skalawag Productions provides video production and marketing services. I’ve created an outline of the things I want to get video and photos for, and we’ve had a pre-meeting before we set the photo shoot date. We’ve strategized, and they’ve guided us to see the best way to get everything we want to shoot. They’ve helped us put a plan together before we do the actual photo shoot.

They’ve filmed live, and they’ve handled the video editing. They’ve given us a rough cut of how everything looks, and we’ve given them feedback. They’ve made all the changes, and they’ve done the color correction. We’ve used the videos on our company website, digital menu boards, emails, social media, and ads.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with 7–8 teammates, including Mark, a couple of producers, a videographer, a food stylist, and a team working on lighting. 

How did you come to work with Skalawag Productions?

A colleague worked with one of their partners in the past, and we reached out to them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$70,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started in February 2025, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

The quality of the end product has been outstanding. We really like the quality of their work and are thinking about doing broadcast commercials with them.

How did Skalawag Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve stayed on budget and let us know what everything would be upfront. They let us know if anything needs further editing or if we have other ideas for the editing. They’re on time with everything, probably more on time than I’ve ever seen a company.

The day after the shoot, they provide us with a schedule. They tell us when we’ll have the assets and the finals in our hands. They’re very organized. We usually communicate through email, but we have a nice relationship with the owner, so we sometimes communicate through text if it’s something quick.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of the end product has stood out to me and my VP of marketing. Mark and the rest of the team have been great professionals. They’re very punctual, upfront with everything, friendly, and easy to work with. They’re very creative, and they provide a lot of good insight on the things we’re going to shoot.

They’ve course-corrected when we thought we could do something, and it hasn’t seemed plausible. They always come back and are very reasonable. They tell us what we should cut back and do to fit everything in the timeframe and the shoot date. Overall, they’re great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. They’re easily the best production company we’ve worked with. The videography and the quality are so much better than anything we’ve done in the past.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend working with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Taste Network

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

At Taste Network, we’re more than just event creators—we’re a full-service marketing agency with a passion for crafting memorable experiences that don’t just stick, they stun.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Skalawag Productions to accomplish?

• Photography
• Video
• Content Creation (sizzle reels)

SOLUTION

How did you find Skalawag Productions?

friends

Why did you select Skalawag Productions over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Skalawag Productions were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Working with Skalawag Productions has been an incredibly smooth and valuable experience. Agency to agency, they just get it. Mark and the team are not only talented creatives, but they also bring a deep understanding of client experience, which is rare and appreciated. They stayed on budget, hit deadlines, and delivered consistently high-quality work.

For a major campaign we ran with a Spanish wine client, Skalawag went beyond just capturing great photo and video. They helped guide some of the strategy behind what we were shooting, how we framed the story, and how best to bring it to life for the client. That partnership directly led to more trust from our client, who ended up investing even more into photo and video for future work.

It’s an ongoing relationship, and we’re always looking for ways to bring them back in. From price to product delivery, it’s a win-win every time. We consider them an essential part of our extended creative team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

delivered on time everytime high-quality products that made us look good

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Skalawag Productions runs a tight ship and always responded to our needs and hit the deadlines like a champ!

What was your primary form of communication with Skalawag Productions?

Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Good people are always easier to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Skalawag Productions could have done differently?

not that i can think of

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager at Whoa Dough, a consumer products company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Skalawag Productions?

We needed help with product photography for our new product launch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Skalawag Productions did product photography for our new product launch. We had an initial conversation where they clearly understood what we wanted and needed. They then sent us a price quote, and we negotiated a bit on the number of photos and the type of photos we wanted.

After that, we sent them our product, and they took the photos. We received around 50 photos and selected 10 for editing. The team edited those and sent them back to us in four different file formats.

What is the team composition?

Mark was our main contact. We also worked with LaRose and Monica.

How did you come to work with Skalawag Productions?

Our founder had me set up a call with Skalawag Productions. The owners had reached out to our founder via LinkedIn. During our call, they worked with us on our budget needs and were very kind. We did a lot of research on different photography production companies, and Skalawag Productions gave us the best product we could do with our budget.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $1,300.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September–October 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We used the photos on our packaging, and people loved it. We also used the photos on sales sheets and product launch videos. I’ve referred Skalawag Productions to different people who have complimented the packaging and the photos. Overall, I have nothing but good things to say about their work.

How did Skalawag Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

LaRose was very clear and communicative — it was all very smooth and seamless. If she didn’t understand something, she called me, and we talked about it. Everything was very clear and spelled out. We communicated via email, Google Meet, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The communication was amazing, and the product was great. Their turnaround time was super fast as well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any constructive criticism. I would love to work with them again.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very open and honest. They’re here to work with you and build a relationship with you. They’re really good people and just want to build relationships.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a sales strategist at Audacy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Skalawag Productions?

We needed help with video production for large-scale advertisements we were doing in multiple states.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Skalawag Productions helped us with video filming, directing, and production for some large-scale advertisements we were doing in multiple states. We had a very complex shoot where we shot four brands in one week, working 10–12 hours daily and coordinating talent, food, and beverages for hospitality commercials.

When shooting these commercials, we tried to come up with a concept. However, we also tried to get a shot done in about 10–12 hours at each location. This way, we could get enough footage for the commercials and B-roll footage we could use throughout the year. We shot all the brands' leading food and drink items and did lifestyle, brunch, lunch, dinner, and run-and-gun shots.

There would probably be a secondary shot at each location that we needed to coordinate over the weekends when the place was full of customers. We also had to get talent releases, showcase the most popular food and drink items, and get static images for social media.

Skalawag Productions brought a level of expertise to the project. They told us how to meet with the head chef and food artist, what special lighting we needed, what time of the day we should go, which restaurants we should go to in what order, and how we could schedule everything. This way, we could get the best-looking shots and have enough inventory to maximize the shoot throughout the year.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 6–7 people from Skalawag Productions each day. Mark managed and directed the project. We also worked with two producers, Monica and LaRose. LaRose handled one of the brands, while Monica handled the other three. They split duties on the run-and-gun stuff over the weekend.

We also worked with sound and lighting professionals. Skalawag Productions brought vans with all the equipment, which took about an hour and a half to set up and take down each day. They moved things around the restaurant and taped off lights for reflections and other things that might be in the shots.

How did you come to work with Skalawag Productions?

We found them through a Google search. We interviewed and met with five different companies before making our decision. The pre-meetings with Mark made a big difference. From the beginning, we could tell they were definitely not the cheapest option. However, their specialty in the food and beverage category made a big difference. Mark's professionalism and approach to our project made a difference.

We shot the commercials in nine different cities, but all the brands had restaurants in Chicago. Since Chicago was a good hub for us to meet, hiring a company there made sense.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We filmed from January 10–14, 2025.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We're about to go live and currently going back and forth with the client, doing edits and revisions. However, Skalawag Productions' work is concluded. The team was great at pre-planning. Their expertise during the job was also excellent. There's always back and forth when things change, such as talent coming in or the on-site staff wanting to change drinks or get different shots.

The quality of their work was also excellent. Monica is an award-winning documentarian specializing in food and beverages. You could tell they knew exactly how to light the food, get cheese pulls, and showcase what we were trying to do. They did this at an elevated level.

Skalawag Productions followed up to ensure we liked the footage and asked what they could do better. They also helped us correct some of the things we saw on our side. Overall, we had no complaints on our end. We'd love to use them again.

In fact, I met with some of our regional managers about making them a permanent vendor within our company.

How did Skalawag Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

In general, Skalawag Productions took ownership of the project. They treated it like our clients were their clients. The team helped us foresee things that could go wrong, such as things we needed to inform the restaurants and management. They also helped us get the food schedule and shot list ready.

Overall, they ensured we would end up with a final product far and away better than something we would have gotten elsewhere.

The team delivered the work on time and budget and even over-delivered. On the last day, we wrapped up around 4:30 p.m. Some crew and talent were leaving, but they stayed after to help us get extra shots. We were running out of time, and they went above and beyond.

We used several communication tools, including Zoom meetings, phone calls, and emails. We had meetings before and after the shoots to see what we could do better and ensure we spent only 12 hours in each location. Overall, they did a great job.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I want to highlight Monica and LaRose.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the things I was most impressed with was Skalawag Productions' ability to manage and direct expectations. They told us what shots we could get and what we needed to take off the schedule. They also ensured all the details were buttoned up. They knew how to light the food and get the shots we wanted. Overall, Skalawag Productions saved us a lot of time and allowed us to get more for our dollar.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Some of the run-and-gun stuff was tough because it was dark at some nightclubs. However, Skalawag Productions was even really good on the postproduction side.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You'll be in great hands with Skalawag Productions. If you hire them, your project will go smoother, and you'll have a better product overall.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the content lead of Felix Pago, a money transfer company from the US to Latin America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Skalawag Productions?

We wanted to create content that resembled an American product since our product is aimed at Latinos in the US. We were looking for a company that could help us achieve this.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked with them on two filmings. They helped us look for permits and locations. We filmed one in the city of Chicago. Several steps had to be completed, such as editing, short film correction, VFX visual effects, audio recording, and assistants; they dedicated themselves to everything: directing, production, and postproduction, obviously.
They filmed in Little Village, a very Latin neighborhood in Chicago. It was a Brand Awareness, a consideration campaign.

What is the team composition?

We worked with several teammates, including Mark, the founder and director; Monica, the assistant director; Rose, the producer; Jacob, the cameraman; and the camera assistant. Also, one of the sound engineers was in charge, and two others were in charge of the cables and tubes. Finally, Ryan, the editor. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $40,000 in each project, for a total of $80,000 in both projects.

How did you come to work with Skalawag Productions?

We found them through a referral. They have all the knowledge and know-how of what is happening in the city of Chicago, and we wanted someone with their expertise. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working on the first project in October 2024 and the second in November 2024. Both already ended.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They delivered the videos to me as I requested, on time and in the correct manner. Of all our campaigns, it was the most successful. We had a goal of two million views, two million views. And in the end, there were almost ten million views. It almost implied what we had in mind. 

How did Skalawag Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

All our communication was through Slack and emails.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I want to give a shout-out to Mark, the company's owner.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It has been one of the companies I have most liked working with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Everything is in order.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust Monica's direction and help. Mark is, above all, very creative, and Monica is very structured. She pushes customers a little further but in a good way. She does it to measure the times well so that everything goes according to plan. You are truly in the hands of experts, so let them work their magic.