Why We Only Take Certain Projects
We turn down more work than people expect from a two-person shop. Some of that comes down to simple math, a budget that doesn't actually cover the work being asked for. Most of it comes down to something less transactional: whether the project is one we actually want to make.
We Like To Make Pieces, Not Churn Out Content
We're not interested in being part of the influencer marketing industrial complex, and we try to build that into every project we take on. That means no manufactured hype, no pretending something is more significant than it is, no disingenuous performance for the sake of looking a certain way online. We want to make a piece, something crafted with real intention. If a potential client is looking for someone to help them chase relevance, we're probably not the right fit. If they want something made with real care, that's exactly the work we're built for.
The Budget Math Nobody Explains
We regularly get asked to be creative director, development lead, talent liaison, director, business manager, producer, editor, composer, and mixer, all in one, for a fee that would barely cover one of those roles done well. That's not a budget we're being precious about turning down. It's a sign the person asking doesn't actually understand what real production requires, which tends to be a preview of how the whole relationship will go. Real production expertise is several specialized skills, not one generalist job, and a fee that assumes otherwise is usually the first red flag, not the last.
When the Story Isn't There Yet
We've turned down video-first projects when they’re pitched by someone who only wanted to talk at length about themselves. We’ve also turned down work where it was clear the underlying organization itself seemed genuinely unfocused, without a clear sense of what it was actually trying to say and, worse, how to even do it. We don’t want to build a show around material that hadn't figured out its own point yet, and we don’t think it was fair to spend real money on a project that was going to struggle no matter how well it was produced.
What We Actually Want When We Say Yes
Professionalism matters more to us than almost anything else in a working relationship. Disagreements and creative friction are normal and workable. When we say yes to a project, we're looking for the opposite: real collaboration, a good crew treated well, mutual respect, and ideally, work that does some good in the world along the way.
Seaplane Armada is selective about the projects we take on, because the fit matters as much as the fee. If you think your project might be a real match, get in touch at theadmiral@seaplanearmada.com