The Tools I Use to Run a Video Production Business

“I switched to HoneyBook after losing a contract because I sent the wrong version of a proposal. That never happened again. It manages every client from first enquiry to final payment.”

“For talking-head and interview footage this saves hours. I use it for anything where I need to cut words — corporate testimonials, interview-style brand films. Game-changing for that use case.”

“Every video production company needs a music solution. Artlist is the one I keep coming back to. The commercial licence means I can use it on any client project without upselling a licensing fee.”

“Frame.io completely changed how I deliver projects. Clients leave comments at specific timecodes — no more 'at about 1:30, you know the bit where...' emails. Worth it for the time saved alone.”

“Notion is where my entire business lives. Production schedules, client notes, SOPs, content calendars — all in one place. The templates I sell in the Template Library are built inside Notion.”

“I use Brevo for all email sequences — welcome series, product launches, affiliate emails. The free plan's automation is genuinely full-featured, which is rare. Switched from platforms that charge $50/month for the same thing.”

“Every template I sell in the Template Library was built in Canva Pro. Clients judge your business on how professional your materials look — Canva Pro makes it easy to look $10k/year agency without the budget.”

“This is where I host and sell everything — courses, ebooks, templates. No monthly fee on the free plan (5% per sale). For UK sellers especially, the automatic VAT handling is essential.”

“Resolve is what I reach for on anything that needs serious colour work. The free version is genuinely professional — I know studios charging $5,000/day who use it. If you're not on Resolve yet, the question is why.”

“If HoneyBook feels too rigid for your workflow, Dubsado gives you more control over every form and automation. I recommend it for videographers with complex, multi-stage projects.”

“I use Riverside for client testimonials and remote interviews. The local recording means the quality is determined by the participant's camera, not their internet connection. Huge difference.”

“I send Loom videos to clients at the start of every project edit — a 3-minute walkthrough of what I've done and why. It positions you as a professional communicator and pre-empts half their revision requests.”

“When you're managing a crew of 3+ on multiple simultaneous projects, ClickUp's task dependencies and workload views become essential. I moved to it when Notion felt too freeform for team projects.”

“FreshBooks makes invoicing fast and chasing late payments less awkward. The automated payment reminders alone have recovered thousands in late payments without a single uncomfortable conversation.”

“The advantage over some competitors: Epidemic Sound clears music on the client's YouTube channel, not just yours. Essential for corporate video work where the client will be uploading themselves.”

“I run Otter on every client briefing call. The transcript means I never misremember what the client said they wanted — and it protects me if there's ever a dispute about the brief.”

“Having [email protected] instead of a Gmail address matters more than you think for client trust. Google Workspace also gives you 30GB Drive storage per user and proper shared drives for project collaboration.”

“For client deliveries where Frame.io is overkill — a finished video file to a small business client — Dropbox Transfer is the simplest option. A clean, professional delivery link with no login required.”

“LinkedIn is the only social platform where I consistently get inbound corporate video enquiries from content alone. Premium is optional — the organic posting strategy works without it — but the InMail credits are useful for direct outreach.”

“WeTransfer is what I use when the client is not technical and I just need to get them a file. The branded transfer email with your logo makes even a basic file delivery feel professional.”