For Business Owners
Get your story
on film.
City Spotlight Ohio is a documentary series about the businesses worth knowing in Central Ohio. Every film is free to watch, with no ads. We select a handful of established businesses per town, the ones already doing it well, and document them properly.
One price: $1,000, the same for every business in a town film.
The Richwood pilot
We did this already and the town watched it.
Richwood was the pilot. We filmed eight of its small businesses and cut them into one film. It hit 45,000 views. Richwood has about 2,200 people, so it left town and traveled. People watched a video about a barber and a painter they had never met, because it was a real story instead of an ad.
45,000
views on the Richwood film
20x
the population of the town it was about
8
businesses in the pilot film
The Gap
Your reputation is ahead of anything you've published about yourself.
You've already built the thing. Regulars know exactly how good you are, and they tell people. But word of mouth only travels so far, and it can't show the craft, the standards, or the person who set them.
Everyone who hasn't walked in yet just sees a storefront and a few photos. That gap between how good you are and how good you look is what a documentary closes.
What You Get
You are not buying an ad.
You are buying a piece of film about your business that you own, permanently, and a town that actually watches it.
Your segment in your town's film
The ensemble short that launches the town page and goes out to the community.
A long-form cut about your business
Just yours. Your story, start to finish, separate from the town film.
A short social cut
The same story cut down for your website, your social, and your Google profile.
Stills pulled from your footage
Frames from your film, sent over for you to use anywhere you need an image.
Your own page on cityspotlightohio.com
Your story, written properly, with your photos and your video on it. Permanent.
All of it yours to keep
No licensing window, no expiration, no asking us for permission. Run it as an ad if you want to.
The Price
$1,000
Same for every business in a town film
Every business in a town film pays the same number and every one of them gets the same thing.
We do it this way on purpose. In a small town you all know each other. If two of you found out at a chamber lunch that you had paid different numbers for the same work, we would deserve whatever came next. So there is one price, there are no discounts, and if you ask us for a deal we will tell you exactly what you just read.
For reference, a single business film shot and edited to this standard usually runs three to five thousand dollars, and it does not come with a town watching it.
The Guarantee
If you do not like your piece, we do not publish it and you do not pay.
We are not going to promise you a view count. Anyone who tells you they can guarantee that is not being straight with you.
Here is what we can promise. You see your segment before anybody else does. If you watch it and it is not you, we pull it and you owe us nothing. No argument, no partial invoice.
The real fear with something like this is not losing the money. It is looking foolish in front of your neighbors. This is us taking that off the table.
What to Expect
Here's how it works.
I
You Apply
Two minutes. No cost, no obligation. We read every submission, and we take nominations from locals just as seriously, but a town film only holds a handful.
II
We Prepare, Then Film
We send a short questionnaire first, so we turn up knowing who you are and can work quickly. Then about two hours at your place, filming what actually happens. Nothing is scripted.
III
You See It First
Your cut comes to you before anybody else sees it. Then it goes live on City Spotlight, free to watch, and out to your community.
A town film holds about ten businesses before it stops being a story and turns into a list. That is arithmetic, not a sales tactic, and it is why we can only take a handful per town.
Other People’s Words
What owners have said about the work.
“After the initial excitement of signing up for video advertising I began to be nervous about how our business would be represented. Doyle spent a lot of time with us, learning about us and getting a large amount of video that he skillfully used to portray us just as we would want to be seen! Thank you Doyle and Company!”
Richwood Tire and Auto Center
“We had the absolute pleasure of working with Doyle and Pillar & Frame for the City Spotlight project, and we couldn’t be happier with the experience. From start to finish, Doyle captured the heart of our story and our community with such creativity, professionalism, and genuine care. The video he produced truly showcased who we are and what we do, and the response from our customers and neighbors has been overwhelming in the best way. If you’re looking for someone to showcase your story with authenticity and heart, we highly recommend Pillar & Frame!”
Rachel Watson · Smoky Bears Grill & Chill
Applications Open
We're selecting businesses for the next town.
Takes about two minutes. No cost to apply, no obligation. We read every submission.
All content produced during your feature (film, stills, and writing) is produced by City Spotlight Ohio and Pillar & Frame, and is yours to keep and use. Your page is permanent and shareable.