For Business Owners
Be one
of the ten.
City Spotlight films the towns that make Central Ohio, and the businesses that make them great. Ten businesses represent each town, in one film, and the whole town watches it.
Richwood’s film was seen 45,000 times. Richwood has 2,200 people.
Two hours of your time. Spots from $400. We do everything else.
Filming now: Delaware
The Richwood pilot
Everyone in town saw it. Then it left town.
Richwood was the pilot. We filmed eight of its businesses and cut them into one film. It was seen 45,000 times in a town of 2,200, which means everybody there watched it and then it carried into Marysville and Marion. People in those towns now know a barber and a painter they have never met.
20x
the population of the town, reached
8
businesses who represented Richwood
1
film the whole town shared
5 of the 8 businesses who represented Richwood
What It Means
Ten businesses get to say they are the ones who make this town.
Your regulars already know how good you are. The film is how everyone else finds out, in the same place, at the same time, from a piece of work the whole town is passing around.
It puts you on the short list of businesses people name when they talk about where they live.
What You Get
You are not buying an ad.
You are paying a share of one film about your town. Your business is one of the ten in it, and we run the ads that put it in front of the people who live there.
Your spot in your town's film
One film about this town, ten businesses in it, published and promoted as one piece.
We film you on site
At your place, around your day. No script, no prep, no crew standing around.
We run the ads for you
Facebook promotion aimed at your zip code, included in the price. Nothing for you to set up or pay for.
10,000 local views, guaranteed
That is the floor we commit to, not the number we hope for.
Bonus: your own short cut, free
A 15 to 30 second standalone video of your business, yours to keep and run on your site and socials.
Pricing Per Placement
From $400, by where you run in the film.
$400
Spots 7 to 10
$600
Spots 5 and 6
$800
Spots 3 and 4
$1,200
Spots 1 and 2
Ten businesses split the cost of one film about their town. That is why a spot costs hundreds instead of thousands.
Slots run in order. The business in spot one opens the film to the largest audience it will ever have, and spot ten is watched by the people who stayed to the end. That running order is the only thing the price is buying.
Everything else is identical. Same crew, same day of filming, same cut, same ad budget pointed at the same town. Nobody in the film gets a better piece than anybody else, they just sit somewhere different in it.
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
10,000 local views, guaranteed.
We commit to 10,000 local views as a floor, and we buy the ads that get you there. It is included in the price, and there is nothing for you to set up or spend.
Past that we are not going to pretend we can predict a number. Anyone who guarantees you sales off a video is not being straight with you.
The ads are pointed at your zip code, so the people counted in that number are the people who can actually walk through your door.
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 ten.
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
The Film Goes Out
We publish it, free to watch and no ads, and run the promotion to your town. Your own short cut comes to you at the same time.
Ten businesses split the cost of one film about their town. That is why a spot costs hundreds instead of thousands. A film holds about ten businesses before it stops being a story and turns into a list, which is why there are only ten.
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
Questions
The things people ask.
Do I have to be on camera?+
Yes. You are the story. If the thought makes you uncomfortable that is normal, and it is also exactly why it works. Nobody wants to watch a building.
What if my shop is small, or not photogenic?+
Good. The Richwood film has a garage bay and a paint truck in it. Real places film better than staged ones, every time.
How much of my time does this take?+
About two hours, at your place, around your day. We send a short questionnaire first so we turn up already knowing who you are. There is nothing to prepare and nothing to script.
What if I am not good on camera?+
Nobody is. That part is our job rather than yours. We film you doing the thing you already do all day, and if a customer walks in you serve them. That is usually the best footage we get.
How do I know anyone will watch it?+
The Richwood film was seen 45,000 times in a town of 2,200. We also guarantee 10,000 local views and buy the ads that get you there.
Which spot should I take?+
All 10 businesses are filmed and cut the same way. The earlier spots cost more because they run earlier in the film, while the most people are still watching. Nothing else changes.
Can I use the video in my own advertising?+
Your short cut is yours. Run it as an ad, put it on your homepage, send it to your customers, whatever you want to do with it.
What happens after the film?+
We often write a feature and build a page on this site for businesses from the film. That comes after, it is not part of the price, and you are not committed to it.
What if the timing is bad?+
Tell us. If your town is full or the dates do not work, we will put you at the front of the next one.
Applications Open
Take one of the ten.
Four boxes and about a minute. No cost, no obligation. We will come back to you with the rest.
The film is produced by City Spotlight Ohio and Pillar & Frame. Your short cut is yours to keep and use anywhere, with no licensing window and nothing to ask us for.