Modern Story: Frequently Asked Questions

I. Our Philosophy & Approach

We are a strategic filmmaking partner, not just a video vendor. Led by Jason, a former Executive Chef at Restaurant Associates (Compass Group), we bring a deep understanding of operational pressure and craft to every project. We don’t just hit record; we use our signature Blueprint Workshop to architect stories that align with your business goals. We focus on authentic, documentary-style filmmaking that elevates brand perception for foodservice, education, and purpose-driven organizations.
While our roots are in the culinary world, we bring that same human-centered, documentary-style approach to education and purpose-driven organizations. Whether it's a school looking to boost enrollment or a non-profit driving donor engagement, we uncover the authentic narratives that build trust and move people to action.
No. We believe authentic stories outperform polished scripts every time. We work documentarian-style, capturing real people—from executive chefs and line cooks to teachers and athletes—in their real environments. This genuine approach is what builds credibility and resonates far beyond a typical corporate video.

The Blueprint Workshop is our mandatory, two-hour collaborative strategy session held before any production begins. We identify the core business challenge you are trying to solve and develop a content roadmap based on the Four Pillars of Story: Purpose, People, Plot, and Place. If the workshop doesn’t deliver complete clarity and direction for your project, we offer a full refund.
Most comprehensive storytelling projects take between 6 to 10 weeks from the initial Blueprint Workshop to final delivery. This timeline ensures we have the necessary time for deep discovery, cinematic production, and meticulous editing to deliver a high-impact asset.
We deeply respect your time. Because our founder spent years in high-pressure kitchens, we know how to operate with minimal disruption. We require your leadership's focus for the 2-hour Blueprint Workshop and structured review sessions. Beyond that, we handle the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on running your organization.

Modern Story is proudly based in Pennsylvania, with deep ties to the Philadelphia area and New York City (NYC). However, we operate on a national scale. We frequently travel across the country to capture stories on-site for our hospitality, education, and corporate clients.
Because we architect custom strategic solutions rather than selling generic "video packages," our engagements are tailored to your specific goals and distribution needs. Every partnership begins with the Blueprint Workshop. From there, we provide a comprehensive proposal with clear options that align with your budget and intended ROI.
We focus on strategy and high-end cinematic production. We deliver your hero films, social cutdowns, and training modules optimized for each platform. We then partner with your internal team or media agency, providing them with the visual assets they need to execute your broader marketing campaign.

Transparency is key. Upon final payment, our clients receive full licensing rights to use the delivered films across their designated digital, social, and internal platforms. Modern Story retains the right to feature the work in our portfolio. Detailed intellectual property and usage rights are clearly outlined in our service agreements.
Our standard engagements deliver fully finished, cinematic films that reflect your brand’s highest standards. Raw, unedited footage is generally not provided as it is an unfinished product. However, if your team requires a library of archival b-roll for ongoing internal use, raw footage licensing can be discussed during the Blueprint phase.
It starts with a conversation. Reach out through our Contact page to schedule a 20-minute Discovery Call. We’ll discuss your current challenges and determine if our strategic storytelling approach is the right fit to move your organization forward.