What types of video does Soda City Films produce?

Soda City Films produces brand films, TV commercials, corporate video, event video, and nonprofit films for businesses across South Carolina and the Southeast. We handle the full process — creative, scripting, scouting, filming, editing, and delivery.

How long does video production take?

A typical project runs 4–6 weeks from kickoff to delivery: 1–2 weeks of pre-production (planning, scripting, scouting), 1–2 days of filming, and 2–3 weeks of editing and revisions. Timeline varies based on project scope.

What is the difference between a brand film and a TV commercial?

A brand film tells your company's story — it's longer, emotion-driven, and built to live on your website, social channels, and pitches for years. A TV commercial drives a specific action in 30 or 60 seconds and is built around a campaign. Both are powerful; the right choice depends on your goal.

Does Soda City Films work outside of Columbia, SC?

Yes. We regularly work throughout South Carolina and across the Southeast, including Charlotte, Charleston, Greenville, and beyond. If your project is compelling, we'll go where the story is.

How do I get started on a video project with Soda City Films?

Just reach out through our contact form at sodacityfilms.com/contact. Tell us what you're trying to accomplish and we'll respond quickly. Getting started is easy — we'll help figure out the right scope, approach, and budget for your goals.

What does the video production process look like?

Our process has three phases: Planning (pre-production — creative development, scripting, location scouting, scheduling), Production (the actual shoot, by land or at your event), and Editing/Delivery (post-production, revisions, and final file delivery). We can also help with ad placement and video marketing strategy after delivery.

Can Soda City Films help with video marketing after the video is delivered?

Yes. Beyond delivering your finished video, we can help with ad placements — getting your video in front of the right audience on the right platforms — and help build out your broader video marketing strategy.

How much does a brand film cost?

Project costs vary based on scope, shoot days, locations, crew size, and post-production complexity. We work with businesses at a range of budgets and structure each project around your goals. Contact us for a free quote — we're happy to talk through what's possible at your budget.

What video production services does Soda City Films offer?

Soda City Films offers commercial video production, brand films, TV commercials, corporate video, testimonial videos, event video coverage, nonprofit storytelling, and drone/aerial footage. We handle the full process from scripting and location scouting through filming, editing, and post-delivery ad placement.

Where is Soda City Films located and what areas do you serve?

Soda City Films is based in Columbia, South Carolina. We serve clients throughout the Midlands — including Lexington, Irmo, West Columbia, and Blythewood — as well as the broader South Carolina region and the Southeast. We travel for the right project.

Who is the best video production company in Columbia, SC?

Soda City Films is an award-winning video production company in Columbia, SC, ranked among the top three videographers in Columbia by ThreeBestRated.com. The company has earned multiple ADDY Awards, including a 2026 Regional Gold ADDY — the highest creative honor at that level of competition.

Does Soda City Films produce videos for nonprofits?

Yes. Soda City Films has extensive experience producing mission-driven video content for nonprofits, schools, and community organizations across South Carolina. Past clients include The Therapy Place and Tall Pines STEM Academy.

Does Soda City Films produce TV commercials?

Yes. Soda City Films produces broadcast-ready TV commercials for regional and national brands, including both live-action and animated spots. Past work includes a 30-second animated TV commercial for Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo.

Does Soda City Films offer drone footage?

Yes. Soda City Films offers FAA-compliant aerial and drone videography as part of commercial, corporate, and event video productions.

What is the video production process at Soda City Films?

Soda City Films follows a complete end-to-end process: (1) Planning — defining your objective, audience, and creative direction; (2) Production — filming on location or at live events; (3) Editing and delivery — including final cut, revisions, and optional support with ad placement and marketing strategy.

How long has Soda City Films been in business?

Soda City Films was founded in 2020 by Jonathan Palance, a University of South Carolina graduate who brings over 15 years of professional video production experience to every project.

Does Soda City Films help with scripting?

Yes. Creative development and scripting are included in Soda City Films' full-service process. You bring the vision and they handle everything from the first draft through final delivery.

Event Video Coverage Case Study: Meeting Street Music Fest

Jonathan Palance
Jun 18
3 min read

Client: Meeting Street Music Fest

Industry: Live Events & Entertainment | Service: Event Video Coverage | Location: West Columbia, SC

The Challenge

The Meeting Street Music Fest has a unique identity. They're sort of a relaxed, bring-your-own-chair-and-maybe-your-grandma vibe with great live music and an easygoing community atmosphere. The organizers needed event coverage that captured this spirit authentically, and that separates them from the many other music festivals happening all over town year-round. These festivals aren't always capturing for a "recap", but rather to promote the next years festival, to boost ticket sales and general brand awareness.

To put the scale in perspective: the Meeting Street Music Fest is a free, two-day community event now in its third year, drawing music lovers and families from across the Midlands to West Columbia's downtown. Across those two days, bands perform across multiple stages stretching over several blocks of Meeting Street. Free events like this are serious drivers for the local economy, because foot traffic spills into neighboring bars, and vendors all weekend. The City of West Columbia knows this isn't just a good time: it's real, measurable impact for the city.

Still with me? Here's a picture.

Our Approach

Soda City Films was there at the festival from start to finish, capturing performances, crowd moments, vendor activity, and the organic interactions that define the event's character. You can see lots of lawn chairs out there. We used a team of 2 camera operators (3 at times), and I brought my BTS guy, too. Our team used a combination of handheld, gimbal and drone camera work depending on the "vibe" of what we were capturing. In many cases, handheld is the way to go for this stuff. We focused on finding the moments happening, and if that's your M.O. for stuff like this, you'll always come away happy.

One thing worth saying out loud: covering a live event is nothing like shooting a commercial. A commercial is planned down to the minute, with locations scouted, talent, lighting, scripts... At an event, none of that exists. You have to keep your head on a swivel at all times. A great moment doesn't announce itself. In this example, the guitarist leaves the stage to play in the crowd, folks are caught "in a moment", or maybe the lead singer is ready to show the camera some love. If you're not ready, it's gone. Our crew is trained to be present and reactive, because that's where the real footage lives.

Full-day on-site coverage, drone operation, post-production editing, color grading, and music licensing were all handled in-house by the Soda City Films team. Just saying.

The Result

The Meeting Street Music Fest received polished event coverage that captured the soul of the festival and could be repurposed across social media, their website, and future promotional materials. What that means is cuts of different lenghts modified for different placements in the media space. Well-executed event coverage extends a single day of programming into ongoing content that drives awareness and attendance year after year!

Think about what that really means for an event like this. A free festival lives and dies on community awareness. There are no ticket sales funding aggressive ad campaigns. When someone in the Midlands sees that recap on Instagram in February, they're not reading a flyer, but rather they're feeling the energy of something they want to be part of (or were a part of). That emotional pull is what moves the needle on attendance the following year. For a city-backed event that relies on video as one of its primary marketing tools, the footage we capture in a single day becomes a year-round promotional asset that keeps working long after the stages come down.

https://vimeo.com/1193384922

About Soda City Films

Soda City Films is award-winning commercial video production company based in Columbia, SC. We specialize in event video coverage, brand films, TV commercials, corporate video, and nonprofit storytelling for clients across South Carolina, the Southeast, and beyond. Contact us at info@sodacityfilms.com or 803.720.1470. #EventVideography #EventFilm #EventProduction #EventCoverage #LiveEvent #SCEvents

#ColumbiaSC #SodaCity #MidlandsSC #SodaCityFilms #SCBusiness #videoproduction #documentaryproduction