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Now booking Q3 2024 Based in Austin · Works worldwide Video Production Studio Brand films · Commercials · Live capture Est. 2018 Now booking Q3 2024 Based in Austin · Works worldwide Video Production Studio Brand films · Commercials · Live capture Est. 2018
Video production studio Austin, TX Est. 2018

We build films
that wrangle attention.

Cowboy is a video production studio for brands that don't want to look like everybody else. Concept, direct, shoot, edit. One crew, one vision, one story — told on your terms.

Start a project See the work
COWBOY · VIDEO PRODUCTION · SINCE 2018 · AUSTIN TX ·
★
120+
Films delivered
42
Clients worldwide
18
Industries served
06
Years wrangling
Our Story

Six years in, still riding our own trail.

Cowboy EST. 2018 ✦

Cowboy started in 2018 with a camera, a pickup truck, and a hunch — that the best brand films were being made by small teams who cared more about story than spec sheets. Six years later, we're still that small team. Still care more about story.

We've shot in thirty-two cities across four continents. We've built brand films for Fortune 500s and love letters for family-run distilleries. We've mounted cameras on drones, dollys, dirt bikes, and once — memorably — a racing mule.

The thing we believe most: a film only works if it's honest. Everything else — the gear, the locations, the edit — is in service of that.

What We Believe

Four convictions we ride by.

01 / Belief

Story beats spectacle.

A single honest moment outperforms a month of VFX. We start with what's true about the subject and build the film around that — not the other way around.

02 / Belief

Small crews, big cameras.

We staff lean so we can move fast and stay intimate. Cinema-grade glass, festival-tested directors, no unnecessary middle layers between brief and frame.

03 / Belief

Deadlines are sacred.

Delivery dates don't slip. Ever. Your launch calendar is the one fixed point in the universe we plan around. Everything else adjusts.

04 / Belief

Show the work, not the process.

Clients hire us to solve problems, not to perform them. We keep the sausage-making out of your inbox and send finished cuts on schedule.

Services

Five ways we make things move.

Every engagement is tailored, but most of our work falls into one of these five categories. Mix and match, or hand us the whole pipeline. We staff the crew either way.

01 / Service
Brand Films
REC ● 00:04:28 CAM.01
Service 01 · Brand Films
Brand Films

Anthems that earn attention.

We find the honest thread in a brand and pull it into a 60–180 second piece that earns attention without demanding it. From founder stories and mission films to culture pieces — we script, direct, shoot, and edit the whole thing in-house. No middlemen, no mystery. One director owns it from blank page to final cut.

Deliverables2024
5wk
Avg turnaround
↗ brief to final
60–180s
Typical length
Multi-aspect masters
Start a project
02 / Service
Commercials
16:9 9:16 1:1 4:5 6 ASPECT RATIOS
Service 02 · Commercials
Commercials

Paid ads that actually perform.

Built for the platforms they run on. Vertical cuts, multi-aspect masters, seasonal variations — all delivered on brief, on time, and A/B tested for performance. We hand off creative with rationale, not just files, so your media team can iterate. TVC-grade production without TVC-grade overhead or timelines.

Performance2024
6×
Aspect ratios
↗ per master delivery
A/B
Variant testing
2–4 cuts per campaign
Start a project
03 / Service
Product Films
UNIT.001 3D READY
Service 03 · Product Films
Product Films

Launches that feel inevitable.

Launch videos, explainers, feature films. Tabletop product work, 3D integration, motion design — whatever it takes to make a thing feel inevitable the moment it's revealed. We shoot hero spots, build feature breakdowns, and deliver a library of cut-downs your product team can use across every channel for the next twelve months.

Pipeline2024
3D
Integration
↗ Cinema 4D · Blender
12+
Cut-downs per film
Social · Web · Paid
Start a project
04 / Service
Post & Finishing
V1 V2 A1 A2 EDIT · A1.04
Service 04 · Post & Finishing
Post & Finishing

Raw to broadcast-ready.

Bring us footage from anywhere in the world — we'll send it back polished and delivered. Editorial, color grading, sound design, motion graphics, delivery masters. We run our own color suite and audio room, so nothing gets outsourced and nothing gets lost in translation. Tight turnarounds for post-only engagements available.

Finishing2024
DI
Color suite
↗ DaVinci Resolve
5.1
Sound mix
In-house Pro Tools room
Start a project
05 / Service
★ Hex Hybrid — Flagship
● CAM.01 ● CAM.02 ● CAM.03 ● CAM.04 ● ON AIR MULTI-CAM LIVE
Service 05 · Hex Hybrid — Full-Service Capture
Hex Hybrid — Live Capture

Stories that move people.

Our flagship offering: full-stack production from concept to broadcast. We embed a live capture unit inside your event — multi-camera, multi-angle, real-time edit bay — and deliver broadcast-ready content before the crew strikes. One team, one timeline, one cohesive vision across every platform your audience actually watches.

Capabilities2024
120+
Films delivered
↗ across 18 industries
4K
Production standard
RED · ARRI · Sony FX
Start a project
Our Process

Six moves from brief to broadcast.

01
Brief & discovery.
A kickoff call, a creative questionnaire, and a deep read of your brand. We don't propose until we understand the actual problem — not the one in the RFP.
02
Concept & treatment.
Three directions in a visual treatment. Script, mood, frame references, music references, a budget, and a timeline. You pick the direction, we go deep.
03
Pre-production.
Location scouting, casting, storyboarding, shot-listing, permits, gear prep. Every decision made on paper before a single frame is exposed.
04
Production.
Lean crew on set, cinema-grade capture, client playback on the day. Nothing leaves the shoot unresolved — we review and approve selects before wrap.
05
Post-production.
Editorial, color, sound design, motion graphics, VFX if needed. Two rounds of feedback built in, a third available if the scope genuinely grows.
06
Delivery & launch.
Master files, platform cuts, subtitle files, thumbnails, all formats your team needs. We stay available through launch week for any last-minute trims.
Selected Projects

Hover to reveal.

A sample of recent commissions. Each tile splits diagonally — hover to watch the two halves slide apart and reveal the story underneath. Some we can show, some we can't. Ask for the category-specific reel.

01 / AUTO The long road home.
01 / AUTO The long road home.
01 / AUTO The long road home.
01
Brand Film · Automotive

The long road home.

Five states. Eleven days. One single-camera rig on a vintage touring bike.

2024View case →
✦
First Pour SMALL BATCH 02 / COMM. First pour.
First Pour SMALL BATCH 02 / COMM. First pour.
First Pour SMALL BATCH 02 / COMM. First pour.
First Pour
02
Commercial · Beverage

First pour.

Tabletop craft whiskey spot. Graded warm. Cut against original score.

2024View case →
✦
UNIT.001 REV.04 READY T—00:00:04 03 / PROD. Launch sequence.
UNIT.001 REV.04 READY T—00:00:04 03 / PROD. Launch sequence.
UNIT.001 REV.04 READY T—00:00:04 03 / PROD. Launch sequence.
03
Product · Tech

Launch sequence.

Hero film plus twelve cut-downs. Six aspect ratios. Three platforms.

2023View case →
✦
04 / LIVE Three nights in Marfa.
04 / LIVE Three nights in Marfa.
04 / LIVE Three nights in Marfa.
04
Live Capture · Festival

Three nights in Marfa.

Multi-cam festival capture. Five stages. Thirty artists. 48-hour turnaround.

2023View case →
✦
05 / ANTH. The quiet part.
05 / ANTH. The quiet part.
05 / ANTH. The quiet part.
05
Anthem · Finance

The quiet part.

Brand anthem for a private bank that didn't want to look like one. Shot on 35mm.

2023View case →
✦
Dust & Denim HERITAGE · 2022 06 / CAMP. Dust & denim.
Dust & Denim HERITAGE · 2022 06 / CAMP. Dust & denim.
Dust & Denim HERITAGE · 2022 06 / CAMP. Dust & denim.
06
Campaign · Fashion

Dust & denim.

Seasonal campaign for a heritage workwear label. Lookbook + six social spots in a week.

2022View case →
✦
Client Voices

What people say after.

Cowboy delivered in five weeks what another studio couldn't in five months. The film wasn't just on brief — it became the brief. We've rewritten our positioning around it.
MR
Maya Rodriguez
VP Marketing · Frontier Whiskey Co.

"They didn't just shoot our launch. They figured out what the launch was actually about."

— J. Okonkwo, Nimbus Hardware

"Five countries, eight shoots, one consistent voice. The logistics alone were a miracle."

— L. Chen, Orbital Studios

"Most crews ask for a script. Cowboy asked us what keeps us up at night. Big difference."

— S. Delacroix, Maison Verre
Why Choose Us

Six reasons the work holds up.

R/01

One director owns every film, start to finish.

→

No account layers, no creative-by-committee, no mystery phases between brief and edit. The director you meet in kickoff is the same person at the monitor on shoot day and in the color suite at final.

Director-ledZero handoffsOne POC
R/02

Cinema-grade capture, lean overhead.

→

RED, ARRI, Sony FX bodies. Zeiss Supremes, vintage Cookes, Leica R glass. The same equipment as the big studios, without the retainer or the three-week lead time on a production meeting.

RED · ARRIVintage glassLean crew
R/03

Every project gets a founder on it.

→

The people who founded Cowboy are the people who shoot, edit, and deliver your work. That's not a scaling problem — it's the point. If we can't staff two founders on a project, we don't take the project.

Founder timeSenior onlyNo juniors
R/04

Multi-platform delivery, no upsell.

→

Every engagement includes full platform delivery — vertical, square, landscape, social cuts, captions, thumbnails — built into the scope from day one. Not a line item, not a phase two, not an invoice surprise.

6 aspect ratiosCaptionedIncluded
R/05

Timelines we actually hit.

→

78% of our work delivers on or ahead of schedule. We publish weekly status in a shared doc, flag risks early, and rebuild the critical path in front of you if something slips. No surprises in the final week.

78% on-timeWeekly statusRisk flagged early
R/06

Fixed scope. Transparent pricing.

→

One quote, one SOW, one deliverables list. Change orders are itemized and priced before work starts — never buried in the final invoice. The number you see in week one is the number you see at wrap.

Fixed priceLine-item clarityNo surprises
By The Numbers

Six years, counted.

Films delivered
120+
Across brand, commercial, product, and live capture.
Countries shot
32
Including a remote canyon in New Zealand and a submarine.
Repeat rate
78%
Percentage of clients who come back for a second film.
Avg. turnaround
5wk
Brief to final cut, for standard brand films.
Recognition

Rooms we're proud to be in.

2024
ADDY
Gold
Best Brand Film
2024
Webby
Nominee
Short Form Video
2023
Cannes
Shortlist
Film Craft
2023
Clio
Silver
Direction
2023
Vimeo
Staff Pick
× 14
2022
SXSW
Official
Doc Short
2024
ADDY
Gold
Best Brand Film
2024
Webby
Nominee
Short Form Video
2023
Cannes
Shortlist
Film Craft
2023
Clio
Silver
Direction
2023
Vimeo
Staff Pick
× 14
2022
SXSW
Official
Doc Short
— THE DRUM
"One of the sharpest small studios working in the US right now."
— CREATIVE REVIEW
"Direction you can feel in the edit."
— IT'S NICE THAT
"A studio that knows exactly what it isn't — and that's rare."
— MONOCLE
"Austin's most quietly ambitious production house."
— THE DRUM
"One of the sharpest small studios working in the US right now."
— CREATIVE REVIEW
"Direction you can feel in the edit."
— IT'S NICE THAT
"A studio that knows exactly what it isn't — and that's rare."
— MONOCLE
"Austin's most quietly ambitious production house."
Location & Reach

Austin home. Everywhere else work.

HQ · Active
— : — : —

The Barn.
Austin, Texas.

A converted warehouse in East Austin that doubles as studio, edit bay, color suite, and occasional venue for cast wrap parties. You're welcome anytime — we've got cold brew, good chairs, and a projector wall.

Address 2400 E Cesar Chavez
Coordinates 30.2672° N, 97.7431° W
Hours Mon–Fri · 09:00–19:00 CT
Direct line hello@cowboy.studio
Book a studio visit ↗
Field Operations 32 cities
AUSTIN · HQ TOKYO BERLIN LONDON MEXICO CITY SÃO PAULO SEOUL PARIS LAGOS
32
Cities shot
14
Active partners
4
Continents
FAQ

Things people ask us.

If you've got a question we haven't answered here, just write us directly. We reply to every serious inquiry within one business day — usually faster.

What's the typical budget range?

Most brand films land between $40K and $180K all-in. Commercials and product films can be tighter or larger depending on scope. We quote fixed against a scope, not hourly.

How long from kickoff to final cut?

Five weeks is our standard for a single brand film. Shorter if urgency demands. Longer projects with multi-shoot logistics usually run eight to twelve weeks.

Do you shoot outside the US?

Yes — about a third of our shoots are international. We either travel the crew or partner with vetted local teams we've worked with before. Either way, one Cowboy director owns the edit.

Who owns the footage?

You do — unless explicitly noted otherwise in the SOW. We retain rights to screenshots and behind-the-scenes for our own portfolio, never for resale.

What if our launch date changes?

We build buffer into every schedule and keep weekly checkpoints so shifts get flagged early. Small date moves don't change the cost. Major pushes get re-quoted transparently.
The Journal

Notes from the trail.

50mm · f/1.4 VINTAGE · R LEICA · 1974 SERIAL.8847
Craft

Why we shoot on older glass.

03.2024 · 6 min read
07 MARFA · TX · FIELD NOTES
Field Notes

Five days in Marfa with a racing mule.

02.2024 · 9 min read
16:9 LANDSCAPE OLD NEW 9:16 · THE NEW DEFAULT
Industry

How vertical video changed our edit bay.

01.2024 · 5 min read
Careers

Join the Cowboy crew.

We hire lean and hire slow. If you love the craft and can handle a saddle, we'd love to hear from you — even if there's no open role listed today.

Senior Editor Austin · Full-time Director of Photography Contract · Project-based Producer Austin · Full-time Open Application Send us your reel
Let's Talk

Got a story to tell?

We take on roughly 24 new projects a year — give or take a few. If what we do looks like it fits, send a note. One of the founders will write back personally within a business day.

hello@cowboy.studio