The 5 Tiers of Media And Where Your Business Fits In
In the world of media production, not all content is created equal. As a video production company, we often hear the question: “Why not just shoot it on a phone?” And while there’s a time and place for that, it's just one tier in a much broader spectrum of content quality, complexity, and effectiveness.
Here’s a breakdown of the five tiers of media production, from DIY cell phone videos to Hollywood-scale productions, to help you better understand where your business fits—and when it's time to level up.
Tier 1: The Swiss Army Knife – Cell Phone Video
Tier 1: The Swiss Army Knife – Cell Phone Video
Team Size: 1 person (usually a marketing generalist)
Gear: Cell phone, maybe a ring light
Good For:
Quick updates: “We’re open!”
Capturing bottom-of-the-funnel leads who already know they want your product
Easy, low-effort posts
Not Good For:
Building brand authority
High-level storytelling or professionalism
Standing out (everyone’s doing this)
Editing: Minimal to none
Data: Low – videos live on phones, maybe get shared to social
Analogy: Like building with Legos—you can do a lot, but the structure is simple
Summary: Great for immediacy. Bad for complexity or looking polished.
Tier 2: DIY Home Improvement – Entry-Level Production
Team Size: Usually 1–2 people (marketing-focused)
Gear: Entry-level camera, drone, action cam
Good For:
Product demos
Behind-the-scenes content
Increasing awareness and engagement
Not Good For:
Advanced storytelling
High-production branding or commercials
Editing: Basic – some post-production, simple effects
Data: Limited – often stored on external drives
Analogy: Think DIY home improvement. It works, but you wouldn’t build a skyscraper this way.
Summary: Most businesses can get here internally. It’s a step up in consistency and capability but still lacks polish and scalability.
Tier 3: Professional Production – Building a House
Team Size: 3–5 people
Gear: Multi-cam setup, 3-point lighting, pro audio
Good For:
High-quality marketing content
Explaining complex ideas clearly
Establishing a professional brand image
Not Good For:
National TV spots or huge campaignsEditing: Professionally edited, with color correction, sound mixing, and motion graphics
Data: Hundreds of GBs per project
Analogy: Building a home with professionals. It’s reliable, scalable, and custom to your needs.
Summary: This is the sweet spot for many serious businesses. It’s where ROI really starts to show through thoughtful storytelling and quality execution.
Tier 4: Commercial-Level Production – Grocery Store Build
Team Size: Dozens
Gear: Broadcast-level equipment, studio setups, full departments
Good For:
TV shows, national campaigns
Multi-location shoots
Content with built-in distribution networks
Editing: Handled by specialized editors, sound mixers, VFX teams
Data: 3–4 digits of GBs
Analogy: Like building a grocery store. It’s big, complex, and requires a lot of specialists.
Summary: Expensive, impressive, and highly effective—if you’ve got the distribution to support it.
Tier 5: Hollywood – Building a Skyscraper
Tier 5: Hollywood – Building a Skyscraper
Team Size: Hundreds
Budget: Millions
Good For:
Movies, streaming series, national or global campaigns
Super Bowl Commercial
Editing: Entire teams handling specific roles (lighting, sound, wardrobe, CGI)
Data: Thousands of GBs or more
Analogy: A skyscraper. Incredibly complex, expensive, and only necessary if you’re telling a story at global scale.
Summary: Probably not realistic for most businesses—but good to know what the top of the mountain looks like.
So Where Should You Be?
Most businesses find their stride in Tier 2 or Tier 3—whether it’s a solid DIY setup with a marketing team, or hiring a professional crew (like us) to elevate your content to a professional level.
If you’re serious about brand building, content that sells, or telling more complex stories—Tier 3 is where ROI lives.
Let’s talk about how we can help you get there.
