What red flags should I look out for?
Short Answer:
The main red flags are a vague or non-itemised quote, no relevant work in your sector, reluctance to discuss usage rights or deliverables, and a suspiciously low headline price. Each usually signals either inexperience or scope that has quietly been left out and will resurface later as extra cost.
Overview
Most problems trace back to scope that was never pinned down. A trustworthy company is happy to be specific — about what is included, what is not, and how it handles the things that go wrong. Evasiveness on any of those is the warning sign.
Detailed Explanation
Warning signs when choosing a company
Vague scope: a single-line price with no breakdown of crew, days, or deliverables.
No relevant work: an impressive but unrelated reel, with nothing like your project.
Rights and deliverables dodged: unwillingness to confirm usage rights, formats, or revision limits in writing.
Unrealistically low price: often achieved by omitting prep, backups, licensing, or edit time.
No contingency: no clear answer on weather, kit failure, or overruns.
Poor communication: slow, unclear responses at the quoting stage rarely improve later.
Example
A quote that simply reads "Promo video — £X" with no line items is a red flag: it tells you nothing about how many days, how many edits, or what happens when you need a change — the gaps where budgets and relationships tend to break down.