come see what we mean
Video Production & Animation Studio for Brands, Agencies & People who love great stories.
PRODUCTION | ANIMATION | GOOD VIBES
Big Teeth Productions is a creative video production company in Chicago offering live-action and animated content for brands, agencies, and nonprofits. We produce videos with brains, heart, and dare we say, humility.
Whether you need explainer videos, documentary storytelling, or B2B/corporate video that isn’t boring, we’ve got about 20 years of experience that says, “we got you.”
We create smart, human-centered content that grabs peoples’ attention because it comes from a real place. We are the enemy of robot-speak and insider jargon – just honest storytelling that connects with audiences. Rest assured we'll be straight with you about what works and what doesn't.
Reality can be so unreal, so sometimes animation is the best way to get your point across.
Our motion graphics, mixed media and character work don't just look good, they make the complex simple and the boring actually watchable, nay memorable.
COLLABORATIVE PRODUCTION PROCESS
We're not "just" your vendor – we're your partner. That means honest feedback, real collaboration, and understanding that doing great work and being great to work with should always go hand in hand. Our project management is spot on so you don't have to worry about surprises.
WHY BIG TEETH IS DIFFERENT
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True Partnership
You want collaborators that “get you” and your goals, and do it without ego. We are 100% Jerk-Free.
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Human Touch
AI is cool for some tools, but our work is done by humans, for humans
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Resourcefulness
Creating videos, like life, comes with lots of problems in need of being solved. One of our superpowers is always finding solutions.
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Not Just One and Done
We want to think about what you need now, next week and next year, and help get that for you with creativity and efficiency.
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Project Management FTW
This is the secret sauce. Clear communication so everyone stays on the same page, and expectations are met or (dun dun dun) exceeded.
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Chicago-Based, Global-Faced
We love our home base in the land of deep dish and da Bears, but have worked across the globe and can bring our same level attention to wherever you happen to be.
The end product is so good it's honestly f@cking annoying.
Jessica O, Director of Communications, University of Illinois at Chicago
SERVICES
CREATIVE DIRECTION
When dealing with production whether it’s for corporate videos, animated explainers, or social good documentaries, it can be so easy to just want to grab a camera and go for it. But it makes a huge difference when your strategic goals can be achieved in a way that actually is interesting to watch. So much video production can suffer from either being too clever without any call to action or so detail-focused yet capital-B Boring. We approach projects with the following in mind:
Start with the audience, not the legal department
Smart creative direction focuses on who the target audience is and what’s the best way to reach them. We’ve gotten creative comments from the lawyers and let’s just say… no thanks. When it’s someone’s job to ensure that people don’t get sued they tend to lean towards wishy washy and risk averse - not exactly the style that leads to better sales or brand awareness. If you find your script saying something like, “Our product might possibly be almost nearly as good as our competition, but it also might not,” then you’re not doing it right. Let’s put it this way, you wouldn’t hire a lawyer to unclog your drain or deliver a baby, so why should you trust them to write your creative.
Find the human story inside the business story
Every corporate message has a human element, let’s discover what that is and show it off. Remember that your target audience is made of real, living people who have thoughts and feelings that don’t just reflect what their job title is. The Dean of a University might play Pokemon with their grandson, not just sit around and think about admissions statistics all day. Now that doesn’t mean incorporating Pikachu into your script, just means that we contain multitudes and we shouldn't get too wrapped up in living inside the echo chamber of any given corporate category when creating videos to reach people.
Abstract need not apply
Whether it’s through visuals or voice, back away from the jargon and turn vague concepts like "innovation" or "synergy" into clear, understandable language that people actually use. We’ve seen too many videos be hijacked by language that is only meant for those on the inside, which isolates rather than impresses viewers. The point of any video you're making for an audience is to show them how you can help them in the quickest, easiest to understand way.
Balance information with emotion
Corporate videos need to inform and maybe even sell, but great videos can do that while tugging at the ol’ heart strings. People are excited to buy something new, or use a new service because of how it will make them feel. Maybe it makes life easier, maybe it brings them actual joy. In our years of producing videos we’ve learned how to find the heart of the matter, no matter who’s speaking or what the subject is, and apply it to the video for better results.
LIVE-ACTION PRODUCTION
We're a production company so naturally we're well versed in, you guessed it, live-action video production. While our crews have gotten bigger, and our gear lists a bit longer, it's still always about giving the story what it needs. While our production team is based in Chicago, we've shot videos across the country (and even facilitated overseas shoots) - because sometimes a great idea doesn't live in your backyard (and neither does the Luxembourgian CFO you need to interview).
The Big Teeth philosophy on live-action production is story first, gear second. We love dollies, and gimbals and drones as much as the next guy or gal, but to us it's more important to serve the idea and the strategy and figure out how to maximize production value than the other way around. You want a partner that understands people - how to make them comfortable on camera, how to capture genuine moments, and how to structure shoots that get you the footage you actually need without burning through your budget on unnecessary setups.
From intimate documentary-style interviews to scripted comedy pieces to larger commercial productions, we approach every project knowing that the story drives the technical decisions. The goal is creating live-action content that serves your business objectives while giving audiences something they actually want to watch - and maybe even share.
MOTION GRAPHICS & ANIMATION
Unlike live-action production, animation can take you anywhere in the world and beyond. So even though we’re a Chicago animation studio, we love to let the imagination fly and create in ways that make the complicated clear and the mundane memorable. Thankfully this is the best way for businesses to actually find success when working in motion. Whether you need explainer videos that turn abstract concepts into "oh, that makes sense" moments, or motion graphics that help prospects understand what you're selling faster, we approach every project knowing that great animation can be just what the doctor ordered, or more likely what the sales and marketing teams ordered.
In our years of doing this, we've seen how the right animated pieces will speed up sales cycles, build awareness for your brand, and be a killer tool that can be carved up and repurposed for anything from your website to trade shows to training materials. The goal is always to find the right visual approach to make your message stick and deliver real ROI (if it looks awesome, well, that’s not bad either).
FULL SERVICE POST-PRODUCTION
Post-production is where good footage becomes great storytelling, and honestly, it's where most businesses either win or lose on their video investment. We handle everything from rough cuts to final color and sound, always focused on whether each edit decision actually serves your goals. Editing with intention is key. A basic cut that keeps the audience’s attention beats a clever transition (star wipe anyone?) with no purpose. We’ve got the technical skills, but the art of the edit comes in not even noticing it.
We're not precious about creative choices. If something isn't working, we'll tell you straight and find what does. We also build realistic timelines for feedback because collaboration makes everything better. It’s a beautiful marriage between storytelling, technique, and managing expectations (and no hideous bridesmaids dresses to be found).
We loved working with Big Teeth! They very quickly understood our business needs and presented a fun, creative concept for our company's video. It was refreshing to have a team we could fully trust to handle every aspect of video production, from coordinating the shoot details to keeping the entire project on schedule.
Laura Saunders, Associate Marketing Director, Dinova
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