# StoryChef Media

> A strategic Austin video production company building outcome-driven video for founders, operators, and mission-driven leaders. Every project starts with a Storyfinding session — the strategic frame that decides whether a video will earn its place in the deck, the campaign, or the careers page.

StoryChef Media is led by founder James Headrick and based in Austin, Texas. The studio works across MedTech fundraising, tech recruitment, manufacturing, mission-driven (nonprofit and first-responder) recruitment, and agency partnerships. Engagements typically range from $5,000 to $150,000 and include a 90-day post-launch ROI review tied to a named business outcome.

## Head-term resources

- [Austin Video Production Company](https://storychefmedia.com/austin-video-production-company): The strategy-first cornerstone for buyers evaluating an Austin video production company. Covers what to expect, what projects cost in 2026, and how to evaluate any partner — including a seven-question buyer's framework.
- [Austin Video Marketing](https://storychefmedia.com/austin-video-marketing): Companion cornerstone for buyers focused on outcomes. Defines the difference between video production and video marketing, the five places video earns its keep, and how to measure whether a project worked.

## Industry pages

- [MedTech Fundraising Video](https://storychefmedia.com/medtech-fundraising-video): Investor-facing video for MedTech and biotech founders. Featured client: Future Cardia, whose narrative film was used as a story asset across equity-crowdfunding campaigns that raised $13.76M.
- [Tech Recruitment Video](https://storychefmedia.com/tech-recruitment-video): Recruitment film systems for scaling tech companies. Featured client: OpCity, whose three-film recruiting series helped accelerate the hiring funnel through rapid scale and an eventual Realtor.com acquisition.
- [First-Responder Recruitment Video](https://storychefmedia.com/firefighter-recruitment-video): Volunteer and full-time recruitment film for fire departments and search-and-rescue teams across Texas. Featured: TEXSAR (Texas Search and Rescue).
- [Manufacturing Video Production](https://storychefmedia.com/manufacturing): Process explainers, customer films, and recruitment for Texas manufacturers. Featured project: the E3 Alliance and Austin Regional Manufacturers Association (ARMA) careers-film series, with films shot inside Maestro Manufacturing, Staccato 2011, CelLink, GoodKind Co, and Tyrex.
- [Mission-Driven and Nonprofit Video](https://storychefmedia.com/mission-driven): Capital-campaign films, donor narratives, and gala anchor films. Featured client: Pease Park Conservancy.
- [Agency Partner Video Production](https://storychefmedia.com/agency-partners): White-label and co-branded video production for creative, PR, web, and full-service marketing agencies without an in-house video team.

## Case studies

- [Future Cardia — MedTech Fundraising Film](https://storychefmedia.com/futurecardia): A founder-led narrative film engineered around the investor pitch and post-meeting follow-up, navigated through the compliance review teams at StartEngine and MicroVentures. Used as a story asset across equity-crowdfunding campaigns that raised $13.76M.
- [OpCity — Recruiting Funnel Film System](https://storychefmedia.com/opcity): A three-film recruiting series built during rapid scale; deployed across the hiring funnel. The company was later acquired by Realtor.com.
- [Pease Park Conservancy — Capital Campaign Film](https://storychefmedia.com/pease-park): Donor-facing film for a major Austin parks capital campaign.
- [Maestro Manufacturing](https://storychefmedia.com/maestro-manufacturing): One film in the E3 Alliance and ARMA careers-film series, shot inside semiconductor-component manufacturer Maestro Manufacturing. Verbatim quotes from the on-camera team used throughout the asset.
- [TEXSAR — Texas Search and Rescue](https://storychefmedia.com/texsar): Volunteer recruitment film for a Texas first-responder organization.
- [Staccato 2011](https://storychefmedia.com/staccato-2011) and [Tyrex](https://storychefmedia.com/tyrex): Additional case study pages from the E3 Alliance and ARMA careers-film series (alongside Maestro Manufacturing). The series also features CelLink and GoodKind Co.
- [BesideIt](https://storychefmedia.com/besideit), [Base Power](https://storychefmedia.com/base-power), [Hack the Machine](https://storychefmedia.com/hack-the-machine), [Texas RE](https://storychefmedia.com/texas-re): Additional case studies across consumer (BesideIt Swim Decks), energy (Base Power), defense (Hack the Machine), and real estate (Texas RE).

## About and methodology

- [About StoryChef Media](https://storychefmedia.com/about): The studio's founding story, principles, and how James Headrick and the team work with clients.
- [Services](https://storychefmedia.com/services): Full slate of production services — brand films, recruitment systems, commercials, documentary, event coverage, product video.
- [Projects](https://storychefmedia.com/projects): Browse all 11 case studies organized by vertical.
- [Get Started](https://storychefmedia.com/get-started): Book a free 15-minute video strategy diagnostic. No pitch deck. A direct read on whether video is the right lever for your outcome.

## Insights and guides

- [Your Austin brand doesn't need another "pretty video"](https://storychefmedia.com/blog/pretty-video-doesnt-grow-brands/): Why most Austin brand films fail to move the business, and what strategic video actually looks like. Cites the CMI / MarketingProfs Manufacturing Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Outlook for 2025 (66% of manufacturing marketers say creating content that prompts a desired action is a challenge).
- [What is the average cost for corporate video in Austin, Texas?](https://storychefmedia.com/blog/austin-video-production-cost/): Realistic 2026 pricing ranges by deliverable type — short social cuts, founder narratives, recruitment systems, manufacturing brand films, Series A fundraising systems, capital-campaign films, and annualized programs.
- [Best video production companies in Austin](https://storychefmedia.com/blog/best-video-production-companies-austin/): Buyer's guide to evaluating Austin video production partners.
- [How to find the right video production company in Austin](https://storychefmedia.com/blog/find-right-video-production-company-austin/): The questions to ask before signing a video production proposal.
- [OpCity recruiting funnel case study](https://storychefmedia.com/blog/opcity-recruiting-funnel/): How a three-film recruiting series moved business-model explanation upstream of every recruiter call.

## Pricing context

Below approximately $5,000 you are buying execution, not strategy. Realistic 2026 ranges by deliverable type:

- Short social or product cut (15–60 sec): $3,000–$10,000
- Founder narrative or brand film (90 sec–3 min): $5,000–$40,000
- Recruitment film + 6–10 social cuts: $5,000–$30,000
- Manufacturing brand film (2–4 min): $10,000–$50,000
- Series A fundraising film system: $15,000–$100,000
- Capital-campaign or gala anchor film: $10,000–$50,000
- Annualized program (12–24 assets per year): $40,000–$150,000

## Contact

- Phone: 512-877-7827
- Email: hello@storychefmedia.com
- Location: Austin, Texas
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storychefmedia/