FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

General FAQ’s

Do you accept credit cards?

Yes we do. We also accept PayPal, Apple Pay, e-Transfer or Cheque.

What is your turnaround time?

This is entirely dependant on the service and the add ons that you require. Our standard Real Estate photography, standard cinematic video and Matterport 3D tours are available the next business day. Floor plans are available after 2 business days, video tours with agent on camera introductions are available after 3 business days and videos that require a professional voice over will take 5 business days to complete.

Are there any penalties for cancelling an appointment?

We understand that everything doesn’t always go to plan and that you may need to reschedule your shoot for a reason that is out of your control. We will be more than happy to accommodate your request provided we have at least a full days notice. If the shoot is cancelled or rescheduled on the day of, we may charge up to a 50% cancellation fee of the total value of the order.

Do I own the content created by Open House Media?

Short answer, No you dont. Open House Media retains ownership and copyright to all content created. We do however grant you non-transferable usage rights to the content we create for as long as you have the listing. If you are an interior designer, builder or architect chat to us about or flexible licensing solutions.

What areas do you service?

We cover the GTA, east to Oshawa, west through to Burlington and north up to Barrie.

Im planning on using Open House Media for all my listings going forward, can I get a discounted rate?

Our rates are already competitive so we don’t entertain upfront discounts unless a bulk prepaid solution is negotiated in advance.

Do you clean and stage the property before you shoot?

No and no. We are not professional stagers or cleaners. Our photographers don’t mind the small stuff like moving a small item out of the way to get a better shot. But we mostly shoot as is. If you require staging or cleaning done, reach out to us, we have a wonderful bunch of interior designers, stagers, handymen and cleaning teams that we work with. We also have this handy guide to getting your property photo ready!

Photography FAQ’s

How many photos do I get?

This will be entirely dependant on the property. Our photographers try to capture as many possible angles that look good and add value to your listing.

Are you using a wide angle lens?

Yes, we capture wide angle shots with most of or real estate shoots. The severity of the wideness depends entirely of the size of the room. Small rooms are shot wider than large rooms. Wide angle shots tend to look disproportionate on larger rooms no matter what the composition is.

Do you do HDR photography?

Yes we do, however our process is slightly different to most others. We don’t follow the High Dynamic Range method but use a method called Exposure Fusion, which still combines multiple images into one by equalizing the highlights and dark areas of the image without affecting the tonality of the image. By using this method we can guarantee a much more realistic and natural looking final image.

Do you use flash?

On the higher end photography packages we do use flash, many time for one image actually, thats why we call it multi-flash. This process gives you a well illuminated image which we combine with elements of an ambient image without any flash, so you have yourself a flash image that doesn’t look like a flash image, but its so much better than a flash image, and so much better than a HDR image, if that makes sense…

I need large photos for my brochures and feature sheets, do I need to pay extra for them?

We provide our photos in two different sizes - a small size specifically sized for MLS and web applications and a large set ready for printing at no extra charge.

Do you provide feature sheets and brochures?

Our content delivery partner, Aryeo, does have the ability to create your own flyers with their simplistic templates that are highly customizable. You can then print them anywhere thats convenient to you.

How are the photos delivered?

We use an online delivery service specifically designed for real estate. Photo, Video, 3D Tours, Flyers and single property website all get delivered through the same platform.

Do you have something to send the sellers terms of preparing the property before you arrive?

Yes we do, click here for our online version, if you require a printable version please reach out and we will gladly send it to you.

Video FAQ’s

How do you shoot the videos?

With a mobile phone…. Just joking! We use professional grade 4K mirrorless cameras to capture the footage. These cameras are usually attached to some sort of stabilization device such as an electronic gimbal for those buttery smooth walk through scenes, a slider for some dreamy reveal shots or a conventional video tripod for the standard pan and tilt shots. For exteriors we also have the option of using the drone to get a different perspective of the property.

Can I choose the music?

You most certainly can, although it’s not advised. We use a royalty free service with an excellent selection of tracks - from the blues to some funky uplifting electronic dance, they have it all. If you want to select a track, let us know at the time of ordering your video and we will send you the link to the service.

How long will the video be?

We try to keep our videos between 90 seconds and 3 minutes maximum. Us humans have a tendency to loose focus and our attention drifts after that time.

I would like to have someone narrate the video, do you do voice overs?

Yes we do, we have access to a variety of professional voice over artists with a variety of different accents, tones and gender. We require a script at the time of ordering the video to keep things moving smoothly. If you don’t feel comfortable writing the script, let us know and we can arrange the copywriting for you.

Can I be on camera and narrate the video?

Most certainly! We don’t do hair and makeup though! It is possible to have a maximum of 2 people presenting the video. We have professional wireless lavalier microphones and sound recording equipment which makes it possible. Just a tip, if its your first time - don’t try and memorize a script, YOU WILL FAIL and we will have a blooper reel of note. You know the property, just imagine you are showing it to a potential client, let it flow and we will work with you to achieve fantastic results!

Do you do custom branding on the video?

Oh yes, video is all about the branding. If its your first time using us for video let us have your marketing kit beforehand so that our graphic designers can setup a static intro screen for you at no charge. If you require a more complex animation let us know, but we do need to charge for that.

Can I use the video with my branding on MLS?

Unfortunately no, MLS requires no branding or contact details whatsoever. Don’t panic, we’ve got you. With each video we create we supply two versions, a branded video which you can use on your own personal site, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn etc. and a version without any branding which can be used on the MLS.

How do you deliver the videos?

If your video is ordered with photos you will get it delivered with your photos. A link will be provided for MLS or that you can use on social media, you will also get the video file for download. If you are only ordering a video, your video file will be sent over using WeTransfer.