Hi, welcome to Thrill Wave. We make cool films that move people.

Who we are

We tell stories that matter.

We're a video production company in Phoenix, Arizona. We make films for businesses and organizations, and most of all for the people they serve. We care about the story, the craft behind the image and the people in front of the camera, because the stories we tell today shape the world we leave tomorrow. Here's our reel, so you can get a feel for what we do:

What we do

We make the whole film, start to finish.

We start with research and finish with the final sound mix, and the same crew stays with your project the whole way, so nothing gets lost in a handoff. You can bring us in for one stage or for all of it. Here's everything we can help with:

Our services

  1. 01

    Strategy & creative

    We research your world with a SITREP, find the angle and write the script.

  2. 02

    Pre-production

    We handle the producing, casting, locations, storyboards and schedule.

  3. 03

    Production

    We direct, shoot, light and record sound, on the ground and in the air.

  4. 04

    Post-production

    We edit, color, design the sound and cut a version for every screen.

  5. 05

    Commercial photography

    We shoot stills with the same eye: brand imagery, portraits, products and behind the scenes.

  6. 06

    Audio & sound design

    We score, record, design and mix sound, and we produce podcasts too.

  7. 07

    Rentals

    You can rent our cinema cameras, lenses, lighting and audio, with or without our crew.

Who we serve

Built for people with something to say.

We're based in Phoenix, and we go wherever the story is. We work with people who believe a story told well can change how others see the world. Here's who we work with most:

  • Film

    We make documentaries, docuseries and shorts, from the first treatment to the festival cut.

  • Media

    We do field production, promos and sizzles for networks, publishers and sports media, delivered to broadcast spec.

  • Nonprofits

    We make films for nonprofits, NGOs and foundations that move people to give, join and act.

  • Agencies

    We produce for creative and ad agencies under your name, to your brief and on your timeline.

  • Brands

    We make brand films, launches and commercials with a heartbeat, so people remember them instead of scrolling past.

  • Companies

    We make culture films, training and internal stories to the same standard as your brand.

Industries

Good stories live in every industry.

We've filmed in clinics and tribal health programs, on festival main stages and with pro sports leagues. The subjects change, but the care stays the same. These are the industries we know best, along with a few of the names we've worked with:

Where we've worked

Clients

From neighborhood names to household names.

Some of our clients are down the street and some are known around the world, and every one of them gets the same care. Here are a few of the names we've made films for:

  • Relentless Beats
  • NFL
  • State Farm
  • NBC
  • UFC
  • Thermo Fisher Scientific
  • Golf Digest
  • Boston Scientific
  • Uber
  • UBS
  • 1st Bank
  • Aura

Our work

Films that stay with you.

These are a few of the stories we're proudest to have told. Each one started with a question worth answering and ended with people who felt something. Press play on any of these films:

Case studies

Every film has a job to do.

A good-looking film is only half the job. Each project we take on is made to do something specific, like reach new people, teach something or move people to act, and the case studies show how it went. Here are a few to dig into:

  1. Still from ITCA WIC: Dear Mom, a Thrill Wave film

    Education

    Tribal mothers speak straight to other mothers, so families trust WIC enough to enroll.

    See the work
  2. Still from Relentless Beats: Decadence Arizona, a Thrill Wave film

    Exposure

    Our aftermovie lets fans relive the night and puts next year's festival in front of everyone who missed it.

    See the work
  3. Still from UBS & Finnerty Partners: Service Without Compromise, a Thrill Wave film

    Sales

    We made a team film that lets prospective clients feel the service before the first meeting.

    See the work
  4. Still from ITCA TEC: Vaccine education, a Thrill Wave film

    Awareness

    Tribal health leaders explain vaccines to their own communities, in their own words.

    See the work
  5. Still from Opendoor: No Trick, All Treat, a Thrill Wave film

    Exposure

    We filmed a family pop-up event so the fun reached far beyond the families who came.

    See the work

Our process

From first idea to final cut.

Whether it's your first production or your fiftieth, it helps to know how things will go. Our process has five steps, and the same crew carries your project through all of them, from the first conversation to the final frame. Here's how it works:

  1. 01

    Idea

    Bring us an idea, a brief or a blank page, and we'll find the story in it together.

  2. 02

    Discovery

    We listen first: to your people, your history and what you hope the film will do.

  3. 03

    SITREP

    We research your craft, your peers and your industry, then bring you a point of view on the story.

    Zoom in
  4. 04

    Production

    Our crew shoots it with cinema cameras and real care, on location or in the studio.

  5. 05

    Completion

    We edit, color, mix and deliver it, and we make it to hold up for years.

How we work

A few things stay the same on every project, no matter its size:

  1. 01

    Founders on every project

    One of our founders leads your project, from the first call to the final cut.

  2. 02

    Research before we roll

    We do our research first, so we know the story worth telling before a camera turns on.

  3. 03

    Straight talk on scope

    You get the plan, schedule and budget up front, so there are no surprises later.

  4. 04

    Made for where it's watched

    We cut every film for the places people will actually see it.

What sets us apart

SITREP: we do our homework.

SITREP is our research. Before we film anything, we dig deep into your craft, your peers, your industry and the wider sector you work in. Think of it as your own R&D department, one that sits outside your walls, cares a lot about getting your story right and helps point the camera at it. It's how we lead, and it's why our clients trust us with the story. Here's how it works, followed by a short demo of the tool we built to keep it organized:

How a SITREP works

  1. Dig in

    We study your craft, your peers, your industry and the sector around it.

  2. Find the story

    We bring you a point of view on what's worth saying and why people will care.

  3. Make it

    We film that story with real people and plan where it will be seen.

Intel

The stories behind the stories.

Intel is our blog. We write about what we learn on set, what turns up in our research and the gear and craft behind our films. Here are the latest posts:

Read all intel

The team

Your friendly neighborhood filmmakers.

We picked up cameras for the love of it and built a company around the stories that matter. Our founders lead every project themselves, and we stay close to every frame because we care how it turns out. These are the people you'll be working with:

  • Ari Everett of Thrill Wave

    Ari Everett

    Co-Founder, Producer/Manager

  • Tony Swann of Thrill Wave

    Tony Swann

    Co-Founder, Director/DP

  • Chris Kuzman of Thrill Wave

    Chris Kuzman

    Co-Founder, Strategy

Start a project

We'd love to hear your story.

Tell us what you're working on, even if it's only a hunch so far. We'll do the homework, and then we'll help you find the best way to tell it. The easiest way to start is to write to us here:

Write to us