Engagement Model · 2026

How we
work.

Most production firms wait for a brief and start guessing. We don't. Every Clandestine engagement starts the same way, and ends with the same standard.

Here's the process, the investment ranges, and what's actually included.

The Journey

From brief to booked.

Six steps. Five of them happen before you ever sign a production contract.

01
The Brief
Intake form
02
Fit Call
20 min · No charge
03
Discovery
$1,500 · Paid
04
Concept
3–5 days
05
Presentation
Decision call
01
Step One

Discovery.

The most expensive mistakes in event production happen when no one defines the goal clearly enough, early enough. Discovery makes sure that doesn't happen.

The Brief

You complete our intake form. It's structured, it's specific, and it's the first signal of fit. By the time we get on a call, we already understand the basics. The buyers we work with have no problem articulating what's at stake.

20 minutes · No charge

Fit Call

Once the form is in, we get on a call. Mutual qualification. We're each deciding if this is the right partnership before either of us spends real time or money. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you and point you somewhere better. You leave knowing whether to keep going.

$1,500 · Credited to engagement

Discovery Agreement

If we're aligned, you sign the Discovery Agreement and pay the $1,500. That fee buys you the next 3 to 5 business days of our actual thinking. The work starts the moment the agreement is signed.

3–5 business days

Concept Development

We pressure-test the brief, map the stakes against operational reality, and build a written creative concept covering four things: the strategic frame, the directional creative idea, the key moments your guests will actually remember, and an investment range scoped to the work.

The Presentation

A live walkthrough of the written concept. You leave with a document you can share internally, a concrete strategic direction, and a clear picture of what an engagement would look like. We leave knowing whether to move into proposal.

If we move forward, the $1,500 credits to your production fee. If we don't, you keep the strategic thinking. Execution lives behind a signed contract.
02
Step Two

Proposal & Engagement.

After Discovery, we deliver a proposal scoped to your goals, audience, and budget. Once signed, your $1,500 is credited and we begin production.

From this point forward, you have a single point of contact, a documented scope, and a producer who has been doing this for fourteen years and counting.

Investment Ranges

What it costs.

Most engagements fall in one of these tiers. Pricing scales with scope, complexity, and the number of moments you want guests to remember.

Tier One
Single Events & Activations

Brand dinners, executive entertainment, single-night programming.

$75K+
Tier Two
Multi-Day Programs & Offsites

Leadership retreats, multi-night client experiences, conferences.

$150K–$400K
Tier Three
Major Activations & Anchor Experiences

F1 weekends, major sponsorship builds, multi-event programs.

$400K–$1M+
Our minimum engagement is $75,000. Below that, we're not the right fit, and we'll happily refer you to someone who is.
What's Included

No surprises.

Your engagement fee covers the full scope of work. Travel and expenses pass through at cost — we don't make margin on flights or hotels. The number we quote is the number you pay.

Included in Your Engagement Fee

  • Strategy & creative direction
  • Vendor sourcing, contracting & management
  • Production logistics & run of show
  • Producer team scoped to your event
  • Site visits as required
  • Post-event reporting

Billed at Cost

  • Travel & expenses (flights, hotels, ground, per diem)
  • Insurance riders specific to your event
  • Scope additions after contract (via change order)
Payment Structure

When you pay.

A simple schedule that protects both sides. No surprise invoices. No post-event payment chases.

50%
Deposit
at signing
25%
30 days
before event
25%
7 days
before event
Final
Reconciliation
within 30 days post

We tell you all of this upfront because we don't believe in surprise invoices. The number we quote is the number you pay.

Start Here

Submit the brief.

Complete our intake form. If it reads like a fit, we'll schedule a 20-minute call — no charge — to confirm alignment before either of us spends real time or money.

Start the Brief
Or email kelley@clandestine-events.com directly.