In New York cannabis, you can't lean on paid ads the way other businesses can. The rules are tight and the platforms are tighter. That makes video, on your feed, on your website and on the screens in the store, the main way a brand or dispensary gets noticed. So every video has to earn its spot.
Here are the five we think every New York cannabis business should have.
1. A brand film for in-store screens
The most valuable screen in cannabis is the one behind the counter, in front of someone deciding what to buy. We made a brand film for Platinum Reserve built to work with the sound off on exactly that screen. It became the brand's staple piece, and most dispensaries that carry Platinum Reserve run it in store, so the same film keeps introducing the brand at the moment a customer picks a product. Read the full story in our case studies.
2. Product reels
Short vertical close-ups of your packaging and products, cut for Instagram and TikTok. Clean light, real texture, no clutter. These are the videos budtenders and buyers actually see, and they pair perfectly with studio product photography from the same shoot.
3. Behind-the-counter culture
People buy from people. Short videos of your budtenders, your store and the people behind the brand show what makes you different from the shop down the road. They are also some of the easiest videos to keep compliant, because they are about your team and your space, not the product.
4. Launch videos
A new product, a new strain line, a new location. A short launch video gives your feed, your website and your wholesale buyers something to share on day one. Just keep it about the product and the brand: in New York you can't promote discounts, coupons or giveaways.
5. Education
What to expect on a first visit, how your store works, what makes a product line different. Straightforward education builds trust with new customers, as long as you stay away from health claims and potency talk.
Keep it compliant
Every one of these videos has to follow New York's marketing rules: no smoking or vaping on camera, nothing aimed at people under 21, no health claims, no potency or THC promotion, and no deals or giveaways. Ads also need the required warnings and a 21+ audience. We broke all of it down in plain English in what cannabis brands can post in New York. We are a production company, not lawyers, so check with OCM or your compliance person before anything goes live.
What cannabis video costs
Single shoots start at $350. A full content day is $750, which is the best way to get reels, product video and photos from one visit. Monthly content plans start at $1,250 a month. Every project starts with a free quote and content plan. See our cannabis content page for the reels we have shot for New York brands.
Get your free quote, and your price plus a shot plan land in your inbox within 24 hours.
Quick answers
What videos should a dispensary make?
Five cover most needs: a brand film for in-store screens, short product reels, behind-the-counter culture videos, launch videos and simple education videos.
How much does cannabis video production cost in New York?
Single shoots with Evolved Media start at $350, a full content day is $750, and monthly content plans start at $1,250 a month.
Can cannabis videos show people smoking?
No. New York prohibits the imagery or action of smoking or vaping in cannabis marketing under 9 NYCRR 129.3(a)(5).
Do you shoot for dispensaries outside the Hudson Valley?
Yes. We are based in the Hudson Valley and shoot for cannabis brands and dispensaries across New York State.