The Studio · How We Work
How we work together.
Every engagement runs through the Studio. What changes is the shape of the working relationship — how often we're in motion, how the rate is structured, and how much access stays open between projects.
The Three Structures
Three working rhythms. One studio.
01
Retainer
Ongoing partnership at a reduced rate.
A monthly commitment that keeps the Studio actively engaged with your work. The hourly equivalent is reduced in exchange for the commitment, and unused hours bank forward — they don't expire at month-end.
Retainer clients have first access to studio time when scheduling. You're not waiting in line behind project work or hourly requests. The work is continuous, the relationship is proactive, and the Studio is watching for opportunities — not waiting to be asked.
Best forDesigners and producers with ongoing work, multiple shows per season, or production calendars that span the year. Anyone who wants House Left thinking about their work even when no specific project is active.
02
Project
Defined scope, fixed price, clear finish.
A single engagement with a specific deliverable — quoted up front and managed through completion. The price is agreed before the work starts, and the timeline is built into the scope.
Project work is ideal when the outcome is known and the path to get there is structured. Press kit development, a single show, a campaign launch, a media asset package — anything that has a defined beginning, middle, and end.
Best forOne-time deliverables, single-show engagements, campaign launches, and clearly scoped initiatives where the outcome is the product.
03
Hourly
Flexibility for the work that doesn't fit a box.
Tracked transparently and billed on a regular cadence. Hourly engagement is the right structure for exploratory work, advisory conversations, or projects with scope that needs to flex as the work develops.
Studio time for hourly clients is allocated as capacity allows — retainer clients have priority, and project work runs on its agreed timeline. Hourly is ideal when the work is real but the scope isn't yet ready to be fixed.
Best forSingle tasks, advisory engagements, early-stage exploration, and one-off needs that don't yet warrant a project quote.
Side by Side
How the structures compare.
Retainer
Project
Hourly
Rate
Reduced hourly equivalent
Fixed scope price
$100 / hr
Scheduling priority
First access to studio time
Scheduled per project
Available as capacity allows
Unused hours
Banked — roll forward
Not applicable
Not applicable
Relationship
Ongoing — proactive
Defined deliverable
As needed
Studio access
Continuous — always active
Duration of project
Per engagement
Best for
Ongoing work, multiple shows, seasonal production
One defined outcome — press kit, media assets, a specific campaign
Single tasks, early exploration, one-off needs
Reimbursables
Costs that pass through, never marked up.
Some work involves real-world costs the Studio doesn't absorb — wire service fees for press distribution, print production for program books, vendor payments, travel when a production requires on-site presence. These are reimbursables.
Reimbursables attach to any structure — retainer, project, or hourly. They're billed at cost, itemized clearly on every invoice, and never marked up. When something is a pass-through expense, you see exactly what it cost and exactly what was paid. No bundled fees, no obscured line items.
Whichever structure fits, the Studio is where the work lives. Briefs, deliverables, action items, invoices — one place, for the duration of the engagement. Inside the Studio →