For fire, EMS & public-safety agencies

Fill the academy.Win the grant.Honor the crew.

We're a San Diego video and photo studio that works only in the fire service. We've filmed and photographed 2,000+ firefighters and 200+ apparatus, and produced training videos, PSAs, grant films, and much more. Every project starts with the outcome you answer for — to your chief, your council, or your funder — and we build the media that moves it.

  • A written proposal with a fixed price within five business days of our call
  • Every name, rank, and caption checked by a person against your roster
  • A crew that already knows a captain from a battalion chief
Book your 30-minute outcome call →

No pitch deck, no shot list. Tell us what you're trying to change and we'll tell you whether we're the right studio.

Documented outcome
$10,000

The 1904 Cadets grant film was built against the funder's scoring rubric before we shot a frame. It won the Classroom of the Future Impact Award.

Who we've served
  • San Diego Fire-Rescue Department
  • CAL FIRE / San Diego County Fire
  • San Diego Fire Relief Association
  • Southwestern College Fire & EMS
  • Miramar College Fire Academy
  • Heartland Fire Training
  • San Diego Firefighters Emerald Society
  • 1904 Cadets
Sound familiar?

You're not short on footage. You're short on outcomes.

Most departments already have hours of clips. What they don't have is media that gets applications in, budget approved, and people remembered the right way.

  • 2200Your PIO is editing recruiting content after shift — on top of three other jobs.
  • 0600A badge pinning happens once. The shaky phone video from row three is what the family keeps.
  • CouncilSomeone asks what the communications budget bought, and the honest answer is a folder of clips.

We don't sell shoot days. We take one outcome you're accountable for and build the media to move it.

Proof

Judged by the people who wear the badge.

Willy Melendez
Willy MelendezAssistant Fire ChiefSan Diego Fire-Rescue Department
Google review

Fire Media Studios has been exceptional to work with for over the past 5 years. Their attention to detail along with their personal touch on each assignment has made them a pleasure to work with. Hands down one of the best in the industry!

Lorraine Hutchinson
Lorraine HutchinsonFire Technology Director, Southwestern CollegeRetired Deputy Chief (SDFD)
Google review

Fire Media Studios has been an outstanding partner to Southwestern College’s Fire Academy. Matt Nugent and Leah Osborn consistently deliver exceptional photography and video production that captures the dedication, hard work, and achievements of our recruits during training and graduation ceremonies.

The quality of their work is truly top notch. Their ability to tell the story of our program through professional, high-quality visuals has helped us showcase the commitment and success of our students in a meaningful way. Every project they produce exceeds expectations and reflects their creativity, attention to detail, and passion for the fire service community.

Beyond their talent, Matt and Leah are genuinely wonderful people to work with. They are responsive, professional, and deeply committed to providing outstanding customer service. They take the time to understand our vision, are incredibly easy to collaborate with, and always go the extra mile to ensure a successful outcome.

If you’re looking for a team that combines exceptional technical expertise with integrity, professionalism, and a sincere commitment to their clients, I highly recommend Fire Media Studios. We are grateful for their partnership and look forward to continuing to work with them for years to come.

Captain Nicholas Swift
Captain Nicholas SwiftCEO1904 Cadets
Google review

I have had the pleasure of working with Matt and the entire team at Fire Media Studios for the past few years on multiple projects. From capturing incredible footage at some of our signature events, to helping us produce smaller video series, Matt and his team consistently deliver exceptional work.

What I appreciate most about Fire Media Studios is that they truly understand the mission and vision of 1904 Cadets!!! They take the time to understand what we are trying to accomplish, the story we want to tell, and the impact we want our work to have and then execute it with the highest level of professionalism and excellence.

We are incredibly grateful to Matt and the entire Fire Media Studios team for their hard work, creativity, professionalism, and continued support of 1904 Cadets. I look forward to continuing our relationship and working together on many more projects in the future.

I highly recommend Fire Media Studios!

Fire Captain Zak Shultz
Fire Captain Zak ShultzSan Diego Fire-Rescue DepartmentTraining Video Team Program Manager
Google review

Fire Media Studios has a heart and an attention to the intention of how you want to be represented. Their work is exquisite. Their service is top tier. Their customer service is unmatched. And I am not just saying that. You won’t be let down. I guarantee it.

Fire Captain Chad Allison
Fire Captain Chad AllisonSan Diego Fire-Rescue DepartmentOperations SupportPresident, San Diego Emerald Society Pipes & Drums
Google review

This is the best treatment you are going to get. Very personalized, customization is always an option. We have only received the best possible treatment from Fire Media Studios! They make it a point to make our events bigger, and reach a broader audience. They have done portraits for us. They have done training videos, promotional videos, event photos and videos. All high caliber. We have always received gratitude from them and when we see the final product we have always only been able to give gratitude in return. Amazing stuff!

Project currently in process
2026

Community Risk Reduction — documenting tree felling after the Sorrento Valley Fire.

Nothing reaches you without Matt or Leah reviewing it first. A misspelled name on a firefighter's portrait isn't a typo — it's a broken promise.

Matthew Nugent
Matthew NugentFounder / Studio Architect / Cinematographer / Editor[email protected]
Leah Osborn
Leah OsbornCo-founder / Director of Photography[email protected]
Creigh Ryan McIntyre
Creigh Ryan McIntyreApparatus Light Painting Specialist / Photographer
Ways to work with us

Three ways in. One conversation to pick.

You don't have to choose before the call. Most departments start with one date on the calendar, then move to a monthly program once they've seen a delivery.

Fire Media Studios filming an on-camera interview with SDFD Assistant Fire Chief / Fire Marshal Tony Tosca
On locationInterviewing SDFD Assistant Fire Chief / Fire Marshal Tony Tosca.
One date on the calendar

Ceremonies & Portraits

For the moments that only happen once and have to be right the first time.

  • Promotions, badge pinnings, retirements, awards
  • Memorial and line-of-duty services
  • Station and crew portrait days, names verified
Starting at
$3,850
Talk about your date →
Where most departments land
Standing monthly program

Your Department's Media Team

A partner who already knows your ranks, apparatus, and calendar — so every month builds on the last instead of starting cold.

  • A production day each month at stations and training grounds
  • Short vertical videos, long-form stories, and edited stills
  • Recruiting campaigns measured in qualified applications
  • Quarterly strategy with your chief or PIO, plus a monthly report
  • 48-hour response when unplanned coverage comes up
Programs from
$2,950 / month
See if it fits →
One defined project

Films & Campaigns

One piece with a start, a finish, and a job to do.

  • Grant and funding films, mapped to the rubric
  • Department profile and academy films
  • Training and instructional series
Starting at
$7,500
Talk about your project →
Not sure which fits? That's what the first call is for. Every figure is a starting price. Your final price is fixed in writing after the call.
How it works

From first call to first delivery

130 minutes

The outcome call

What needs to change, who needs to see it, and what they should do next. Nothing gets scheduled or priced before this.

25 business days

A written proposal

A fixed price, a date, and a defined scope. If we're not the right studio, we'll say so and point you to someone who is.

3On your date

Shoot, deliver, roll out

We shoot, review everything in-house, and deliver in the formats you'll actually post — with a posting plan so it gets seen.

In writing, not in a sales call

What we put in the contract

Your price doesn't move.It's fixed in the proposal and only changes with a change order you sign first. Two rounds of revisions are included on every piece.
Your deadline is contractual.Grant and submission dates go into the agreement, not an email.
You own a permanent license.Master files and a plain-language usage guide. Your footage never markets another department.
You hear from us within one business day.Every message, every time. Scope changes are confirmed in writing before we do the work, and if anything will be late, you hear it from us before it is.

Lines we don't cross: no identifiable patient, victim, or family member without documented consent. No minors without a guardian release. No AI-generated people, uniforms, apparatus, or scenes presented as real.

Before you call

What chiefs ask first

We're a public agency. Can you work with our procurement process?
Yes. We work with purchase orders and net-30 terms, and we're already an approved vendor with several San Diego County agencies. Bring us in early and we'll supply whatever your finance office needs.
What if we only need one thing this year?
Then start with a single project. A ceremony, a portrait day, or a grant film is a complete engagement on its own.
How much does fire department video or photography cost?
Ceremony and portrait coverage starts at $3,850. A standing monthly media program starts at $2,950 a month. Films and campaigns start at $7,500. Your final price is fixed in a written proposal after the first call.
Who owns the footage?
You get a written, permanent license for the uses we agree on, with master files and a plain-language usage guide.
Do you work outside San Diego County?
Yes. Travel is quoted up front and shown before you sign — never added afterward.
Do you take work outside public safety?
No. We work only with fire, EMS, public safety, their nonprofits, and fire-service education. Staying in one field is why we know your world.
One shot. One legacy.

Tell us what you need to change.

Thirty minutes about your outcome, not our services. Pick a time that works and we'll come ready to listen.

Come ready to answer three questions

  1. What is the outcome?What needs to change: applications, funding, morale, or public trust.
  2. Who is the audience?The people who have to see it: recruits, a grant committee, council, your own crews.
  3. What should they do next?Apply, fund, approve, show up, or remember.

Prefer email? Send your answers to those three questions to [email protected].

Book your outcome call30 minutes

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