Threefold’s story began in 2014 when Keenan and Caleb Hauff turned their vision into reality. This local video production company, born during the excitement of college graduation, showcases their enthusiastic and creative approach to business. I sat down with both Caleb and Keenan to discuss how Threefold has risen over the last 10 years, their new studio space, and much more.
Threefold’s Early Origins
In the business world, the journey of a company is often as inspiring as its successes. Threefold is a perfect example of this. “In 2014, we were both finishing school in Fargo at NDSU. By the time of graduation, we already somewhat started. We were working on a website and the logo was officially launched previously in January of that year,” Keenan said.
Upon returning to Bismarck, the Hauff brothers had a few projects lined up, signaling a promising start for the business. “We went full-time by May 2014, developing the mentality of working hard at this job so that we didn’t have to find another to make ends meet. Caleb was doing a lot of freelance work in Bismarck and even in Fargo for some agencies out there,” Keenan said.
They saw an opportunity to do higher-end video production to set themselves apart, and noticed that many out-of-state advertising agencies were spread thin between websites, TV commercials, print advertising, billboards, and so on. It was then that they decided to focus on specific niches for the community.
According to both Caleb and Keenan, they’re fortunate to have grown up in Bismarck and been connected to the community, having both served on the Junior Chamber of Commerce in high school at different times, leading to great relationships and multiple projects with the Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC That connection gave them a great jump start for exposure and made it much easier to put themselves out there.
“We had an idea or vision that could help promote the City of Bismarck since we’re passionate about calling this place home,” Caleb said. “We created an additional video for the Chamber which allowed us to flex what we were capable of creatively in a video that celebrates the Bismarck-Mandan community and features a lot of recognizable businesses throughout the project. That project was a great piece of advertising for us that showed others what we were capable of, which happened to go ‘Facebook viral,’ connecting us with people and organizations we could have never imagined we would have been working with at the time.”
For Caleb and Keenan, growth was not just about expanding their client base but also about developing a team that shared their vision and passion.
“Zack and Adam were the first two that we hired, so we doubled our team pretty quickly with two people who were very well-versed in the production world,” Keenan said. “As our team has grown over the years, every person’s role has become a bit more defined. We hired Joel around six years ago, who’s in a similar position to me in terms of client and project production management. He’s originally from Bismarck but was living in Tennessee when we recruited him to start with us.”
“Danielle joined us two years ago and has been a great asset. She fills in a lot of gaps that our team had with hair and makeup and provides a lot of great art direction. She’s very familiar with a lot of the video production world from doing freelance solo work and juggling all of the hats by herself, so she’s able to jump in wherever needed, whether it be editing or any other role along the way,” Caleb said.
Did You Know?
According to Keenan, everybody that Threefold has hired full-time, since the beginning, is still with them to this day. This retention speaks volumes about their commitment to their employees and investment in professional growth.
Meet the Team
Keenan Hauff
Director and Co-Founder
Caleb Hauff
DP and Co-Founder
Joel Land
Producer and Project Manager
Zach Wentz
Senior Editor and DP
Adam Kempenich
Audio Tech and IT
Dani Molinaro
Junior Editor and PA
"We see [Threefold] as an opportunity for North Dakota people to tell a North Dakota story together, whatever that looks like for the client. Over the years, we've invested a lot into our equipment and gear, as well as the team around us. We've aimed for a very strategic addition of team members over the years and were very deliberate in the way that we hired people. We didn't want to just burn through employees or fill a temporary need, so we're glad that we took the time to search for the right people who share the same passions as we do."
"Our new studio space allows us to do work for any company in the region, no matter the size. We're able to do projects that fit their budget and goals with more room to work and grow. Our LED walls in our new space also push us to new creative heights in terms of visual production."
Embracing Change and Expansion
The year 2024 marked a significant milestone for Threefold, with their transition into a new studio space. This move was not just a physical change but a strategic leap toward realizing their ambitious vision. The new space, with its expanded capacity and advanced equipment, opened doors to a world of possibilities for the team.
“We have a lot more potential of what can be physically captured and built with this new space, so that’s our focus going into 2024 and beyond. It’s really about growth and pushing forward to new heights,” Keenan said.
“We have a space that provides an opportunity to both grow our team and expand what we’re able to do with projects for clients. It allows us to add a couple more teammates and do some larger-scale projects in-studio. Essentially, our options for our day-to-day operations and potential have had the door blasted open from this opportunity,” Caleb said.
The team went from roughly 2,500 square feet in their former space to just over 10,000 square feet in the newly finished upgrade, with plenty of new additions and benefits. “In our last space, we had a 36-inch door, and those 36 inches were essentially the constraints of what we could fit into the studio to film. We’ve been doing work with Bobcat for a while, but now we’re able to bring machines and vehicles in and film them right in studio,” Keenan said.
"When we first began, we started by focusing on over-delivering and letting the work speak for itself. Both of those, and especially delivering the highest-quality work possible, are still important to us to this day. While we've gotten a lot of work from people seeing our past projects, we've had just as much, if not more work come from networking at events and making connections through meeting new people. Staying engaged with community events and people within the community has been critical to our success; it's something that we value because we've seen just how important it is to Threefold's success over the last decade."
The new Threefold space offers higher ceilings and a garage door to bring larger equipment in to accommodate more grand-scale sets. “We also have the ability now to start working towards virtual production with LED wall backdrops with this much area to work with. The other space was great for us to grow in, but we felt that we outgrew what we were capable of doing in there, and we were ready for something bigger, both physically and with Threefold’s goals,” he said.
“Another large aspect of this transition for us is that we’ve always wanted to own our own space. We were leasing the first space from an amazing landlord, and we’re beyond grateful for that relationship, but it’s been in the back of our minds to build and own something that we could call our own. We waited for the right space to come by, and we knew that it would require a lot of work, but we were able to create something that we’re proud of,” Caleb said.
Check out some behind-the-scenes shots from a recent project! Furthermore, Threefold’s new space is equipped with an audio room for podcasting and more.
"Owning everything ourselves and keeping most aspects of Threefold in-house has brought our team closer together than we could have ever imagined and has made us a lean, efficient team that can handle more than we ever thought during the founding days of Threefold."
Navigating Competition and Setting Industry Standards
Threefold’s philosophy is all about their genuine commitment to the Bismarck-Mandan community and maintaining top-notch quality in their work.
“There’s always healthy competition sprouting up in the video production industry,” Keenan said. However, he points out that Threefold’s approach, focusing on high-quality studio production, sets them apart in this competitive arena. “The industry as a whole has become naturally easier to get into between prices and technology becoming more accessible, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s easier to know and understand the business. Access to education and resources online has grown in the last decade, but there are not many competitors in terms of studio production companies like Threefold, with a large studio space for shooting, which is something that I think sets us apart.”
The collaboration process with clients is a critical aspect of Threefold’s operations, where they ensure that the end product meets and exceeds client expectations. “Something that I believe differentiates us is the amount of time that we spend in pre-production. We want to have an excellent, mapped-out plan for the project before the cameras ever get pulled out in the studio,” Keenan said. This way, there are no surprises for anybody on either side, client or creator, and this also helps to answer any questions that the client may have, while also making sure that there aren’t any major problems that arise that could have been figured out beforehand.
“We’re doing more than just shooting your idea after some light pre-production; we’re doing the storyboarding, script writing, helping with creative concepts. We have to consider the client’s target audience, whom the video is crafted for, and what’s going to connect best with that audience,” Caleb said. A lot of time and effort goes into their pre-production process, but it pushes the final product to the standard that Threefold holds.
Recognize these Brands?
Below are some of the many notable clients that Threefold has had the honor of working with over the years!
Bobcat
“Some of our most memorable and enjoyable projects have been with Bobcat and the Doosan Acceleration Center. We’ve had the opportunity to work on unique, cutting-edge prototypes—machines so rare that only one exists in the world, and we’ve had the thrill of having them right here in our studio.”
– Keenan Hauff
Wex
“We creatively stretched the limits of our previous space on a Wex project, fully utilizing every inch available. Despite the tight squeeze, we successfully produced some exceptionally cool studio-style videos that are a source of great pride for us.”
– Caleb Hauff
BioGirls
“Our work with BIO Girls from Fargo in fall 2022 was another enjoyable project. A few years back, they approached us, eager for something unique. BIO Girls’ mission to boost confidence in young girls resonates deeply, particularly with our team members who have young children. We created a compelling three-minute short film for their annual fundraiser, a project that was close to our hearts. It gave us the chance to showcase our storytelling and scripting skills, and we were passionate about the project due to its impactful mission.”
– Keenan Hauff
Co Schedule
“Looking back, our project with CoSchedule was a real game-changer for us at Threefold. It was an exciting adventure that opened our eyes to what our studio could achieve. We dived into new, creative territories, making full use of every nook and cranny of our space—it was so packed, it was tough even getting through the front door at times! This project was a bit of a leap in terms of our skills back then, but it brought us together as a team and gave us a glimpse of what our studio could become in the future.”
– Caleb Hauff
Q: Where do you see the video production industry progressing?
A: Our industry as a whole has been slowly transferring more work to a remote setting when it comes to editing and reviewing through file sharing. To echo what Keenan mentioned, virtual production is becoming a trending thing within the video production industry as a whole right now. There’s a lot of creative potential right now by blending a marriage between practical set building and virtual production. I don’t think that virtual is going to completely replace practical, but there are plenty of opportunities to use both to get the greatest finished product possible.
– Caleb Hauff, DP and Co-Founder
Words of Advice from Threefold
“It’s a lot more about who you know than what you know. You could have the best equipment, skills, and so on, but that doesn’t matter if you’re not getting in front of the right people at the right time to showcase yourself. You can work hard to be the best at your craft, but it won’t matter if you don’t make those connections, as nobody’s going to hire you.”
– Keenan Hauff, Director and Co-Founder
“For any entrepreneur, it’s crucial to get connected to as many people as possible in your community. Whether it’s 1 Million Cups in Bismarck or StartupBREW in Fargo, opportunities like those are undervalued in the world of virtual connections today. Whether you have an idea or not, you can meet somebody that inspires you to start something new.”
– Caleb Hauff, DP and Co-Founder
Looking Ahead
From their small beginnings in 2014, Keenan and Caleb Hauff have built a thriving company and laid the groundwork for a “creative ecosystem in Bismarck-Mandan” with Threefold, as Keenan described. “We’re passionate about doing it in North Dakota because it’s the place that we’ve always been proud to call ‘home,’ and we don’t want to see that change anytime soon,” Keenan said.
As they continue to navigate the challenges of an ever-changing creative industry, Threefold stands as a leader of Bismarck-Mandan that thrives in storytelling through a camera lens.
Contact Threefold today!
threefold.tv
701-426-0893
[email protected]
Facebook | /Threefold
Instagram | @Threefold
Youtube | @ThreefoldTV
1125 E Main Ave
Bismarck, ND 58501