Our Story
We’re a business with strong values & a rich history.
Cinecraft is a global custom learning solutions company. We support the performance goals of our clients by bringing the learner as close to the skill and behaviors to be learned as possible. Since opening our doors in 1939, we’ve worked on thousands of projects in virtually every industry imaginable. In many cases, this has made us not just experts at what we do, but experts at what our clients do.
7 BETTER LEARNING PRINCIPLES
With every project, our goal is to create an experience that brings the learner as close to the behavior or skill to be learned as possible. We believe this is the only way to see measurable results. We do this by evaluating every design decision with our 7 Better Learning Principles.
Authentic
Design is genuine, real-life, accurate, and offers an opportunity for reflection and exploration.
Timely
Delivery is convenient, made available at a favorable or useful time.
Relevant
Content is closely connected to the business needs and learning objectives.
Efficient
Content is streamlined, well organized and minimizes learners’ effort.
Engaging
Content is captivating and activates learners’ curiosity rather than providing meaningless clicks.
Fun
Delivery is entertaining, amusing, and enjoyable.
Accessible
Content is easy to understand without obstacles and is attainable.
Mission
We maximize our customers’ business results by designing better learning experiences that bring awareness, upskill, change behavior, and improve performance. We offer custom content solutions that are flexible, creative, comprehensive, and customer-focused at a good value.
Core Values
Quality
We identify your goals and execute a plan with 100% effort. We give our personal best to do the job right.
Creativity
Our team of storytellers approaches every challenge with out-of-the-box thinking.
Customer-Focused
Everything we do is for you, the customer. We value being an extended member of your team.
Open-minded
We’re open to others’ ideas. We promote a cooperative, supportive atmosphere where everyone can work together and feel included.
Integrity
We do the right thing. At all times and to all people, we operate with honesty and fairness.
A Brief History of Cinecraft
At Cinecraft, we’ve been visual storytellers for more than 85 years. We create custom video, animation, eLearning, scenarios, simulations with AI generated feedback, gamification, instructor-led training, and performance support tools to support the goals of Fortune 1000 companies and medium-to-large sized businesses.
1939
Ray Culley incorporates Cinecraft Productions as one of the world's first corporate training film companies
1947
The studio moves to its present day location - a 20,000 square foot building and former Cleveland Public Library
1949
Cinecraft films the country’s first infomercial for Vitamix Corporation
1953
The studio pioneers the use of teleprompters and multi-camera film production
1969
Ray Culley retires and his brother, Paul Culley, takes over
1985
Longtime producers, Neil and Maria McCormick take over
1986
Cinecraft makes the switch from film to broadcast-quality video
1992
Cinecraft becomes one of the first video production companies to produce computer-based training programs using Authorware
1999
Cinecraft begins producing computer-based training programs using Macromedia Director
2002
Cinecraft begins recording all video in high-definition format
2002
Cinecraft begins producing eLearning courses using Adobe Flash
2011
Cinecraft begins producing eLearning courses using Articulate Storyline
2018
Dan Keckan and Matt Walsh take over as leaders of Cinecraft
2021
Cinecraft Productions, Inc. becomes Cinecraft Productions Company, LLC. as Dan and Matt take ownership
2021
Hagley Museum and Library acquires Cinecraft's film archives and begins a 10-year project to digitize the films and make them available to the public
2023
eLearningindustry.com recognizes Cinecraft as a Top Ten Content Development company in the world in six categories
2024
Cinecraft begins AI development for customers in the form of simulation feedback and personalized learning experiences
FAQs: Why Choose Cinecraft Productions as Your Learning Partner?
What makes Cinecraft different from other learning vendors?
Cinecraft has been designing and producing learning for nearly 90 years. That legacy means we’ve seen every trend come and go, and we know how to combine proven instructional methods with modern delivery formats. You’re not getting a generic agency; you’re getting a team that has been focused on learning, performance, and storytelling for decades.
How does your team’s expertise benefit our organization?
Every Cinecraft team member is trained and degreed in their specific discipline whether that’s instructional design, video production, animation, game design, graphic design, UX, or development. They don’t “dabble” in their craft; they specialize in it. For you, that means your learning solution is built by the industry’s best talent in each area, resulting in stronger design, smoother production, and a better learner experience.
Are you more expensive because you have such an experienced team?
No. Cinecraft is competitively priced in the custom learning industry. Our hourly rates are in line with the market, and we’re transparent about how time is allocated. Instead of inflating costs, our experience actually helps control it: we know what it takes to do the work right the first time, which reduces rework and surprises. Also, Cinecraft’s Statement of Work states that we will not exceed the budget, unless the parameters of the project change. And, we will only charge the customer, if we have made them aware of those changes to the budget, in writing.
Can you work within tight budgets or constraints?
Yes. We collaborate with you to shape the scope and level of effort so the solution fits your budget. Because our pricing is based on hours, we can adjust the number of concepts, iterations, or media complexity while still delivering a professional, effective solution. The result is a custom learning experience that respects both your performance goals and your financial reality.
How do you ensure quality, timelines, and alignment with our goals?
Quality is one of our core values. Every project is guided by an experienced project manager who serves as your primary partner from start to finish. They coordinate our specialists, manage milestones, and keep communication flowing so the project stays on-time, on-point, and on-budget. Behind the scenes, we use well-defined processes, reviews, and testing to protect quality at each stage.
Why is storytelling such a big part of your approach?
After decades of instructional design and video production, we’ve learned one thing very clearly: learners do better when they’re engaged in a story. Whether we’re building onboarding, compliance, sales training, or leadership development, we look for the story, real situations, relatable characters, and meaningful consequences. Story doesn’t replace good instructional design; it amplifies it, making concepts stick and behaviors more likely to change.
How do you handle data privacy and security?
We align our security policies with the NIST 800-53 framework to safeguard your sensitive information. Our technical controls include role-based access, multi-factor authentication, and industry-standard encryption for data both at rest and in motion. Additionally, we maintain strict administrative protocols, such as continuous endpoint monitoring, regular vulnerability patching, and secure data retention and destruction practices.
We are prepared to align with your specific security requirements, tools, file handling protocols, access controls, hosting constraints, and compliance needs. If your organization has specific security documentation or policies, we will incorporate them during the discovery phase.