Overview:
A Charleston business owner says a video and photo project with Krueger Productions LLC did not meet the agreed-upon vision. Despite being reassured of a professional shoot, the experience fell flat — with poor planning, missing equipment, and no final portraits with his personal pickup truck.
In a small claims courtroom in Charleston, South Carolina, a dispute over a local video shoot ended with a ruling in favor of Krueger Productions, LLC. This production company is owned by Noah Krueger—who also works full-time for the Town of Mt. Pleasant. The opposing party, a portable restroom service called Toilets of Charleston, claimed the project didn’t meet the promised quality or deliverables. However, Judge Laura Dukes Beck ultimately ruled in favor of Krueger Productions. She stated that the company fulfilled its legal obligations under the contract.
What Was Promised?
Toilets of Charleston hired Krueger Productions, LLC for a combined video and portrait shoot. This featured the business owner and a company vehicle. According to the business, the project was pitched as a professional, interview-style video with a small production crew. It included a suite of social media-ready content and photography tied to the owner’s cleaned and prepared personal pickup truck. Krueger also allegedly promised six months’ worth of social media content, advertising, and even one post that would supposedly reach over 1,000 likes or impressions.
Yet, when the shoot day arrived, the execution reportedly fell short of expectations.
“Noah arrived alone, without the team he said would be filming with him,” said the owner of Toilets of Charleston. “He didn’t even want to drive his own car. I had to pick him up myself. And once we got to the location, he told me not to speak to anyone there because we may not be allowed to film. I had to speak with the state park directly to confirm permission. It just didn’t feel professional.”
The business further stated that Krueger forgot essential gear. This included lighting equipment needed to shoot the planned indoor interview in Edisto Island State Park “Wifi Room”. Instead, the video was recorded outdoors, on a bench, with drone shots replacing the planned pickup truck portraits.
A Missed Moment That Mattered
One of the biggest letdowns in the project, according to Toilets of Charleston, was the lack of promised truck portraits—a core part of the shoot.
Owner Kasdyn shared how important that part of the video was on a personal level:
“Look, I know that 2014 brown Silverado pickup truck doesn’t seem like much, but this is for me—I wanted to document that truck. One of my vehicles gets totaled out on the road every year… four years in a row now. That pickup truck means a lot to me because when I started working for myself in 2014, I couldn’t afford a brand-new Silverado. And this year, with the black grille GM only produced for six months, it actually makes it very rare today. My grandpa worked on the factory line at GM for his whole life. This truck is my favorite. I know it’s not very respectable in today’s day and age.”
The original goal of the shoot wasn’t just marketing content—it was also a tribute, a memory. But instead of clear shots of the truck, the final result included only brief footage captured by drone. This was far from the original vision.
“We didn’t get what we asked for. The entire reason for preparing the vehicle’s exterior was to include it in the portraits. Instead, Noah suggested we film from 500 feet in the air with a drone while I drove the truck. It wasn’t even usable.”
What Was Delivered?
At the center of the disagreement was a lack of clarity about what deliverables were legally enforceable—and what were simply verbal or implied promises.
During the hearing, the business owner of Toilets of Charleston asked Krueger to identify what advertising or search engine optimization (SEO) had been performed. Krueger had stated previously in the hearing that he was hired to perform these tasks. When pressed by the judge, Krueger admitted no advertising placements had been made. Also, no SEO reporting or backlinks had been provided to the business.
Despite this, Judge Laura Dukes Beck ruled that Krueger Productions had technically met its legal obligations. She said that because the agreement was not detailed in writing beyond the basic filming, there was no legal violation. Also, because some form of media had been delivered, there was no breach.
Toilets of Charleston emphasized during the court hearing that their issue was not with Krueger’s character or his public employment. Instead, their issue was with the quality of the work and the manner in which the project was executed.
“We don’t necessarily believe Krueger Productions acted in false pretenses,” the business stated. “But there were a lot of promises made that led us to expect a more serious production. We were told there would be a small team, six months of social media content, and at least one post with over 1,000 likes. None of that ever happened.”
Public Service Employee, Private Dispute
One detail that stood out to the business was Krueger’s repeated mention of his role as a full-time employee of the Town of Mt. Pleasant. While this may have been shared in casual conversation, the business recalled that it gave them the impression Krueger’s work would carry a certain level of trust and accountability. It’s not clear whether that affiliation played any role in the court’s decision. However, it did add a layer of perceived professionalism to the initial hiring decision.
“We took his pitch more seriously because he works for the town,” said the business owner. “It gave the impression that this was someone established, responsible, and who wouldn’t leave us with a half-finished product.”
The Review
⭐☆☆☆☆
Hired Krueger Productions for a video and photo shoot featuring my business and work truck. He said he was coming with a ‘small team’ but showed up alone. I had to give him a ride to the filming location because he didn’t want to drive his car. Once there, he told me not to talk to anyone because we might not be allowed to be there — so I had to speak with the park myself. He forgot his lighting equipment and we couldn’t film the interview in the indoor room as planned. We ended up filming outside on a bench instead. I never received the photos I was promised of the truck I spent time preparing. Instead, he suggested a drone shot from 500 feet up. Promised six months of content and a social post with 1,000+ likes — none of it happened. Would not recommend for professional business content.
Lessons Learned
The case offers a reminder to local businesses: get everything in writing. While many creative professionals offer verbal pitches that sound impressive, only what’s documented can be enforced in court. A production agreement that outlines deliverables, timelines, SEO, marketing actions, and usage rights is essential in protecting both parties.
Toilets of Charleston is continuing to grow its customer base in the Lowcountry and remains active in its marketing efforts. Despite the court’s outcome, the business said it hopes this experience can serve as a cautionary tale to others.
“We’re not trying to ruin anyone’s business,” the owner said. “But we want to speak up because it didn’t feel fair. We were excited, prepared, and committed — and the project just didn’t reflect what was sold to us.”
Final Thoughts
For local businesses engaging with freelancers, especially those who also work for public agencies, the takeaway is simple: verify everything. Titles and affiliations don’t guarantee results. At the same time, creators must be clear about what’s being promised. Also, they must be clear about what can be realistically delivered—especially when building trust in a small, close-knit community like Charleston.