How much does a video cost?

With new requests, the first question we usually get is: how much does a video cost? It is impossible to answer this question right away. Because everything stands and falls with the counter question; what do you want to have realized?

What kind of video should it be? Should it be a header video for your website? Or a creative commercial with an original story? Should animations support what is being said? Do we need actors or will your own employees appear in the video? How many locations do we have and on how many days will we film? Should we make just one video or a whole series of videos, including long formats for the website and YouTube and short formats for social media?

You can already see that the question about the cost of a video cannot be answered right away. In this article, however, we want to shed some light on some of the factors that can affect the cost of a video.

Still, an intensive intake meeting with our clients is the beginning and the most important. Because only when we know our client's exact wants and needs can we create a customized package.

Factors affecting costs:

In our productions we always work in 3 clear stages:

1. Pre-production: all preparatory work, such as script, shot list, etc.
2. Production: the shooting days
3. Post-production: the post-production, including color editing and animations.
Below you can read for each phase what factors influence the cost.

Pre-production:

• Complexity and creativity of the concept: The more complex and creative, the more intensive the production methods can be, as it requires both specialized craftsmen and longer production times.
• Complexity of script and storyboard: How detailed can the script be and how complex can the storyboard be? How many revisions are agreed upon?
• Division of labor: Does the video team work on everything or does the client provide much themselves?
• Cast and actors: Are outside actors needed? The choice of actors or speakers and their fees can have a big impact on production costs.

Production:

• Number of specialists needed: Working with specialists such as scriptwriters, directors, cameramen, actors, sound technicians and editors has a significant impact on costs.
• Shooting location and logistics: The choice of location, travel costs, permits and logistics have a major impact on the total cost. Are we only going to shoot at one location or do we need to shoot at several locations? The more locations are added, the more the logistical effort increases. Both the team and all equipment must be completely moved each time.
• Equipment and technology: The use of high-quality cameras, lighting, sound and video editing software can increase costs but also affect the quality of the final product. Should it be a cinema-sized video? What are the expectations for the quality of the video and the final product? Can it be shot with a system camera, or do we need a cinema camera for the extra high-quality look and feel? What about the lighting and sound? How many people do we need for this and what equipment?

Post-production:

• Post-production and special effects: The more complex the post-production, special effects or animations, the higher the cost. This is because more complex post-production requires special software and knowledge. From specialists in editing, to color grading, to 3D animation. The more experts involved, the longer the post-production time.
• Voice-over: Do we need to hire an outside voice to speak the video's message?
• Music and licensing: Any type of music or sound effect needs a license. These must be purchased or produced.
• Revision and change requests: As a rule, the number of revision and modification requests is specified in the contract. However, this does not mean that it stays the same. It also happens that the customer wants more revisions than agreed upon. This means that additional work hours may be required.

Tips for optimizing the cost of video production:

We'd like to give you some advice so you can optimize the cost of investing in your cool video as much as possible.

• Clear objectives and planning: Clear objectives and detailed planning help to avoid unnecessary costs.
• Efficient use of resources: Many companies initially try to do everything themselves. By having the right partner by your side from the beginning who can advise you, you can save costs.
• Reusing content: If a company decides to create content, the material can also be used for other purposes to reduce costs. Here, of course, it helps to have a long-term strategy and work with a plan from the beginning. If the company also has an expert on its side, the partner can regularly create new content from old material and make it available. In the long run, this lowers costs tremendously instead of having new material created by different production houses all the time.

In conclusion

The cost of video production is diverse and depends on numerous factors. Therefore, it is advisable to have an expert video production partner by your side early on. Do you want to be prepared and have a good briefing towards a video production company? Then download our free video production request checklist here!