Video production pricing can be a tricky thing to navigate, especially if you’re new to the industry. The cost of producing a video can vary greatly depending on a number of factors, such as the length of the video, the level of production quality, and the type of equipment and crew needed.
We at Blitz Studios have been doing video productions for years and have learned a thing or two about the costs. In this article, we will examine what influences the cost of our productions, the services provided for these costs, and the types of projects we work on, and their associated pricing.
Factors that Affect Video Production Pricing
Before we dive into specific pricing examples, let’s take a moment to consider the factors that can affect video production pricing. Here are some of the most common ones:
Length of the video: Generally, the longer the video, the higher the production cost. This is because longer videos require more footage, more editing time, and often more crew members.
Production quality: There are different levels of production quality, ranging from basic to high-end. The more elaborate the production quality, the higher the cost. More elaborate productions will require specialized gear, more crew members, and longer shoot days.
Type of video: Different types of videos require different types of equipment and crew members. For example, a live event video might require multiple cameras and camera operators, while an animation video might require specialized software and a team of animators.
Talent and actors: If you need to hire actors or talent for your video, this can add to the overall cost.
Travel and location: If your video requires travel or location shoots, this can add to the cost.
Another note to consider is the type of company you plan on hiring. Different video production companies charge different rates which will affect your pricing dramatically. For example, a local one man videographer might charge you $500 to $2,500 for a company promotional video. A small video production agency such as Blitz Studios will charge somewhere between $2,500-$10,000 for a company promotional video. A large production agency (over 15 employees) can start at $25,000 and increase significantly from there.
You should expect to pay between $50-$150/hr for freelancers, $75-$250/hr for small production studios, and custom prices for large production agencies. As a reference, we bill our editing and post-production services at $85/hr.
Pricing Examples for Different Types of Videos
Now that we’ve covered some of the factors that can affect video production pricing, let’s take a closer look at what you can expect to pay for different types of videos. We’ll use the small team production pricing model so you have an idea of the costs for this type of company:
Explainer video: Explainer videos are short videos that are used to explain a product or service. These videos typically range from 30 seconds to 10 minutes in length and are often animated. Depending on the level of production quality, you can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 for an explainer video.
Corporate video: Corporate videos are used to promote a company or brand. These videos can range in length and production quality, but generally, you can expect to pay between $2,000 and $20,000 for a corporate video.
Event video: Event videos are used to capture live events, such as conferences or trade shows. These videos can range in length and production quality, but generally, you can expect to pay between $1,250 and $10,000 for an event video.
Social media video: Social media videos are short videos that are designed to be shared on social media platforms. These videos can range from 15 seconds to 1 minute in length and are often animated or include text overlays. Pricing can be all over the place for these types of videos and depends on the production quality (professional vs organic), editing required, and total amount of videos.
We know these ranges are quite big, but we’ll break down what influences these video production prices momentarily so just stay with us.
Common Videography Solutions: How They Help Businesses
The first thing you need to consider when thinking about video production pricing is your overall objective. Before starting a project, we always sit down with clients to understand their goals, marketing strategies, distribution platforms, and style of content. This can really help define your budget for the project as well as the types of videos you want to use in your strategy. If your total marketing budget is $10,000, you would only want to spend a maximum of $1,000 for the content. If your marketing budget is $500,000, spending $50,000 on the content is much more realistic.
Understanding how much you can spend and your marketing strategy can help determine the type of video production you need for your business. There are several popular video types that businesses can use to market their products or services. These videos are effective because they engage, entertain, and educate the audience much more than text or pictures ever can. These can also showcase your brand image in an extremely professional manner. Some types of video production services we provide our clients are as follows:
Promotional Videos
Promotional videos are our most popular product and are somewhat of an umbrella term to describe a wide variety of videos such as company overviews, PR media, event recaps, fundraising videos, short firms, and more. They are short videos that are designed to grab the viewer's attention and provide information about the product or service being promoted. Promotional videos can be used in a variety of ways to help a business. They can be used on a company's website, social media channels, or as part of an email marketing campaign. They can also be used at trade shows or events to promote a product or service in person.
One of the main benefits of promotional videos is that they can help businesses increase their brand awareness. By showcasing a product or service in an engaging and visually appealing way, businesses can capture the attention of potential customers and leave a lasting impression. Promotional videos can also help businesses increase their sales. By highlighting the benefits of a product or service, businesses can persuade potential customers to make a purchase.
In fact, studies have shown that videos can increase conversions by as much as 80%. Another benefit of promotional videos is that they can help businesses improve their search engine rankings. By incorporating videos on their website or social media channels, businesses can improve their SEO and attract more traffic to their site.
Testimonial Videos
Another extremely popular video product is testimonial videos. These are great marketing tools because they showcase customer satisfaction and positive feedback about their products or services. These videos feature real people, often customers, sharing their experiences and opinions about a company, product, or service.
Testimonial videos can be a valuable asset for businesses because they provide social proof and credibility. By featuring satisfied customers who are willing to share their positive experiences with others, businesses can build trust with potential customers and show that their products or services are trustworthy and of high quality. They can help businesses increase their conversions and sales.
When potential customers see and hear from real people who have had positive experiences with a product or service, they are more likely to make a purchase or take a desired action. Lastly, testimonial videos can also help businesses improve their brand reputation and credibility. By showcasing positive feedback and customer satisfaction, businesses can build a positive reputation and differentiate themselves from competitors.
Explainer Videos
These videos are used to explain how a product or service works. They usually include animation or live-action footage and are effective at breaking down complex concepts in a simple way. They can help businesses educate their audience about their product or service.
Product Demonstrations
Product demonstration videos showcase the features and benefits of a product. They can be used to highlight the unique selling points of a product and can be effective in convincing potential customers to make a purchase.
Brand Overview Videos
Brand videos showcase the values, mission, and personality of a brand. They can help businesses connect with their audience on an emotional level and can be used to establish brand awareness and loyalty.
Event Videos
Event videos are a type of marketing tool used by businesses to capture and showcase their events, such as conferences, trade shows, product launches, and other corporate events. These videos provide an immersive experience for viewers who may not have been able to attend the event in person. It can be a valuable asset for businesses because they provide a way to share information, insights, and highlights from the event with a wider audience.
By showcasing the event in a visually engaging and professional manner, businesses can generate excitement and interest among potential customers, partners, and stakeholders. One of the main benefits of event videos is that they can help businesses increase their brand awareness and exposure. By sharing the event videos and tagging attendees, vendors, and other key stakeholders can provide a great way to increase organic exposure to the event without spending any extra money.
Event videos can also be used as a tool for thought leadership and education. businesses can record keynote speeches or presentations and share them with those who could not attend or are attending virtually. Sharing full-length presentation videos can help position the business as a thought leader in their industry and provide valuable insights and knowledge to potential customers. Additionally, event videos can be used as a tool for employee engagement and motivation. By showcasing company events and activities in a positive and engaging manner, businesses can boost employee morale and motivation, and promote a positive company culture.
PR Videos
These videos are designed to create a positive image of the business and improve its reputation in the eyes of potential customers, investors, and stakeholders. It can be a valuable asset for businesses because they provide a way to tell their story and connect with their audience on an emotional level. It also showcases the brand’s commitment to the community and customers it serves.
These videos can showcase the business's mission, values, and achievements, and highlight its unique selling points in a way that resonates with viewers. In addition, public relations videos can be used to address issues or challenges that the business may be facing. For example, if a business is facing negative publicity, a well-crafted promotional video can help to counteract this by showcasing the positive aspects of the business and demonstrating its commitment to its customers, employees, and stakeholders.
The Breakdown of Average Video Production Cost
Pre-Production Costs:
This phase includes the planning, scripting, and preparation work for the video shoot. The cost can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the complexity of the project. In pre-production, we begin with defining the goals and expectations for the project and outline different milestones and goals to hit.
From there, we work with the client on a creative brief. We established a storyboard and script for the video. This is great because it gives the client an expectation of what the final video is going to look like. This phase also includes location scouting, finding talent, logistical shot planning, and schedules for production.
Production Costs:
This phase includes the actual filming of the video, including equipment rental, location fees, crew salaries, and other expenses. Typically production companies will bill on shooting days and crew size. At Blitz Studios, we bill at a half/full-day rate. A half-day rate (good for 4 hours) with a 1 person crew will cost $500. A full day shoot with a 3 person crew will cost $2,000.
The production costs are factored by time on location, talent of the production agency, and the amount of equipment brought on location. $500 might sound like a lot for a half day but the client typically gets access to over $10,000 of equipment just for that shoot. Overall, The cost can range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the size of the crew and the complexity of the shoot.
Post-Production Costs:
This phase includes the editing, sound design, visual effects, and color grading work for the video. There is a lot that goes into the post-production time. Typically agencies will bill on a per hour basis for a flat rate fee. For example, our post-production time is billed at $85/hr. We will provide the total amount of hours required for the project during the pre-production phase.
You have to remember that post-production is not simply lining up clips and hitting cuts. We can spend hours looking for the right song for the video. We have to color grade all the footage to make the colors pop. A lot of times goes into the data management and organization of files. It can also take hours to export long 4K files. We add visual effects such as lens flares, transitions, animations, and motion graphics. We add sound design such as whooshes and foley sounds. There is also time for client re-edits. We work with our clients going back and forth, often 5-10 times on a project before the videos are finalized.
Miscellaneous Costs:
This can include expenses such as talent fees, music licensing fees, stock footage, and distribution costs. The cost can vary widely depending on the requirements of the project.
Overall, the total cost of producing a video can range from a few hundred dollars to over a hundred thousand dollars for high-end productions. It is important to note that these are just average costs and can vary depending on a number of factors. Therefore, it is essential for businesses to carefully plan and budget for their video production projects.
How Long Does It Take To Create A Video?
The time it takes to edit a video can vary widely depending on several factors, including the length and complexity of the video, the software and equipment used, the experience and skill level of the editor, and the client's specific requirements. Here are some general estimates for how long it takes to edit a video:
Simple videos with minimal editing: These types of videos, such as short social media clips or basic instructional videos, can take anywhere from a few hours to a day to edit.
Medium complexity videos: Videos that require more complex editing, such as promotional videos or documentaries, can take several days to a week to edit.
High complexity videos: These videos, such as feature films or music videos, can take weeks or even months to edit due to the high level of detail and technical expertise required.
The editing process itself involves several steps, including selecting and organizing footage, creating a rough cut, refining the edit, adding music and sound effects, color grading, and finalizing the video. Each of these steps requires attention to detail and can add to the overall time it takes to edit a video.
Additionally, the editing process often involves client revisions and feedback, which can add to the time it takes to complete a project. It is important for clients to communicate their specific requirements and expectations upfront to avoid delays in the editing process.
Overall, the time it takes to edit a video can vary widely depending on the specific project requirements and the editor's level of expertise. It is essential to plan and budget for the editing process accordingly to ensure a high-quality final product.
Here are some tips for finding a fairly priced videographer:
Research: Start by doing some research online to find local videographers in your area. Look at their websites, portfolios, and reviews to get an idea of their experience and pricing.
Compare pricing: Once you have found several potential videographers, compare their pricing and packages to find the best fit for your budget. Make sure to consider what is included in each package, such as the length of the video, number of revisions, and any additional services.
Ask for referrals: Ask friends, family, or colleagues for referrals to videographers they have worked with and trust. This can be a good way to find a videographer who is reliable and fairly priced.
Request quotes: Contact several videographers and request quotes for your specific project. This will give you a better idea of their pricing and help you compare their services.
Negotiate: Don't be afraid to negotiate with a videographer if you feel their pricing is too high. Ask if they offer any discounts or if they can customize a package to fit your budget.
Check their portfolio: Before finalizing your decision, make sure to review the videographer's portfolio and watch examples of their previous work. This will give you a better idea of their style and quality of work.
Communication is key: Make sure to communicate your expectations and requirements clearly with the videographer to avoid any misunderstandings or unexpected costs. A good videographer should be willing to work with you to find a pricing solution that fits your needs.
Hopefully this article provides some valuable insight of video production costs and what factors influence these costs. If you have any questions or want to get a quote about your video production, please reach out to us at blitzstudios.video
