How much does it cost to make a video?

How much does it cost to make a video?

I can’t tell you how often I get this question, often from people who DO or at least SHOULD know the answer. I’ll admit is that it’s a valid question, if for no other reason, then purely based on the fact that it is asked so often as it is.

It’s hard to tell you how much a video production is going to cost from the very outset of our conversation, much in the same way it’s difficult to determine how much building a house is going to cost. ?In fact, both processes are very much alike, so if I am looking through the lens of the potential client, I try to answer with this analogy.

As a builder of houses, one first needs to ask a few questions:

·???????? How much square footage do you want?

·???????? How many rooms to you need?

·???????? Do you want a 2-story home or a single level?

·???????? What city or neighborhood do you want it built in?

·???????? Are there restrictions on size, color, or materials used?

·???????? When do you need to move in?

·???????? What is your budget?

A good video producer will ask very similar questions:

·???????? Where will the video need to be seen?

·???????? Who is your audience?

·???????? Are you looking to create a series of videos or just one?

·???????? Is there a specific aesthetic you’re looking for?

·???????? Do you have samples of the sort of video you’d like?

·???????? When do you need it completed by?

·???????? What is your budget?

Only after either a builder or video producer asks these types of questions can they begin to give you an idea of what your project will cost, and even with this information, you’ll only really have a range of costs.? A good video producer should be able to sit down with you and ask the right questions, have a conversation with you about your vision, your objectives, and what is right for your business in its current stage of its life cycle.? They really can’t give you a hard quote on a project without really digging into the project with you, introducing you to ideas and creative direction, discussing those ideas, then asking even more questions. After that process, then and only then will they be able to give you a good idea of what your production cost range will be. This conversation should take 20 minutes to an hour; anything less than 20 minutes of conversation, I’d start to wonder if this producer really has all they need to know to give me honest, solid

numbers for my investment.

An experienced producer will probably ask you if you have any samples of projects, you like or find interesting and compelling, something you have seen that makes you think, “Yeah, I like the way that message comes across and I’d like my message to have the same impact.”? This is a great way to first gauge expectations, but these producers can reverse-engineer, often on the spot, the production value and get a general idea of the cost of that video. Again, they can introduce you to that insight and then create a solid set of numbers and an agreement, in writing, that both parties are comfortable with.