If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’re interested in getting a video for your website. Naturally, the first question to come to mind will probably be:
What is the cost of video production?
But asking a video production company how much a website video costs is a lot like asking a real estate agent “what does a house cost?”. The answer, of course, should really depend on the resources you have to invest – not on the actual average. For this reason, when approaching the idea of video production, the better question to be asking is: what kind of video can I make with my budget? The purpose of this post is to introduce you to a few different products that can be achieved across a variety of budgets.
Point and Shoot Video: $800-$2,000
If you are looking to make a video where all you need to do is deliver a simple message to the camera, then a point and shoot video could be just what you need. A point and shoot video is great for businesses that want a product that looks more professional than a iPhone video, but doesn’t necessitate any bells and whistles. This is often the style for a series of YouTube videos or tutorials. If you are going to do a point and shoot video, your spokesperson needs to know what they are going to say before the cameraman arrives. A big part of keeping the cost down is having clean, well-delivered sound bites that require minimal editing.
What to Expect in a Point and Shoot Video
- Professional video and audio quality (High Definition)
- Filmed in a few hours
- Small production crew — one, maybe two cameras
- Possible use of a teleprompter
What not to Expect in a Point and Shoot video
- Use of multiple locations
- Interview multiple team members
- Pre-production
- B-roll (visuals that support the dialogue)
Business Explainer Video: $3,000-$5,000
What to Expect in a Business Explainer Video
- Basic Pre-production (simple concept)
- Professional video and audio quality (High Definition)
- 1 Filming day, 1 or 2 locations
- 1 or 2 Interviews, often the business owner
- Simple B-roll (visuals that supports the dialogue)
What not to Expect in a Business Explainer Video
- Interviewing multiple team members
- Multiple filming days/locations
- Hair/Make-up artist
Storytelling Video: $5,000-$10,000
What to Expect in a Storytelling Video
- Pre-production
- Professional video and audio quality (High Definition)
- 2-4 filming days, multiple locations
- Cinematic B-roll
- Hair/Makeup artist
- Lifestyle models or actors
Corporate Video: $5,000-$10,000
What to Expect in a Corporate Video
- Pre-production
- Multiple filming days/ locations (different divisions or plants)
- Interview multiple team members
- B-roll
- Hair/Makeup artist
The cost of video production can vary quite dramatically. The trick is to make sure you are comparing apples-to-apples as you are searching for a video production company. Business Explainer videos are a great option for smaller companies who are looking to bolster their online presence without breaking the bank. You just might not be able to exercise your creativity as much as you would like. If you’re looking to have that emotionally charged, cinematic video or looking for a unique concept then be sure your budget is in the higher range. At the end of the day, if you choose your video production company wisely, you will have a professional and effective video for your website.
Having done my fair share of these types of videos, your price range listed here, especially for the multi-day, multi-crew shoots with equipment, etc. are not realistic and on the very low end even when you range them in $5000-$10,000 range.
I guess you might want to include a city/market where things are cheaper and mention this. In the Los Angeles market, bringing in a crew with make-up, a grip/electric, lighting gear, one to two cameras as you suggest, a possible second operator, sound person, PA, food, actors (non-union of course) etc., you have already blown a $10,000 budget. With pre-production and script writing factored in, it gets quite expensive.
I’d imagine if you are shooting in rural Utah or another part of the country, it might be much cheaper.
I’m really not trying to give you a hard time, but this will mislead so many people and when they get a budget that is realistic, it won’t be in their expectations.
Warren – we appreciate your feedback and insights. As you’re in the industry, I’m sure you can sympathize in the challenge of giving a generalized answer to the question of cost. We are a boutique video company in Toronto, Canada, so we did our best to have the information in this post reflective of our GTA area/market. The prices we’ve mentioned are probably most accurate when hiring a small, but effective production company. And you’re right, a storytelling or corporate video budget of 5-10k will certainly not go far if requiring a large production crew and/or actors. Thanks for chiming in.
I tend to agree about the estimates of how much it will cost. There is always something that will make the cost go up. Graphics or the edits aren’t working or someone forget to get something for shooting day and you need to improvise. The above mentioned will delay in time and money.
Informative post.
Thanks.
Thanks for the feedback. It’s hard to comprehensively answer this question, but it gives a framework for decent web video.
Thank you for the informative post that tries to educate clients, love it!! I know it is a framework and each individual business needs to look at their own costs as well as understand each clients needs.
Thank you for the post. It provides context for costs. Moreover, it substantiates the idea that you get what you pay for. If you want quality, there are costs associated with a quality product.
I love your statement Amy. Indeed one gets what one pays for.
Very useful post. Thanks @ Warren for giving that insight about your part of the world. I also agree with Amy, you indeed get what you pay for.