How much does a corporate video cost?

10 factors in pricing a video

“We want to create a 2 minute web video for our company. How much will it cost?” We get that general question almost every time we’re contacted for a video.

That’s a big question, kind of like saying, “I’d like to buy a home. How much will it be?” Are you pricing an unheated shack in the country, a two bedroom condo in an iffy part of town, or a fifteen room mansion featuring an in-ground pool and tennis courts?

There are similarly a lot of factors that alter the costing of a video. Here are a few things to help you understand what goes into pricing a video:

The Script:

Do you have a script already created? Great – you’ve saved scripting costs and gone a way towards helping us plan an accurate budget. But maybe you need an experienced writer and marketer at a production company to help you create the concept and craft the words that will achieve your objectives? The amount of research, number of concepts you’d like created and the scripts final lengths will all help set price.
Who’s in Front of the Camera:

Who would best represent your company? Is there someone at your company with the charisma and presence to be comfortable on camera? Or would a professional actor or presenter do the best job? Would a professional narrator deliver the right tone for your video? Or can you get away with a less professional sounding, but charming employee?
Equipment:

Once you’ve planned out the script and had a storyboard done to plan the shooting, what kind of equipment will you need to capture the images? Is it a fairly straight- forward documentary-style shoot with a small lighting and sound kit? Or does the video need specialized equipment like a jib arm (a mechanical arm that can swoop from high to low angles)? Will you need a teleprompter and teleprompter operator to help save the day for a nervous on camera participant? Your video production company can help you determine the gear you’ll need to execute your video shoot.
Editing:

Will the editing call for fairly basic cutting with simple title graphics? Or does your video need animation to go inside your product or explain a difficult concept visually? Animation is time-consuming to create and does raise the pricing of a video, but it might be the best way to get your message across.
The Crew:

If you’ve ever sat through the entire end credits of a movie, you know just how many people it took to make the on-screen magic. A video can be made with a two person crew for a simple testimonial video. But to film dramatic situations, more complicated camera moves, complicated sound recording situations with several people speaking- more people will need to be hired for the production.
Location, Location – Part 1:

Is the entire video being shot in one place? Or does the crew have to pack up and move camp in the shooting day. Multiple locations = longer shooting days = higher budget.
Location, Location – Part 2:

Even if your video is shot all in one address, are there many ‘set ups’? Are there different scenes, interviews or images that need to be shot in different areas of the building. Re-lighting new rooms or areas adds additional time to the shoot.
Location, Location – Part 3 – Studio:

Do you need to rent a studio or sound stage? You probably will if you’re planning a video set against a pure white background or against a green screen where the background keyed out and the characters will be placed somewhere else.
Music:

Almost every video benefits from great music. There is a fee for using pre-recorded music from a music library, and a larger one for composing original music for your video.
Translation:

If your video is going to international markets, you may need dubbing (voice-overs) or subtitles in multiple language.

The bottom line

Speak with a representative from an experienced video company who can get all your details and create a quote that matches your budget and your video’s goals.