Corporate video production costs

It can be difficult to see how costs for film and video production vary so dramatically: one company may have paid a certain figure for a 5 minute corporate film whilst another may have paid ten times that amount. Television commercials and music videos can command huge sums and yet these usually appear to be quite straightforward productions with little in-depth information. So how can film and video productions have such hugely varying budgets?

Don't produce an embarrassing film!

As you may expect, much depends on quality. In the industry, this is often referred to as the ‘production value’. A rudimentary video shot on a consumer (or perhaps ‘prosumer’) camcorder can be produced quickly and burned to DVD or uploaded to the internet by anyone with virtually no experience. But will anyone watch it? And if it is watched, will it impart the right information and the right message? The quality of the storyline, photography, lighting and audio is likely to be poor, or at best average. This may be okay for non-professional or social purposes but for corporate work, such a production may end up giving the wrong impression - it could be an embarrassment!

In many ways, producing a low cost video as a promotional tool is false economy – you may have saved on the production costs, but you may also be turning customers away.

It is important to think about a budget for your production

In order to increase the ‘production value’ of your film, you need to use experienced professionals who will analyse your requirements, help you to produce a script that can be used as a guideline during filming and post production (editing). Naturally, a professional director, script writer, production team and editor will all require professional fees as part of the package offered by the production company. There are other considerations as well such as the number of shooting days, locations and any special requirements such as helicopter shots, complex graphics, actors, presenters, etc. So you can start to see that these many variables will have an impact on the final cost of your film. This is why it is important to think about a budget for your production and how much could you sensibly allocate to it. If you do not think about this, then there really is no limit to how much you can spend!

Another aspect to bear in mind is the value of the script writing, storyboarding and creative input. It takes a high level of skill and experience to really captivate people’s imaginations and get the message across via the medium of film and video – advertising agencies realise the power of well produced commercials and corporate video and often spend hundreds of thousands (or more) to hire the best directors, crews and equipment to deliver effective messages and storylines with correspondingly high production values.

Editing and graphics are also key factors in cost

Let’s take an example:

A fixed position video camera with some audio equipment is set running to record a 45 minute seminar, this is eventually burned to DVD and provided to students as a training guide. The cost of this type of production is likely to be fairly low (possibly hundreds of pounds rather than thousands) as there is virtually no creative input; at the most a crew of one or two professionals may be required to monitor the audio and video. Post production would also be very straightforward.

Now look at a 30 second commercial for a top car manufacturer - here there is considerable creative input to arrive at an effective idea and storyline that will captivate the target audience and encourage them to spend many thousands on the vehicle. There may be many special effects and stunts involved as well as set design, helicopter shots, actors, lighting, etc. In addition, the commercial may be shot on a 35mm camera to get the ‘film look’ often demanded by top brands. A director with extensive experience in feature film and/or commercials may also be required to translate the creative idea into film. Editing and graphics are also key factors in cost. In the first example, there were virtually no editing decisions to be made, however, a high level television commercial may have many sophisticated graphical elements included, plus complex cuts and transitions that must follow all of the latest techniques and trends within the marketplace. All of this will amount to a very significant production budget – possibly hundreds of thousands of pounds or more.

So you can see that the cost of video and film production is not always related to the duration of the film. It is the attention to detail and professional approach throughout that will result in an effective film with high production values. You really do get what you pay for in this business!

The good news is that with today’s technology, film and video can be produced very cost effectively indeed, so please contact us to discuss your requirements – we can help with your initial analysis stage and with the preparation of a professional production budget.