What Does it Cost to Produce a Video Project?

Investing in a high-quality video can enhance your brand’s reach across all screens, from mobile to large displays. But how much does it cost? What impacts that price tag? What can you expect to see based on your budget? Pricing varies widely depending on your project’s scope, from a few thousand dollars for simpler videos to six figures for large productions. Here’s a breakdown of what impacts video costs and why.

Key Cost Factors

1. Video Crew Needs

The complexity of your video determines the crew’s size and roles, which directly affects costs. Small projects may need only a Director of Photography (DP) and a grip, while more elaborate shoots often require a team. Here’s an overview of common roles and their contributions:

• Director: Oversees the entire production, making sure the visual story aligns with your vision. They direct talent, guide lighting, and manage the look and feel of each scene.
• DP (Director of Photography): Frames each scene and often collaborates with the director to set the right tone. They adjust shooting angles, lighting, and timing based on natural or studio lighting.
• Sound Recordist: Vital if recording live sound, ensuring crisp audio quality. A dedicated sound recordist keeps the audio clear, enhancing the production’s overall professionalism.
• Camera Operators: Generally, one or two operators are involved, with one on the main camera and others capturing b-roll for added footage variety. They bring dynamic perspectives that give editors more footage to work with.
• Assistants and Lighting Team (ACs, Gaffers, and Grips): Handle tasks like focus, lighting adjustments, and setup, ensuring smooth transitions between scenes. Their expertise keeps everything running efficiently, helping stay on schedule.

2. Talent Costs

Talent, whether on-camera or voice-over, can make up a substantial part of your budget. Here are the options based on experience and cost:

• Amateur Talent: Affordable, often consisting of employees or friends. While budget-friendly, they may lack the polish of professional talent, which can extend shoot time.
• Semi-Professional Talent: Available through a studio or agency at a moderate fee, semi-pro talent is more comfortable on camera but doesn’t carry the costs of agency talent.
• Professional Talent: With experience in front of the camera, professional talent ensures polished performances. Costs depend on their experience and intended video usage (local vs. national broadcast, online-only, etc.). Fees are usually tied to usage rights, meaning higher visibility requires higher fees.

Additional costs can arise for specialized talent, such as child actors or animal talent, each adding logistical needs and on-set requirements like extra breaks or handlers.

3. Location vs. Set

Where you film affects both budget and creative control. Each option is valuable for different reasons, but cost can certainly affect what choice you make.

• Existing Locations: Often, shooting in real-world settings (like an office or public venue) offers authenticity but may require scouting and location fees. Additionally, scheduling limitations (e.g., only being able to film outside business hours) can impact costs and timelines.
• Custom Sets: Ideal if you need a highly controlled environment to meet specific aesthetic or logistical needs. Building or modifying sets requires materials and labor but gives full creative control over the space. Some studios offer set co-ops to reduce costs by sharing set usage with other projects.

4. Specialized Equipment

Your desired look may require specialty gear, which can add to the budget but allows for unique effects or styles.

• High-End Cameras and Rigs: Unique shots, like extreme slow-motion, need specific cameras that may add thousands to the project. Motion-control rigs, for example, are often used for precise, repeated movements.
• Lighting and Sound Equipment: To capture specific moods, additional lighting equipment or audio tools may be necessary. Your production team, photographer, or DP can recommend what’s essential versus optional based on your goals.

Each of these factors impacts the total cost. Luckily, our team is here for you every step of the way, ensuring that your finished product that aligns with your vision and investment. Balancing each aspect with your needs and budget helps create a video that tells your story effectively. Next, let's take a look at a few examples of videos and how pricing looked for each of them.

Tier 1: $50,000 - $75,000

Our first-tier video production would typically fall within the $50,000 - $75,000 range, offering a professional, polished look by using semi-permanent stock sets, experienced OR non-professional talent, and a team of essentials. These projects often include skilled roles like a director, director of photography, and essential support crew (e.g., camera assistants, gaffers, grips), with additional specialists for styling and makeup as needed. The final product is a polished, one-minute edit, ideal for digital and social media, achieving high-quality visuals without custom-built set expenses.

The following video, a spec project shot for a local glassware company, featured mainly B-roll footage that was taken after our photographer shot the images. Lighting and styling was already set up for the photography portion of the project, and we used a mixture of professional and non-professional talent (you may even recognize a TRG team member in this video!) to minimize cost.