How Much Does a Sales Video Cost?

Asking how much a sales video should cost is very much like asking how much a house should cost.  If you want five bedrooms and a view it will cost markedly more than if you want one bedroom in the country.  Similarly, if you want a six minute video shot on film using actors and a helicopter, it will cost you markedly more than a two minute video using library music and photographs.  Still, there are some general guidelines that will help you determine cost:

1. Concept

   A documentary-style video will cost less than one that is highly conceptual. Consider a news story that you see on television: Video and narration intermixed with soundbites and sometimes music. This is considered documentary-style.  Television commercials are often highly conceptual, using actors, props, special effects, 3D graphics, helicopters, etc.

2. Format

   Generally, the choice is film or tape.  Consider the difference in the viewing experience from a full-length feature film (shot, obviously, on film) and a news story (shot on tape).  The difference may be subtle to the eye, but to the overall experience, it's vast.  Film gives a much richer impression.  It also cost two to four times more than a project shot on tape.  Still, there are now  many options, including High Definition tape and Filmlooking that can give a rich, film experience for considerably less money than film.  The video's ultimate audience will often determine the choice between film or tape.

3. Shoot Days

   Whether your video is highly conceptual or documentary-style, the number of production days is a leading determination of cost.  For video, figure $2,500 - $5,000 per day, depending on the type of camera gear, lighting, etc.  The number can increase quickly when you add actors, make-up, Steadicam, helicopters, etc.

4. Editing Days

   The type of finished product will often determine the number of editing days.  So will the length of the video.  For a documentary- style video, allow one day of editing for every two minutes of finished video. Plan on spending $2,000 per day editing.  If your video has 3D graphics, figure on spending several thousand more. The digital recreation of a golf club in 3D, for instance, may cost $6,000 to $8,000 dollars.  If you want it to fly in from outer space and explode, add another $2,500.

5. Music and Narration

   James Earl Jones, a lot.  David Winter , not so much.  An original score by Elton John, a lot.  Library music off the Web, not so much. You get the idea!  Determine your return on investment when considering any feature in your video, then purchase appropriately.

6. Distribution

   An  often forgotten piece of the equation is what happens after your video is done.  You end up generally with one master tape.  If you are going to distribute it on VHS cassette, consider the number of tapes and how much you want to spend on the packaging.  If you are going to stream it onto your Web site, consider the cost of encoding.  Burning your video onto DVD or CD, there's a cost there, as well.