Cost Drivers

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With the amazing growth of YouTube and other video-sharing sites, video has become widely accepted as a growing and viable way to market your small business effectively. But most small business owners who are getting ready to create their video don’t know the various budget line items and tasks involved in producing their video.

The following summary should give you a general idea of what to include in your budget for your video. Whether the video is a one-man production or a large-scale Hollywood-style production, the video’s production tasks and budget can usually be divided into these three areas. Having answers regarding your needs in each of these areas will allow for a more accurate quote. If you aren’t sure what you require, feel free to contact our video consultants to help you determine the best solution for your video needs.

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Process

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The Three Areas of a Video Production Budget

1) Pre-production – Pre-production basically covers all the expenses up to the first day of shooting. These tasks usually cover the pre-planning Stage.

• Audience – Is your video aimed at customers or is it for internal use? Generally, sales/marketing videos require higher production values than internal communications and training videos.

• Length – Obviously, the longer the video, the more it costs. Most companies overestimate the amount of time needed to communicate their message. Even the most complex business can be summarized in two to three minutes. Any longer and you will likely lose your audience.

• Voice-over – A professional narrator can enhance the quality of your video significantly by conveying your message in the style you require.

• Script development for your proposed video – As a general rule, the most expensive item in this area is the script. The script includes the words you will hear and the images you will see in your video. You can often save money by writing your own script, although not all production companies allow you to do so. Dvideo does! However, it is important to understand that writing a quality script requires a significant amount of time, along with strong marketing and creative skills. We provide script writing tools, guides, and examples to help you with this critical video production step.

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Other item costs may include location scouting and casting but this only applies if specific locations are needed and actors will be used. Your video may call for an on-camera host or professional actors in dramatizations. However, to save costs, many non-speaking, on-camera roles can be filled by employees or others.

2) Production – This phase includes all the expenses that will be incurred for the actual shooting of your video. By reviewing your script, we can give you a good estimate of how many hours or days will be needed to shoot the film. Keep in mind any added costs required for outdoor locations that may be dependent on specific weather conditions. Many small-scale videos are usually shot at a company location. As a general rule, each three to five minutes of video requires a full day of field production, depending on the type of video. Professional production companies assume at least two-person crews and may require additional staff and equipment based on the requirements of the shoot. Some shoots require a second or third camera, especially ones capturing a live event. Videos requiring more than one location will require additional days of field production.

3) Post-Production – This phase consists of taking the raw footage of your video and editing it into the final product. Reviewing video for errors, best shots, and more to match up to your intended script. The video editing process also includes adding titles, graphics, transitions, music, and any narration you may want to add and edited into your video.

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