Budgeting Video Production
There isn't any doubt that the Internet is different the way businesses contact their customers. Today, a lot of companies are using a mix of digital media - including websites that feature video, YouTube, videos, Facebook and more - with "traditional media" - that also includes direct mail, print ads, brochures, radio and tv and other media. In case you are new to producing materials for digital media - especially video, you could be wondering how to effectively budget for video production. Well, "Production 101" was designed to help guide you through the process. So read on! Video Production Pittsburgh
Because video production might be complicated at times, the ultimate way to approach this topic is always to give you an analogy to utilize. What seems to work for most people is comparing video production to renovating a house. Here's why: in case you ask how much a house renovation will cost, the reply is, "it depends." Well, it is the same with video production.
For that home renovation, the "it depends" extends back to how many feet square you have, what type of materials you desire - granite, marble or tile, for instance, how many different subcontractors will be involved - painters, tile people, floor refinishers, electricians, - well, the list goes on and on. As you can see, there really is no other answer for home renovation pricing than, "it depends."
With video production, that "it depends" response pertains to how long the finished video will be, what it will be employed for - a TV commercial, video tutorial, promotional video, uploaded to YouTube, etc. Pricing also depends upon how many different people will be involved - if there will be on-camera talent, makeup artists, hairstylists, set builders, multiple cameras, tricks, plus what types of cameras and equipment you'll be using, whether or not it's going to be a studio or location shoot - this list goes on and on as well. To be able you can see, there really isn' other answer for video production pricing than, "it depends."
In both cases, the key is quality. You wouldn't want shoddy craftsmanship when redoing a home, do you? Of course not! You don't want an inexperienced plumber or electrician taking care of the infrastructure of your home, do you? Of course not!
With video production, quality is very important as well. You could just pop a video camera on a tripod and hit the record button. Fresh fruits, the video is supposed to represent your small business, and a camera with a tripod would be a pretty poor representation of the brand.
While "quality" has lots of different meanings, in terms of video production it easy to define: you need a professional, compelling video that individuals will want to watch, and is also a video that represents your company in a positive way. The key is "professional" - people today are utilized to seeing TV commercials that cost over $200,000; the reality is that they are not going to watch your video if all you have to show them is a video shot from the camera perched over a tripod with a person talking.
The magic formula to creating a professional quality video is a basic understanding the production process. Have you ever been to a commercial production shoot, often used lots of people working on the set. They're all there for a reason: you could see a director, producer, makeup artist, lighting director, camera operator, audio personnel, grips, the list goes on and on.
You can find three phases to making a video: pre-production - where you decide on the concept and all the content; production - in places you actually bring together all of the elements and people and shoot the video; and post-production, where you edit and improve the video into a finished product.
Just as there are three phases to making a video, there are three recommendations for determining how much a video will end up costing. They're: time, tools and talent. Time - could mean how long the video production is going to be, or how long it will require to actually shoot and edit it. Tools include elements like what sort of stage you'll need; what number of and what type of cameras will probably be used, whether you desire a crane shot or a moving dolly shot; which editing system will be needed for specific tricks - and so on. Talent relates to all the people involved in the production. This consists of the director, an on-camera talent or voiceover, actors, set builders, cameraman, hairstylists and makeup artists - a list can on and on too! And as you've probably guessed by now - the more time, unit and talent you put in to a video, the more it will cost.
When it comes to producing a video, the 1st rule of thumb is: if you aren't an expert in video production - hire one. You'll end up saving a lot of money over the course of production, because experienced production personnel know how to manage costs. Remember our house renovation analogy? You'd hire a general contractor to deal with the people and locate and buying all the materials, right? Well, oahu is the same with video production.
An excellent production company has all the assets you'll need for almost any type of production, so it's a good use of your hard earned money to hire one. They're the "general contractor" for your video production. Needless to say, you need to hire the right choice - one that knows its way around corporate videos, commercial productions, video tutorials - in fact, they need to have in-depth experience in whatever sort of video that you're intending to produce. Video Production Pittsburgh
The production company determines who to use as a director or cameraperson on your own shoot based on your allowance. They can also recommend ways to shoot a concept which will reduce your costs. The fact is they have the knowledge and expertise to acheive it - and still do it. The last thing you want is to locate hobbyist or inexperienced company producing your video. Remember, this video will probably be a representation of your company. Do you really desire a novice getting on the task training on your project!
Everything starts with a script and a concept. It's not only a matter of taking copy from the brochure and converting it to some video. It has to be conversational and viewers' attention, while flowing from scene to the next. Your concept could be as simple as "I need a video that shows why we're better than the competition." But in spite of something so basic, you'll want to produce a video that does a great job of executing that concept. You need to create a video that people will want to watch.
Another key tool is a storyboard. This is where you actually pre-plan the action that will happen on camera; determining camera angles, how sets will be, where the talent will stand, etc. This is one place you can transform things around to aid lower production costs - before beginning shooting!
Once the script and storyboard are approved, you commence the pre-production planning. You'll determine talent, where you should shoot it, regardless of whether you need to build a set, in case a makeup artist or hairstylist is essential, how many support people are needed, what type of music you'll use, whether or not you need special graphics - and also on and on. This is where the development company comes into play - they've "been there, done that." So they'll help guide you through this maze.
Those elements are called "production values" - each one plays a role in the overall quality of your production. Each one also plays an important role in your overall budget as well, so you have to decide which elements are necessary to the video and which ones you can do without.
OK, you've done your homework. You've been subject to script rewrites, picked the talent, approved the storyboards and hired the proper production company. You've balanced on a regular basis, tools and talent variables in a workable budget.
Now you need to shoot!
After you've done all the preparation, all the planning and all the hard work, the shoot went well. However are not done yet. Because after you have made all the decisions; shot the video and sent your abilities packing - it is time to edit.
Editing is when the magic happens. Editing is to try and bring all of your production elements together. Here's that you add visual effects, tweak the colour, add graphics, sweeten the audio, add music and sound clips, create amazing scene transitions - their list goes on and on as well. That's where you turn your raw video right into a compelling, unique video that folks will want to watch.
OK, you're almost ready to graduate from "Production 101." Just one thing remains - the best way answer the ongoing question of, "how much could it cost? Unfortunately, there's no secret formula. There are several general guidelines, speculate with everything else you buy, you get what you purchase. And the more production values you need in your video, greater it's going to cost you.
Here are some rules of thumb to help you when budgeting for quality video production: if you are planning a training or corporate video, costs can vary from $1500 - $4500 for each minute. So if you were planning to put together a 5-minute video - that video would run you anywhere form $7500 to $22,500. Sure, there is certainly probably a local videographer who is able to throw a video together for $2500, but nobody should watch it. And it won't reflect positively on your own company. So don't waste your dollars!
Television commercials could cost anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 or higher. And on national commercials, the "and up" can run up to several hundred thousand dollars. But things are all relative, and often a variety of compromises can be made to create videos that meet your allowance parameters.
