Video costs depend on on your level of partnership with your video production company
Video production always involves partnership, and at MiniMatters we take our relationships with our clients very seriously. You should know that the structure of that partnership will impact not only your direct outlay for video costs, but also your workload and that of existing staff. Higher video costs pay for more service and ease your workload. As with many things, though, options can fall across a wide-ranging spectrum.
Some issues that effect what level of video producer assistance you will need, and how that impacts video cost, include:
- Concepting and Messaging. Will your staff guide concepting and messaging, or will your video production company handle it? If you have a large communications department and an established vision for your videos and their key messages, you may have fewer needs in this area. However, messaging for video is different from other mediums, and you may want guidance from your video producer. Your video’s idea must really fit the video medium. While getting professional help to get this right will add to your video costs, it will also give you much better videos.
- Interviews. Will your videos rely on interviews to obtain authentic, but on-message statements? If so, you may find that a producer who can work with your team to develop questions that address key messages, and who can elicit strong and usable soundbites during interviews, is invaluable.
- Logistics. Do you need help securing the location and contacting the people you need to be at the location for your shoot? Would you prefer assistance in securing legally appropriate releases from people that appear in the video? It is often possible to use a staff member for these purposes, but there are times when your staff may already be at capacity, and where it would help for your video producer to take on these jobs. If you select a video producer for this purpose, you need one that you trust absolutely to represent your organization. (Look here for a post about the importance of this aspect of video production.) While having your video producer handle some of your logistics will increase your video costs, it may well be worth it.
- Project Management and Consultation. Will someone on staff be the ultimate project manager for your video? Or, would you like your video producer to be the project manager, in effect, serving in a consultant role? It will add to your video costs, but a consultant can make your life easier and often be the facilitator of organizational change.
Costs for video producer work and consultation generally range from about $100-$200/hour. We at MiniMatters include a basic amount of concepting and messaging help, interview work, and coordination of releases within our general video pricing–and charge an hourly rate for anything beyond that.
Your organization may not be prepared to answer all of these and the other questions that impact your video costs before you talk to a video producer. However, it may be helpful to begin this conversation internally before you have your first meeting with video producers.