ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

9 years, 9 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

What does the client think you're charging? Often they'll assume bottom-feeder rates as they've never been exposed to the true cost of professional film. Best get ballpark expectations clear before details.

I estimate 'about a grand a minute', but then there are costs within that that need to be met - kit hire, crew hire, transport, consumables, edit time, sound mix time, instance, deliverables, preparation, costume, makeup, catering, agreeing deal terms, accounting costs, salary and profit. Or you cut corners, but make sure you know which corners you cut, make it the client knows.

I can't really go over the whole of budgeting here again (although have a look through the archives, several if us have gone into some reasonable depth over the years), but in essence you need to know your numbers before you can quite a price, and to do that you need to know your brief very clearly, which means managing expectations. It's easy to go in low, but to buy yourself stress in the process.

9 years, 9 months ago - Claire Buckley

Paddy covers most here...

I often shoot infrastructural video for large organisations but the question about budget depends upon your business model and the size of the organisation. As a new starter (irrespective of degree or otherwise) you will have a workflow that works for you - or I would hope you do.

Just one point, 2-3 minutes will more than likely turn into 4-5 minutes.

I own and operate Sony FS7 (shooting CineEI Slog3) for principal, edit on Adobe CC and grade in Resolve 12. Plus Quadcopter Aerials and approvals, and other B cameras and audio. And don't forget to add in professional VO. All that bundled in (less VO) averages about £650 per programme minute for me (and I do not have a mortgage or family expenses).

However, there aren't many public funded groups (or private contractors) that will pay over £3,000 for a one-off 5-minute short which is likely to last them 12-18 months, unless they want to buy into your shooting and production style. And their lies the objective, as once you acquire a client and they begin to trust and like your work, the budget often expands.

Unfortunately for me, I have often been undercut by such as newly-qualified-degree-in-Film-Production persons who will charge £500 or less in TOTAL for the WHOLE project . Sadly, too many newly graduated individuals chasing insufficient opportunities.

In reality, as Paddy has mentioned, many commercial businesses, even stil,l have not been exposed to the reality of 'real' production budgets, and simply will want something 'less ambitious' for their website or marketing. Therefore their expectations as to 'price' is much lower.

For the moment what value you place on your time is down to you. As a basic, and if you are based in the UK, check out the BECTU rates - but I have a feeling in order not to scare the client you will probably divide by two.

Finally - do NOT let your client get anywhere near the edit. Do NOT let them 'sit-in.' Keep the little fingers of their marketing department OUT of the edit suite. Make sure you obtain editorial control within the set brief in order to keep control of the production.

Hope that helps Robert. Good luck.

Claire

9 years, 9 months ago - Glyn Carter

For a simple project, a 1-minute final video may not cost more than a 3 minute, as long as you got enough footage. In fact for a shorter video you could spend more time editing it down. Get it right at script stage, as Claire says, and get this signed off, so if they ask for extras you can charge.

Put a cost on your own time as you see fit, but not less than Living Wage (look it up). Estimate how much time for developing, filming and editing. Will you do it all yourself or do you have to pay someone else - eg sound? Add on any expenses (travel food, kit hire etc etc) (if you have your own kit, charge as if it was being hired in.)

Recognise that without experience you'll probably spend much more time on it than you think, but that you wont get paid for this. Add a mark-up of 25%-33%.

Also, do some research as to what corporate video makers in your area are charging (probably starts around £500-£600 for a very simple project. Some online talking head outfits may be even less)

Costs and prices are coming down, but the size of the market is expanding!

9 years, 9 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Oh yes, and be absolutely certain you're clear what the scope is, and that any scope creep is chargeable (and work it a basis for that). If they want subtitles, get them in the scope. If they want the MD doing a walkabout, get it in the scope. You need an absolute blueprint if you plan to quote a fixed rate for the job, otherwise hire will you know when it's finished? And not knowing when it's finished leads to an all-you-can-eat film buffet!

9 years, 5 months ago - Loanna Morrison

I would love to have a just out of university starter do a 2 minute video for my website. I'm a not for profit doing an event for
young people and have very small budget. I am not looking for anything overly ambitious and can be done using our graduate volunteers. Quite a few businesses are coming to the event so possibility of more work could happen. Would you consider it?