How much does it cost to make a video?

Over the years, I have been asked this question a lot.  I have to smile a little to myself when I hear it, because it is kind of like asking, “how much does it cost to buy a car?”  I saw one parked in a driveway the other day with a sign that said $1000.  I could buy that car, but would it get me to where I want to go?  In the same way, while it may possible to make a video for $1000, will it get you where you want to go? 

Video is an excellent way to connect with donors, customers, patrons and constituents.   You have a brief opportunity to communicate your message to the masses.  You want to project passion, inspire confidence, and leave a lasting impression.  Do you really want to do that with a $1000 video? 

The basic principle here is, the more that you can invest, the more time we can work on your message, the better your video will be. 

Panorama Productions will work with your organization to help you find the best "vehicle" for your budget. 

Why does it cost so much to make a video?

Many people, especially those who are checking in to having a video produced for the first time, come to me suffering from acute “sticker shock”!  “How is it possible that a simple 10 minute video could cost $50,000?”  The answer usually lies in the fact that producing a good video is usually a team effort that involves the talents and expertise of five or six individuals.  Just check the credits at the end of most videos. You have a camera man, who is very good at, “getting the shot”, but may need a director to point out what needs to be shot.  You may have a dedicated audio guy who knows everything about mics and getting great sound for your video, but does not have the first clue about what questions should be asked!  The director might have the qualifications or talent for asking the right questions, but may still insist that a writer be along on the shoot,  to build the story and do the interviews.  If your agency is working in Africa or Southeast Asia, you suddenly have the salaries and travel costs of three or four individuals for a week to ten days, on location. Once the production crew is back home, they will often pass the project over to a video editor, who may call on the expertise of a graphics specialist to help with customized graphics.  If you want music in your video, an artist will need to be hired, or licenses purchased for production music.   If you want to make a nice DVD of your presentation, it may require another individual who specializes in DVD authoring.  All of these people need a slick space to ply their craft, with the latest Macs on their desks.  In downtown Chicago, New York or LA, this space does not come cheap!  In addition to rent, there is the never-ending purchase of expensive hardware and software to keep up with a rapidly changing industry.   To keep the agency running smoothly, you may also need an accountant and receptionist.  Suddenly you might start to wonder how the production agency is able to make any money at all, charging only $50,000 for your video!

Panorama Productions offers you the advantage, and cost savings,  of a “one man team”, that works out of his home office.  Frank Spangler says, “I direct myself, get the shots, do the audio, ask the questions, write the story, do the interviews, edit the video, design the graphics, answer the phone, ….  and once a year, around the middle of April, do the accounting!” 

Panorama Productions does keep up with the latest hardware and software, but we also recognize that 99% of the typical viewing audience will not know the difference between a video that was shot with a $10,000 camera and one shot with a $100,000 camera, or whether a video was edited on the latest Mac or an aging PC.  We do our best to keep equipment costs to a minimum.   All of this results in significant savings to our clients.  It means one salary, one air ticket to your location, lower production costs, and lower overhead.  This means that the video project that normally costs $50,000, we can often do for more like $10,000-$20,000!  Email us with the specifics of your project and we will get you a custom quote that should make you smile!  As a bonus, we can shoot still photography while we are out visiting your projects, giving you quality still images for your brochures, at no additional expense! 

If you don’t have your studio in our home town, how can we work together to produce the video that we want?  How can we be “over the shoulder”, directing the edit, making approvals, suggesting changes?

For twenty years now, most of our clients have been hundreds if not thousands of miles away from our studio.  In today’s world of high-speed internet, it is even much easier than in the past.  From script writing through the delivery of the internet video or DVD, we can work with your staff, every step of the way.  At the most critical step, the video editing, we can send you a Windows Media Player version of the video every night, over  the internet.  Your staff can preview the videos from the convenience of their desk.  They can then call or email, offering suggestions or request changes. 

This works so well, that even my clients who are located in the same town where I have my studio, usually use this method, rather than come in and sit down with me during the edit.

I see that you are based in the US.  Our preferred TV standard for delivery is PAL.  Can we work with you?

Yes.  We can shoot and edit in PAL, 50i, and 25p at all of the Standard or High Definition resolutions. 

We want our project to be in High Definition?  Can you produce a High Definition video?

Yes.  We always shoot, edit and archive in High Definition (HD).  You can then decide to receive the project in High Definition, Standard Definition (SD)… or both.  We will even throw in versions of your video that are suitable for webcasting, either in SD or HD, at no additional cost.

Alright, already! What are your rates?

Panorama Production has a very complicated formula for determining how much we might quote for production work.  It goes something like this: The Project +/- Who you are +/- What you do +/- How busy we are! 

If it is a quick, one time job, we bill out at a standard $100/hour.  However, if you are an agency that is serving humanity, with a real interest in developing an ongoing media presence,  we often offer significant discounts.  The quote that we send you may depend a lot on what your organization or agency does, the nature of the project, how much we might “buy-in” to your cause, where your project site is located, and our schedule.   

Send us a profile of your agency, your mission statement, and a detailed description of the production that you have in mind, and we will be happy to offer you our best quote!