What does a corporate video cost?

Almost every first conversation about a corporate video starts with the same question: what will it cost? The price calculator gives you an instant estimate without arranging a conversation first. The result depends on your production choices. This article explains which parts determine the price, how a quote is built and how you can steer with your budget.

What the price is made of

A video production is a series of working days by people with equipment. The price of a corporate video is the sum of those days plus a number of fixed costs. The main items:

Concept and script

Before anything is filmed there has to be an idea and a script. For a straightforward corporate video that is a day’s work; for a campaign with several videos and a creative concept it can be several. This is the phase where you have the most influence on the result, which makes it a poor place to save money.

Pre-production

Arranging locations, making a schedule, briefing people, booking equipment. For a shoot at one location this is a few hours; for a production with actors, several locations and permits it is a sizeable item.

Shooting days and crew

The largest item. Every shooting day consists of the crew (director, camera, sound, light), the equipment and travel. An interview day with a crew of two costs a fraction of a campaign day with a crew of eight, a drone, a steadicam and catering. The number of shooting days and the size of the crew together determine most of your quote.

Cast, locations and props

Your own employees in front of the camera cost nothing extra and are usually the best choice for corporate and recruitment videos anyway. Actors, models, a hired studio or a special location come on top.

Editing and finishing

Editing, colour grading, sound design, music, motion graphics and subtitles. The same rule applies: more versions and more animation mean more days. Music licensing is a separate item that is often forgotten.

Versions and formats

One main film is one thing. A main film plus five short versions in three aspect ratios for social media is a different project. Agree up front which versions you need, so they can come out of the same shoot.

Three examples of scope

These three worked examples use the current calculator rates. All amounts are excluding VAT. These are fictional combinations to illustrate the cost breakdown, not fixed packages or client projects. A shooting day covers Bas’s work; additional crew and other custom options are excluded from the calculated costs.

Scope	What it involves	Worked example
Small	One shooting day at one location, interviews with your own staff, a 60-second main film and two short versions	1 shooting day(s): €725 excluding VAT; equipment: €250 excluding VAT; editing 60 seconds: €1,200 excluding VAT; music: €100 excluding VAT. Known costs: €2,275 excluding VAT. Two short versions are custom work and are not included. Adjust in the calculator
Medium	Two shooting days at several locations, a 90-second main film, professional voice-over, drone, motion graphics and extra versions	2 shooting day(s): €1,450 excluding VAT; equipment: €500 excluding VAT; editing 90 seconds: €1,850 excluding VAT; script/storyboard: €500 excluding VAT; professional voice-over: €500 excluding VAT; music: €100 excluding VAT; subtitles: €50 excluding VAT. Known costs: €4,950 excluding VAT. Drone, motion graphics and extra versions are custom work and are not included. Adjust in the calculator
Large	Creative concept, three shooting days, a 120-second main film, actors, studio and additional campaign videos	3 shooting day(s): €2,175 excluding VAT; equipment: €750 excluding VAT; editing 120 seconds: €2,400 excluding VAT; script/storyboard: €500 excluding VAT; concept development from €650 excluding VAT; professional voice-over: €500 excluding VAT; music: €100 excluding VAT; subtitles: €50 excluding VAT. Known costs: from €7,125 excluding VAT. Actors, studio, additional crew, locations and additional videos are custom work and are not included. Adjust in the calculator

Build your own price estimate in the calculator. The calculator totals the known costs; custom work is quoted on top.

How to read a quote

A good quote shows its structure: pre-production, shooting days, editing, extras. If you only get a total, ask for the breakdown. Then you can see where there is room to move. Also check what is and is not included: music licences, subtitles, the number of revision rounds and the number of versions are the items that cause surprises afterwards.

How to steer with your budget

You do not need to keep your budget secret. If you tell me what you can spend, I propose an approach that fits inside it, instead of one you then have to strip down. A few choices with a large effect on price:

• The number of shooting days. Can locations be combined in one day?
• Your own people instead of actors. Almost always cheaper and often better.
• Plan versions from the start. Making extra versions afterwards often means new footage.
• Use animation in doses. Motion graphics for titles and figures are affordable; a fully animated film is a production of its own.

What you get back

A corporate video lasts for years. It sits on your homepage, in sales presentations, at trade fairs and in job ads. Over that lifetime a good film is one of the cheaper marketing tools you have. So the question is not only what it costs, but what it has to do. Tell me that, and I will tell you what it takes.

Read more about my approach on the project film page. Want an estimate for your own project? Get in touch with your goal, deadline and budget.