August 18, 2022

How much does video production cost? [2022 rates]

Video has always been the best way to communicate with your customers and prospects. If you’re not yet making videos for your business and are looking to plan or budget for a future project – You’ve come to the right place!

In this article, you will learn the main factors that influence the production of a video in Montreal (the prices below are at the national average). Video production costs vary wildly, we’ll highlight the main areas that can influence the price of a video project and provide some real world examples to help you get ahead with your next video production project.

Let’s go!

To start, here are the main areas and questions to validate in order to cost your video production project. You will see that most agencies will ask specific questions about your project in order to provide you with a tailored quote.

Need help with your video production project or cost planning? Do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to help you. 

Video Production Budget Breakdown

The rates of the videographer(s) are not the only cost of a professional video production. In this section, you will discover the main factors that determine the budget of a video production.

Project management

Production management ensures that your video development never deviates:

• of your business goals.
• of the agreed budget.
• the agreed delivery time.

Planning and efficiency are the keys to the success of your video, whatever its purpose. Most of the time, video production companies include these costs in “pre-production” and/or “project management” and the rates vary on an hourly basis between $50 and $150/h depending on the complexity. of the project.

Script planning and development

Think of your video script as a link between your goals, your video, and your target audience. It defines its characteristics, its duration, the necessary plans and the general direction. With a professional script, you’ll know exactly what resources you’ll need, when, and for how long.

The script and planning are an invisible part of video production. This is an aspect on which “low cost” offers generally reduce costs. This often results in poor quality and poorly tailored videos. After all, there’s nothing new… quality leads to better conversions.

Script development can range between $125 and $500 per minute (60 sec. of video) – again, this is purely based on the complexity, shotlist and overall storyboard of your video project.  

On-screen talent

When it comes to human resources, you need to consider:

• If you need an interview and who should answer the questions: you, one of your employees or a client – in this case, the video production agency you will work with will not incur any additional costs.
• If you need professional actors, models or extras, that’s another story.
• The average cost of a talent will be between $150 and $2000/day (or sometimes more) of shooting. Other factors that can influence the cost of on-screen talent are:
  • Union vs Non-Union Talents
  • Actors or extras
  • The need for a casting agent, or other casting and audition fees

Crew

The cost here depends on the type of team your video needs: animation designers, videographers, production manager, assistants, photo technicians and support staff. To help you out, here are some rough numbers to get you started:

• Half day: $250 to $1500.
• Full day: $600 to $5000. 

The cost of the film crew will be influenced by the following factors: 

• Number of cameramen and cameras.
• Specific team needs including: lighting, sound, cinematographer, assistants, etc. 
• Location costs

If your video is not an animation, its production cost will largely depend on where it will be saved. In Montreal or outside Montreal, inside or outside. Additionally, you may need to consider the following costs:

• Travelling expenses.
• Rental of studio, house or building.
• Fees and permits, if applicable.

For the latter, it is more difficult to give figures because they can vary a lot according to the specific needs of the place. As a guide, studios can sometimes be rented by the hour (with minimums), while an apartment, for example, will usually be rented by the day.

Music license fees

In most cases, video production companies will be able to provide music for your video at little or no additional cost. Let’s be honest, as video production agencies, we all have one or more subscriptions to unlicensed music platforms that we pay for, in order to accompany our clients’ videos. In some cases you may need a very specific song from an artist which will require licensing fees and again this can vary wildly depending on the popularity of the artist or the agency.

Video editing and rendering

This is where most of the magic happens. This includes all the work of transforming the recordings, or animations, into your final video. From motion design, to selecting the right takes and cuts, to color grading and the specific transitions needed to produce the perfect video.

The average cost of editing and post-production is between $75/h and $150/h.

The things that need to be considered when it comes to publishing costs are: 

• The duration of the final video(s).
• Editing time and color grading.
• Number of videos to edit (one video, a series or several formats and versions of the same video).
• Broadcast formats and conversion.
• Editing style, motion design, etc.
• The number of revisions that are included.

Important Note: Most video production companies do NOT deliver or include raw files in a project unless specified in the agreement, as these files may be manipulated by someone else who can then take credit for the video. Most of the time, the raw files are sent by the agency in exchange for a remuneration which can vary from a fixed amount to a percentage of the project. This is something you can validate as part of your overall video production costs and needs. Most companies don’t need the raw files though, as they only need the final approved video for their project.

Other expenses

There are several other areas of “expenses” that can add to the overall cost of your video production, without going into detail, these are: 

Accessories and makeup

If your project requires specific “prompts” or props to complement the set or if you have actors/extras who need wardrobe or makeup support.

Travelling expenses

If you want to work with a specific crew that needs to travel to your desired filming locations, you may need to consider fixed travel costs or hotel costs.

Additional or specific pre-production or project management

It just depends on the type of project you want to do and the help you need from the agency you decide to work with. For example, if you need the video production company to help you idealize your entire video and handle all the moving parts, it will definitely increase your overall product cost.

Video campaign or distribution

If you are looking to distribute your video on television or specific channels to reach your desired audience, this is another element to consider as part of your overall video production costs. For example, as a digital marketing agency, we help some of our clients with their video efforts by setting up, deploying and optimising video campaigns on specific channels to achieve their business goals. Depending on your starting point, needs, and budget, there are several things that can impact your costs, from account setup to campaign tracking and duration.

Final Words On Cost of video production

Congratulation! You have learned the main factors that determine the cost of producing a video. Now is the time for you to refine this information. If your project demands professional looks and results, you need a professional video production agency to create a promotional video for your business.

Try to prioritise knowledge, experience and professionalism over “low cost”. Ask for your budget, but also for real-world examples.