Two questions that clients typically have about custom video productions are, how much does a custom video production cost and how long will it take? It depends on the scope of the project. Not all productions require a ton of planning and can simply be done over the phone. Larger productions however need some or all of these questions answered. I have broken a production down into the following three sections:
- Pre-Production Phase (Consultation)
- The goal of the project, the audience, and how to get there.
- Location(s) and location expenses, or virtual locations.
- Scouting the location(s)
- Who to interview or who the actor(s) are.
- Choosing voice actors if required.
- Scripts, Dialogue, and Captions.
- Type of music, and if the music needs to be recorded in a studio.
- Choosing the right equipment, such as cameras, audio interfaces, etc.
- The final medium that the production will be distributed as. DVD/Blu-Ray/Online Medium, Broadcast TV, etc.
The time-frame of pre-production can involve hours, days or weeks depending on the length of the production. Generally speaking, the pre-production phase is based on a set hourly rate.
- Production Phase (Location Shooting)
- How many days are required for the production (weather contingencies included.)
- How many production crew members are needed. At a minimum you need a videographer and in large productions you also need a producer, audio engineer(s), lighting specialist(s), wardrobe/makeup, and support personal.
The production phase will certainly be determined by the length of the production, and how elaborate the scenes will be. Crew members, will be paid hourly rates, and depending on the production type the actors as well. Things to also take into consideration are expenses, which can range from production gear, to food/drink, travel expenses, permits, rentals and so forth.
- Post Production Phase (Behind the Scenes)
- Reviewing the raw footage, doing cuts, and editing.
- Production of computer generated graphics, sub-titles, music and so on.
- Adding voice-over talent and or narration.
- Reviewing and tweaking the final cut of the production.
During post production the entirety of the footage needs to be reviewed to determine what footage stays and what footage is cut. Costs for editing are based on industry standard hourly rates for editors * the amount of raw footage. Computer generated graphics, narration and music and licensing costs will also need to be considered in the cost and time-frame.
