Budgeting for Custom Video Production

In this day and age, when virtually everyone's armed with a video camera (and, in many cases, a pretty nice one), it might be tempting to succumb to that little, budget-minded voice in your head. You know—the one working hard to convince you that with today's technology, you can entrust your company's video messaging to any pubescent with at least one hand free.

There may be occasions when that would be a good call, e.g. Instagram, but for the 99.9 percent of times when you want your video message to be watched (and engaged with, of course), you'll want to put it in the hands of a professional. Or, I should say, professionals. In order to produce a video that gives your company or organization the professional first impression you desire, you're going to have to work with more than one person. Think along the lines of the old "It takes a village" mantra. And this, my friends, is where custom video production comes in.

Depending how involved your video production is, you may need to budget for several crew members. They're the ones responsible for making you look good by setting up proper lighting, sound, framing and so forth.This becomes more complex–aka costly–if you're shooting on location instead of in a studio, where the lighting, sound, etc. is already more or less set up.

If you're hiring talent, that, of course, will add to your cost. Hey, actors need to eat too! And depending on experience and demand, some actors may work on a hamburger budget or command filet mignon-type pay. On top of that, there will be hair and makeup people to pay for keeping the talent looking their best.

Beyond personnel, your production budget will depend on a host of other factors–everything from how expensive a camera (or cameras) is required for the shoot, what other equipment is needed, how much editing needs to be done, the incorporation of graphics to formatting your video for specific uses.

It's safe to say you're probably going to shell out at least a couple thousand dollars for a professionally produced video of two to three minutes in length. I did say 'at least.' The costs can climb to perhaps five figures based on the variables mentioned above, as well as others.

But before you write the idea off as too expensive, stop and consider the benefits a well-done video can have for your business. It's a way to make a great introduction to your target audience in a format that's going to grab and hold their attention, as well as create a positive memory of your business.

The best way to start the process of creating a first-class video presentation is to meet with a marketing expert who can help hone your message and create a script and storyboard that ensures your story is told in the most effective way possible.

After you've chosen a production company, ask for a sample video they've produced. This will give you a good idea of the costs for producing a similar video for you. Also, don't be afraid to tell them how much you want to spend. They may have some cost-saving ideas for you. Or, you just may come to the conclusion that it's worth spending a little more for the best possible results.

To view the original article, visit the VScreen blog.