Video Production Pricing Guide

Perhaps you are looking to produce a series of TikTok videos showcasing your product. Or, maybe you are on the search for someone who can create a tutorial video. There are an immense amount of options available for consumers to produce videos for themselves, or their businesses. The first step is to narrow down what type of video fits your business needs.

Let’s say you are trying to produce a 30 second ad for YouTube for example. You find that you can hire freelancers who can create a video ad for as low as $25, and you were also quoted by an advertising agency to create an ad campaign for $40,000. What is the right route for you, or your business with such a vast gap in the cost of service? Depending on your budget and what you are hoping to achieve, certain services may better fit your needs. The questions below will dispel some of the confusion in the discrepancy involved with picking a video production company or service. 

Why are some services more expensive than others?

Let’s use the example from the advertising agency we discussed above. When using agencies and production companies that have larger staffs, you should expect to pay more for your video. Because your video is more expensive, you should also expect your production quality to be higher than when using a freelance service or contractor. The reputation of the agency, the cost of technology, and the specialized crew are all factors to make costs rise when using an agency.

To expand on the specialized crew, these folks may be professional directors, cinematographers, actors, animators, equipment operators, sound designers, editors, and more who might be needed in the production. Sometimes these people will work in-house with the agency but often they are outsourced based on the needs of the production. These skilled workers will bring higher production costs. 

What drives production costs up?

Beyond larger crews and higher production quality, several other factors can drive the cost of your video up and these are often applicable to videos at any budget level. In general, longer production times increase costs. The length of your final video, coupled with the length of time it takes to produce your video will drive costs up. Specialized equipment like drones and other equipment will make costs higher. Custom and complex animation will also come at a higher cost.

What services cost less?

If we look back at our example, we also found freelancers who can create videos for as low as $25. Using freelance services like Fiverr and Upwork, consumers can source freelancers who can make low-cost videos with short delivery times. However, many of these videos are templated and use stock footage and imagery. So your video will not be unique or have as high production quality as an agency or production company. Similar to these services, AI video generators and drag-and-drop software like Canva will come at lower costs than outsourcing to an agency. Perhaps you are looking to create videos on a more consistent basis rather than a one-off project and you don’t want the expense that comes along with using an agency. You might look to source a contractor or freelancer for your company who can create high-quality original assets for you. 

What drives production costs down?

Shorter-length video, less crew, less equipment, and technology are all factors that will drive the overall cost of your video down. The use of templates and pre-existing digital assets to create your video will also be more budget-friendly. 

Where does Noremac Creative fit into this spectrum of services?

Our crew sizes usually consist of one to three people. Our prices will be higher than those found on platforms like Fiverr. However, we deliver a full-service video production and a more personalized experience than those offered by freelance and video-generating platforms. Similarly, Noremac is not an advertising agency, and our listed pricing will reflect the costs of the video production. So we will generally have lower costs than marketing, PR, or advertising agencies. As a general rule, the less complex the ask, the more moderate the cost of the video. With larger scale ideas and concepts, the greater the cost of production. In the agency realm, clients often play a much smaller role in the concept stage. The ideas are generated by the agency and then are usually pitched to the client to narrow down what they like. Noremac can provide this service, but we can also help you craft a video that you may already have in mind. Many of our clients are communicating specialized and complicated information, and we can help you improve your messaging to deliver through video.

The information above should serve as a guide to help you better understand not only our pricing but pricing across much of the video production industry. If you have any questions about this guide, the video production industry, or Noremac Creative, reach out using the form below.