When considering your company’s video production needs, eventually the discussion arrives at which package will maximize your value and minimize the cost. Typically, video production companies offer a variety of “set” packages that include the number of hours of filming required, length of the deliverable video, crew involved in production, and even the equipment used for the project. On more sophisticated videos, package pricing becomes impossible because of the highly customized needs for the video such as casting, actors, locations, effects work, specialized gear such as a slow motion camera, underwater videography, or special permits for filming in sensitive locations (seaports, airports, freeways, etc.). Your job as the marketing expert is to figure out what you need from the video, then let the video production company help decide what package is right.
Basic Vs. Custom Video Packages
For our clients, we typically customize quotes based on our two basic packages, which are a half-day shoot and a full day shoot. From there, we can determine any additional needs though our typical full day shoot package is sufficient for the majority of our clients and includes every professional detail for a nice finished video. With custom video production packages, the price and what’s included is determined after careful discussions with the client figuring out the exact details of the video. For instance, the script or concept may dictate a location rental is needed, four actors have to be hired (thus a casting director involved), additional crew will be needed for higher end lighting and production, a makeup artist might be warranted, and an on-set director / producer to help make sure everyone is on the same page and the time is maximized to deliver a great finished video.
When a client first reaches out to us about their video needs, we try to ascertain the purpose of the video first, where it will be watched and delivered, and what the key concerns are with messaging. For instance, a virtual tour video will usually have the goal of bringing customers into a facility and putting it at the top of their list versus the competition. A product demonstration video may be a more direct sales proposition with the aim of teaching customers about a product, telling them why it will make their lives easier or better, and how they can buy it with some sort of call to action at the end. Once we understand how the client will use the video, including whether it will be on various video platforms, their own Website, a trade show, local television, etc., we can determine the best approach to making a high converting, professional video to serve their marketing needs.
Standard Video Package
Most video production companies offer a “standard” package that works for the vast majority of customers, which should include every element required to produce a nice, polished video without the client needing to worry that a key consideration isn’t included. Within the standard package, there is a lot of variety, so you’re not paying for a specific type of video, but rather elements that are important to any successful shoot such as a highly skilled videographer with a large array of equipment, a full day of time to gather necessary footage, editing included, suitable stock music and basic stock elements (if required), along with all project coordination and paperwork.
One key advantage to the JLB Media Productions philosophy of corporate video work is making sure that videography pricing and packages remain steady across different markets because we deal with a lot of companies with national video production needs. If a marketing director is trying to budget twenty shoots across eight states, they want to make sure the cost of each video production package can be the same across the portfolio for each shoot. Video production rates vary depending on needs, but the same package in a different market ideally should cost the same amount so budgeting is far easier for larger companies with more substantial video needs.
Advice When Choosing a Video Production Company
As advice to companies searching for video production companies, always make sure whatever video production package you select includes the necessary editing and a certain number of client revisions. Otherwise, you run the risk of a company billing you by the hour for editing with no oversight, no way to know how long they really spent editing, and no assurances that they won’t keep tacking on additional rates, turning a seemingly affordable video production package into an ever increasing money pit of costs and overages. Be sure any contract spells out what is included in the video production package, make sure the company carries proper insurance, and outlines when delivery can be expected roughly.