How Much Does it Cost to Make a Corporate Video?

How Much Does it Cost to Make a Corporate Video?

Video is fast becoming the marketing medium of choice for many businesses, both large and small. While it comes with a cost implication, the return on investment is generally worth the time, money and effort. 

You can create a deeper, emotional connection with your audience, something that other content choices like text and still images don’t always deliver. Videos are also much likelier to be shared on social media. On Twitter, a post with a video attached is 6 times more likely to be retweeted than a post with a simple image. 

The big question for most businesses is how much a corporate video is going to cost in the first place. 

This depends on a wide range of factors. You can produce a credible video if you have the skillset for as little £500. In general, with filming over a couple of days, you should be setting aside a project budget of around £2,500, its important to be up front about your budget, video production companies like Square Pixel Productions are used to working within a budget whilst maximising production value.

In recent years, video has become more accessible, even to smaller businesses and start-ups. Working with a professional video production team can make a big difference as they can help you control your spend and deliver value for money. 

What Affects The Cost of a Corporate Video?

There are a variety of different factors that will dictate the amount your corporate video is going to cost. 

Pre-Production

This is the planning stage where you sort out your budget, what you want to achieve, get your script together and plan your resources. The more time spent in this phase, the smoother you should expect the rest of the process to go. 

A lot is going to depend on how complex your video project is. Obviously, a 1-minute corporate video is going to take less planning and filming than one which lasts for 10 minutes or more. 

Filming and Post-Production

Filming is the time when you bring the majority of your resources together including film crews and actors. Any delays at this stage can certainly add to the overall cost. That’s why it’s important to get everything planned in as much detail as possible before you start. 

Post-production is often where a lot of the magic happens and where your film is edited into the final version, ready to upload onto your site. Post-production will usually involve adding media like sound and music as well as animation or motion graphics. The impact on the final cost will depend on what you are trying to achieve. 

Developing Your Script/Idea

Most videos require some form of scripting. You may want to put it together yourself to save money but this is generally a false economy. From the initial storyboarding to the final, honed and proofed script, there’s a lot of work involved. While hiring a professional scriptwriter will cost extra, it will ensure you get all your key messages across to your audience in an engaging and dramatic fashion. 

Choosing Locations

If you’re sticking with one location it’s going to cost you less than if you want to move from place to place. Not only do you have to organise filming but you will need to move camera crews and equipment as well as actors. Working outdoors may require getting permission from the local council, for instance, and you may only be able to film at certain times. 

Actors and Props for Your Corporate Video

As you are making a corporate video you might want to involve your own staff and this can certainly save you some money. Not everyone is great in front of the camera, however, and it may be more prudent to factor in the cost of actors. Your video will probably require at least some props that will need to be hired or bought, all of which can add to the final budget. 

Specialist Filming Techniques

Some projects involve specialist filming. For example, you might want a drone shot of your office building to add a dramatic effect opening to your video. This means you need to hire a drone expert who can capture the right images for you. Other specialist techniques include time-lapse, slow motion or filming with a gimbal. 

Adding Animation and Motion Graphics 

You may not want too much animation for your corporate video (this tends to work better with promotional or how-to videos) but you will probably want motion graphics. This is where text is put over the filmed content. You will need to hire a team that can do this for you in the final editing phase. 

Time

One of the biggest drains on financial resources is time. Simply put, the more days you spend filming, the more it’s going to cost. 

Any delays at all can change the final bill for your corporate video. Actors still have to be paid, even if they are standing around on set waiting to perform. If you are unable to film on a certain day for any reason, you still have to splash out for the crew and equipment. 

That’s why the planning stage of your film production is certainly the most important. It ensures you have the best chance of making efficient use of your time and money.

Why Use a Professional Video Production Company 

Corporate videos can be done on a shoestring but most businesses don’t have access to the sort of expertise in-house that make it worthwhile. A professional video production team will be able to guide you through the entire process and work with everyone to ensure you get exactly what you are looking for. 

Of course, the big concern for most businesses is what return on investment they are going to get. A professionally produced and engaging video is more likely to be viewed, for a start. It will be an asset to your marketing for some time to come and can be placed on your website, used at events or posted on social media. A professional team has access to all the right equipment and understands the challenges of undertaking a project like this – that means they’ll be able to keep the costs in check and ensure you get value for money. 

If you’ve decided to create a corporate video and need a professional video production team onboard, contact Square Pixel Productions today to discuss how we can help.