(Thanks to Matt and Melanie over at video and creative agency Web Videos Australia, for this guest post which is also a great example of how agencies can provide great value in their content, to prospective purchasers of their services.)

All project managers are looking to squeeze their corporate video budget for the best possible outcome.

But for someone who is unfamiliar with the video production industry, it can be difficult to gauge what one should expect to pay.

What muddies the water even more is the giant differences in quotes from one videographer to another.

So what is entailed in the production of a video?

First of all, If you have a good idea what you want, as well as being flexible with your ideas, a producer can more accurately quote the project. It also puts you in a good position to possibly negotiate the price lower.

Pre-Production costs.

Copywriting.

This is the sales script for your video. Copywriting can be a difficult process as sentences have time constraints. Most web videos have a duration of 30 seconds to 2 minutes. You can fit one hundred and fifty to two hundred words into a minute of video depending on how slow or fast the audio is. This means your script needs to be lean. There can’t be any words in your copy that you could do without.

If you feel confident in your writing skills and are prepared to write the video script yourself, you can often save some money by negotiating the service off your quote.

Storyboarding.

This is where the producer plans out the project in a linear timeline. It’s the producers job to fit everything that is required within the planned timeframe of a shoot.

Talent sourcing.

If the project requires actors or presenters, the producer will find the right professionals for the job. You can save money by starring in the video yourself, as well as using your own employees.

Scheduling and preparing for the shoot.

Depending on your needs, you may require a half day or full day location shoot. A cheaper option can be shooting a green screen project. This is where the video is shot in front of a green screen and the background is digitally added in post production. Either way, the producer has to schedule camera crew and/or a green screen studio.

Production costs.

Your quote will entail production costs such as camera crew hire (half day or full day). Green screen studio costs (half day or full day). Multiple camera setup, professional lighting and audio cost. Props costs if needed.

Note: Steer away from producers who fail to offer a half-day shoot. A half-day shoot used to be hard to get, but nowadays is common practice.

Editing.

Editing will be charged at an hourly rate, with the quote estimating how long the project will take. This will vary greatly by the amount of animation you want for the project.

Royalty-free extras.

Background music.

Voice-over artists. Expect to pay between $1 -$2 dollars per second of video.

Important note.

Most professional videographers state in their T’s & C’s that the raw footage of the shoot is the intellectual property of the video producer. This is not an uncommon practice as photographers apply the same rule.

Savvy Victorian companies are saving big on corporate video production in Melbourne by receiving free pre-production on their quote. The company Web Videos Australia not only delivers on-time at the best corporate videography rates, but also on quality.

Save more by asking about their “2 hour location shoots” which is a highly uncommon practice within the industry.

Follow this price guideline when collecting quotes from other videographers. And always ask for a compete price breakdown.

See www.webvideoaustralia.com.au for more.