If you're reading this article, it's probably because you're one of hundreds of people who have incquired about the cost of shooting a music video with us.
Music videos are expensive because of the insane amount of work that can goes into them. For example, Michael Jackson's "Scream" had a budget of 7 MILLION dollars. Before you ask any videographer, there is no such thing as an "hourly rate" for a music video. This isn't McDonalds; where you show up, order your video, and head out the door... There is a ton of planning, shooting, and editing that goes into even the cheapest of music videos.
To answer the question, "How much will the video cost?", there are a number of questions we ask potential clients which help us determine a solid estimate.
1. What is your BUDGET???
If you can't clearly answer this question, we will not work with you until you can. This is always our first question to everyone who incquires about music videos, because if the number is too low, it's not financially in our interest to follow through with it. While we want everyone to be happy and have a good experience with us, working for pennies is not something a professional production company like ours is interested in. Find a local videographer willing to work for the price you have in mind, and contact us when you've got a big enough budget to create a serious video.
2. Will you be directing the video?
If you want us to take creative lead on the video, we certainly can. However, this requires time, research, and lots of shot planning on our end, which adds up over time depending on the complexity of the video. If you feel like you can handle the load of creating a detailed shot list, hiring talent, securing locations, and scheduling dates/times for the shoot, you'll save a ton of money this way. However, if we feel like the organization of the aforementioned elements isn't up to OUR standards, we're not going to take on your project. You'll need to be on top of your game and communicate every step of the process to us as clearly as possible.
3. What is the total length of the video?
A 6-minute video is going to take much longer to shoot and edit than a 2-minute video. Typically, it can take anywhere from 1-3 hours of editing per minute of video depending on the style.
4. How many locations do you want to shoot the video in?
If you want to incorporate shots from 8 different locations, the cost is a going to end up being 8x what it would be if you shot it in all in one place. Costs associated with securing and using specific locations, whether it's a studio, outdoor spaces, or rented venues, can also impact the overall budget.
5. What is the STYLE of the video?
Depending on the STYLE of the video, the editing load can be much more extensive. If you want crazy special effects, that usually involves a green screen, which means lots of time on our ends picking out the right background, motion effects, and most of the time hiring a special effects artist to help take care of the creative elements you're looking for.
6. What is the extent of the shot list?
The more shots you want in the video, the more time we have to spend planning, shooting, and editing those shots together in post.
7. When do you need the video by?
Tight production timelines or rush requests may require additional resources and result in higher costs.
How We Keep the Cost Down...
There are a few things we do, however, that help kleep the cost much lower than a full-blown music video production studio. First off, we typically don't take on the role of director for the video unless it's in your budget. Meaning, you're responsible for creating the shot list for YOUR video, you're responsible for securing dates, times, locations, talent, makeup, and everything else that isn't shooting or editing the video. If it IS in your budget, we'll sit down with you, workj through the lyrics of the song, and create a detailed list of locations & shots that will best suit the aesthetic of the tune. For either of these scenarios, we'll ALWAYS work closely with you to make sure we understand what you're after with each shot by reviewing the shot list extensively with you before the shoot.
How Much Do Music Videos Cost?
In general, music videos start out as low as $1500, but can go all the way up to $10K if it's in your budget.
As a professional musician (& a Doctor of Music), I fully understand the value in creating quality music content to promote your craft. If you still feel like this is something you'd be interested in pursuing, give us a call, shoot us an email, and we'll be happy to get in touch with you to get started.
Tallahassee Photo & Video, LLC
479-629-0386