Why Music Videos Don't Cost $100

Why Music Videos Don’t Cost $100

 So often we as upcoming directors get many inquiries regarding music video production pricing and many times are asked to low-ball ourselves— now— when you are first starting out, there is absolutely nothing wrong with charging a low cost, as you have to build a portfolio and a following—but as an experienced videographer we often come across artists who are looking to shoot music videos for little to nothing, while wanting tons of extras, cool locations, dope effects, models—the whole nine, you name it.  Now don’t get me wrong, sometimes you are able to acquire some of these things at a low cost, but a low cost usually means you get what you pay for.

Too many are looking for high quality production, at a discounted or free rate, which is not always possible—as directors invest hundreds if not thousands of dollars on equipment, programs, effects, etc and need to be able to cover the costs for your video— This is why a budget may be discussed between you and your videographer. So this article is going to break down just some of the cost for basic production of a video.

 I wrote this article to hopefully give others a little education who may not fully understand or may be new to the business. 

How much does production cost?

Typical video pricing can run you anywhere from $500 all the way up to $100,000+. You may ask yourself  “why?"

Location, location, location.

Locations are one of the biggest factors that go into the pricing, as you may want to shoot in a cool hotel, a dope house, or even a really huge studio. Depending on where you are located, or what type of connections your videographer has, any of these can cost anywhere from $150-$1,000+ just to use for a few hours. Or you may want to take the lower cost route, and shoot somewhere outside, for example, a gas station, outside of a home, a park, etc. Where ever you choose to shoot, remember to always get creative, as this will be the biggest factor to your video.

Models or Extras, anyone?

Extras are extra people who are placed in your video as either actors or placed in the background of a scene to give your setting more depth. Now, there is nothing wrong with having friends or people you may know as your extras, but it’s almost never the case that the people you know are decent or believable actors. A professional video more than likely uses professional models as well as extras, and this also costs. For example, a model may need her makeup, hair, and nails done—along with an outfit to match what type of vibe your video is giving off. This can cost alone anywhere from $300-$1,000+, also remembering that the model or extras need to be getting paid as well.

Look it’s a bird..it’s a plane.. It’s a prop!

Props!! One of the single most important things that can make your video great, is a great prop. Now, a prop can be anything, there isn’t any specific rule for a prop except make sure it looks real or believable. Props are things such as cars, smoke grenades, jewelry, guns, money, supplies, you name it. Average cost for props can be anywhere from $10-$1,000+, depending where you are shopping at.

Time is money.

Time is another factor that goes into production. Will you be filming all in the same day? Or will it take multiple days? Most of the time a videoshoot will have to be shot on separate days, and this can be due to many factors such as the weather, location issues, or people not being on time, etc. Or you may just not be able to have enough time to get all scenes shot on the first day, but keep in mind due to uncertain situations you may need to book another day or two. 

 So..what about the actual videographer?

 Your videographer is the one putting all of this together for you, writing up what Is called a treatment, which is a plot or script for how your video should flow. Treatments are what will be discussed between the client and videographer, which determines your budget. So after the budget is spent on what your video needs, the rest goes to the videographer. Planning, directing, editing takes time, as it is a creative art and process that in order to represent the artist well, we need to be able to cover costs and make sure we can get what is needed for your video. This in no way means that you can’t shoot an awesome video for a lower cost, but once you start getting into the public eye and want to be taken seriously, you have to invest in yourself and brand.

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Morning Inspiration: Knowing Your Worth

There are so many people in the world who have a special talent, something that they either worked hard to become great at,or a talent that they were naturally great at. But often times they may find themselves in a situation where they feel they may not be good enough, or they may compare themselves to others who may be in the same field. There may also be a time when they are asked to lower their worth to accommodate someone else's, something in which you should never do--i mean why would you want to?

Knowing your worth, means knowing what value you bring to the table, and knowing what your ultimate role is. To know that you have a skill that another may not have, or that you have a different style of, should be enough to give you a boost of confidence. There will always be people out there who want to and will support what you do--and on the other side, there will always be someone or some people who won't. What you should should always remember is what your own value is and never rely on others  to tell you what your value is, I mean--how could a person who has never done your skill be able to let you know what you are worth? They can't. They don't know or understand how much time you may have invested in doing what you do. No matter what your skill may be, there is a difference between someone devaluing your work— and someone who is giving honest constructive criticism.

Everyday, look yourself in the mirror, and tell yourself 3 affirmations that will remind you of the amazing talent and skill that you have. Look at all of your past work, and remember the passion you had while creating it. It’s all about believing in yourself and giving yourself enough credit—remind yourself of why you started, what keeps you going, and how you are going to keep building the foundation and giving yourself the proper tools to keep you going.

Don’t ever let someone else burn out your passion or drive.

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3 Reasons Investing In Yourself is Important

We all know when it comes to business, in order to grow and expand, there is one thing as business owners we must do--Invest. No matter what type of business or service you do, you won't be able to move forward unless you invest. Many people make the common mistake of thinking that you will be able to get by without doing so, but this is simply untrue.

Let's take a look at these three reasons why investing in yourself is important.

1. It will help build confidence in your brand and yourself. 

What Is more important than confidence in yourself? Learning how to use new equipment of course can be a challenge at first, but once you overcome this challenge it can bring about a whole new mindset of "Yes I can do this." Just think back to any time you learned a new skill or a new trick-- it's the same concept. Building confidence is one major key to putting yourself out there for your clients and potential clients-- when clients can see that you are clearly confident in what you do, this builds trust and respect amongst your business and brand. 

2. It will make you look like the professional you are! 

Nothing gives you a more professional demeanor than having tons of cool gear (right!?). Think of when you first started, and you may have only had one or two pieces of equipment, people may or may not have not taken you as seriously, at least in my experience they could tell I was a rookie!--now when I'm out shooting, with my awesome camera setup, people can tell I showed up to handle business. In other words, looking the part can draw clients to you as well. 

3.  Expanding and growing are essential to building a respectable and profitable brand

 The fact of the matter is, all businesses start out small. But in order to grow, you will always need to grow WITH your business. Upgrading, investing and expanding are 3 keywords to remember. It is almost impossible to stay at the same level that you started at and think that you will be able to make a decent profit. Everyday is a new opportunity for you to learn something new that you are able to offer your clients and potential clients. It really shows them that you are serious about your craft (whatever it may be) and you are the best candidate for the job. 

In short, investing is one of the simplest things you can do for yourself and your brand to help you grow and get to where you are going. Remember those key words and you will do great! 

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