“How much does it cost for a basic five-minute video?”
I get this question (or some variation of it) quite a bit and I always feel bad that I can’t give a simple answer to it. The truth is, there is no simple answer to that question.
I usually reply with a metaphor about buying a car. Imagine asking somebody how much a car costs. Well, it could be anywhere from about $10,000 to possibly $250,000 depending on what features are important to the buyer. If all the buyer cares about is that it runs, then they can get something for a very good price. If, however, they are particular about the mileage, the interior, how well it was engineered, whether it has GPS, top-of-the-line sound system and a DVD player for the kids…all of those things are factored into the price.
The cost of video production is very similar. If price is the only thing that matters, then the client can usually find an inexpensive way to get their message across. If, however, they care about the quality of the finished product, multiple locations are required to capture footage (possibly even shooting on another continent), complex issues require a large crew (stylist, gaffer, electrician, audio team, etc.) and extra gear (grip truck, camera accessories, special props, etc.)…all of those things factor into the price. And we haven’t even considered editing issues yet.
So, I apologize for not being able to provide a quick answer to that question. If somebody has a better way of responding, please pass it along!