Director & Producer specializing in Concept Development, Writing, Creative Strategy for Marketing & Entertainment | Comedy, Documentary, Promotions
One of the most frequent (and sometimes panicked) questions I get is: Why does live-action video COST SO MUCH? It’s understandable—many believe that video budgets can be slimmed down to almost nothing with smartphones and inexpensive equipment. And honestly, for some projects? That’s true. But here’s the deal: just because something is inexpensive doesn’t mean it should look cheap. And trust me, your audience definitely knows the difference. INEXPENSIVE is smart business, CHEAP can irreparably damage your brand. Throughout my career, I’ve had the pleasure of shooting multi-million-dollar broadcast campaigns and the no-less-pleasurable experience of smaller-scale, micro-crew projects. I’ve seen firsthand where budget cuts work and where they lead to disaster. Here’s where you can’t afford to cheap out: LIGHTING. A DP once told me, “Cameras don't make things look cinematic—lighting does.” Bad lighting = bad video. You don’t need a full grip crew, but save room in your budget for good lighting and someone who knows how to use it. AUDIO. Bad video can sometimes be salvaged, but bad audio? That’s a nightmare you can’t fix in post. Even with great gear, you need a pro to handle sound. If the audio sucks, your audience will bounce. Period. PRODUCER/DIRECTOR. I’ve seen people try to self-produce to save cash, and spoiler alert—it rarely goes well. A good producer keeps things on track, stress-free, and on budget. And a skilled director makes sure you don’t end up with shaky, poorly framed, or just plain unusable footage. You don’t want to find out after the shoot that you’re missing key shots. Trust me. EDITING: If you love your audience (and your brand), meticulously edit your video. Not just trim it—edit it. A skilled editor can amplify your story, making sure it hits hard with your audience, even if other elements aren't perfect. Bad editing will have your viewers bailing fast. The takeaway: Go slightly over budget but deliver something great, and people might be annoyed for a day. Stick to the budget but end up with low-quality dreck, they’ll never forget it. And they’ll wonder why you didn’t spend the extra money to make it right. It’s all about knowing where to invest to get the best results. ** Need help getting the most bang for your buck on your video project? I’m here to help. Give me a sense of your project, and I’ll share how to get results that perform for your brand without breaking the bank. — JR **
Brendon Hamlin
2mo
JR Soldano Every. Single. Word. ✅
Senior Writer & Producer at The Pew Charitable Trusts
2mo💯