Why Are Videos So Expensive and How to Make Them Cheaper

Ah, you've discovered the need for video. You've got a web series to shoot, a marketing plan, a one-off video, a TV show maybe? All you know is, you wanna make a video. You call that person you know who makes videos, and to your dismay, it's WAY out of your budget. How? Why? It's just a video isn't it? Just a guy with a camera, right?

Uhh... nope, sorry Charlie Brown.

In this article, I shall be outlying how and why they are so costly, and how you can reduce your costs.

Equipment

Camera: This camera that you are hiring, has a few costs attached to it.

Chances are, the camera itself is thousands of dollars. This is the first tangible financial thing you can probably wrap your head around.

The person you are hiring has been doing this for some time, long enough for them to have enough of a reputation for you to be calling them. Long enough for them to know how to set up your shots properly and quickly.

Solution:

Invest in a professional camera and train yourself on how to learn it. When I got my camera, it was glued to my hands. I brought it everywhere. Pro cameras will last for a long time, and can be used from photography of all facets of your business from each individual product, to headshots, to location shots.

Lights: Super expensive. Including how to use them, as well as the devices used to hold the lights, and managing the electricity required to power the shoot.

Solution:

Use natural light. Shoot outside, shoot near a window. If you're shooting products, there are kits that are designed to capture these with lights built in. You can even get a starter lighting kit.

Audio: In a film set, this is a specialist who masters in this. He balances the levels, makes sure there's no noise being picked up in the background, and makes sure you have clean and clear audio.

Solution:

So you won't be able to make this perfect on your own, but a tip is to have a recording device as close to your subject as possible. A separate device you can plug directly into your computer can work as well. Dare I say it, even a smartphone can work. Keep it close, make sure the room is quiet, and start rolling.

Storytelling

It's not enough for someone who can shoot your video, you need someone who can tell your story.

And not just tell any story, it has to complete your goals, your story.

Any kid out of college can shoot your video. They may even be able to tell a decent story. Hitting marketing goals? Delivering on time? Delivering in a format that you like, handling it in a professional manner? There are no guarantees.

Solution:

Chances are, if you're good at one marketing field, you have some working knowledge of the others. Ask a marketing friend in your field to give you some storytelling advice.

Editing

This is where a person will be using software to piece together your footage that they captured for you. Adding titles, sound FX, special FX, and more. This software? That costs money. This person probably has years of experience to handle footage properly, combing through it to tell a story.

Solution:

Depending on how techie you are, this can be a challenge as well for you to learn. Programs like iMovie, Adobe Rush have made it easier for the novice. Another solution, hire someone from a freelance website. No guarantees, but you can give it a shot.

And that's it. Do you have any more questions about how to hack the system?

Let me know,

Andy Mizrahi

www.oldfarmproductions.com

(A place where we make farm-tastic 🐮 videos for businesses.)