9 Ways to Save Money on Corporate Video Production
Undoubtedly the adage ‘you get what you pay for applies when it comes to video production. While we would never prefer a client to skimp on costs when producing a corporate video, there are ways you can be more efficient with your budget.
Here are popular ways to save money on corporate video production, without compromising on quality.
1. Be clear on your business objectives before you develop any creativity.
Deciding to make a creative video is definitely fun and exciting. But don’t get attracted to a cool idea before you find answers to what your video will provide. What is your message? Who is your audience? What is your call to action?
Remember to keep your company’s business objectives – and the purpose of your video – front of mind throughout the entire process.
When you lose this focus you will end up with a video that will fail to deliver results. A cool idea is a waste of money unless it helps realize your business objectives.
2. Avoid cost blowouts Plan carefully for every detail.
The first rule of video production is that everything that can go wrong will. Good planning is the only way to change that. If you don’t dedicate enough time "and budget" to planning you will encounter problems.
Remember Delays and oversights during the shoot will result in expenses over time, the need for additional filming, or additional costs in post.
For more info on planning check out our blog about the three most important (neglected) phases of corporate video production.
3. Have your staff help organize your video production.
If you have staff who can support the production team you may be able to reduce the costs associated with producing or crewing your video. Production-related administrative tasks, sourcing locations, and people – your staff may be able to help with these or other tasks like catering, sourcing props, or being a runner on set (The Salvation Army took on many of these tasks when we were producing El-Marmar & Raslan motors group).
While helping your crew may be a possibility, be warned those experienced film crews are highly specialized professionals.
If they let you help, make sure your staff are attentive, reliable, quick to learn, patient, and attentive
4. Make use of all the resources you have.
Do you have access to locations, buildings, or other resources that could be suitable for your production company to use for filming? Do you know someone who does? You may be able to avoid paying for a range of expensive resources. If you don’t have access to suitable locations yourself, keep travel to a minimum as it chews up valuable production time.
5. Maximize economies of scale.
If you need to produce several projects over time, consider developing them together. Working on a series of commercials, educational films or promotional videos at the same time will save you cash.
The resulting products will also benefit from a consistent look. Think, too, about all the possible uses for your film (shorter versions?). Output multiple versions and formats of your video so you don’t have to come back later and incur additional costs.
6. Make your video short and focused.
Shorter does not necessarily mean cheaper – the most expensive projects we work on are TV and web commercials. However, making your video as short as it can be will mean that you can focus on making your film more watchable. A good corporate video will engage your audience with a story that matters to them. Focus on telling a good story well, rather than trying to say too much and risk losing your audience. Check out the video below as an example of this. It's a preview of the lifestyle is for a "snap fitness gym" & what you can do there.
7. Be decisive and keep to the agreed plan.
Once you have committed to a creative direction your video production company will make thousands of decisions to make that concept a reality. Once shoots are underway, every change you make will cost you time and money.
Be clear from the outset about what you need and want from your corporate video. Keep changes to an absolute minimum.
8. Avoid making your video too timely to ensure it has a long life span.
If you don’t need your video to refer to specific events, names or dates, then don’t. Referencing specifics will make it ‘date’ much quicker than necessary.
Consider replacing phrases like: “In 2021 we…” with “Last year we…”. Most corporate videos should last a company two years or more before they require a full refresh.
9. never choose your video production company purely on price.
What looks like the cheapest quote often ends up costing more when the product you receive doesn’t fulfill its purpose.
Choose a production company that can deliver what you need – one that has a proven track record. Why? Video production is a specialized service. Unlike choosing a small car – where you can shop around for the best price on the same product – each video production company offers a different approach and service offering. Work out which one is right for you and your business needs.
These money-saving ideas and tips were inspired by our thoughts as well as a range of excellent blog posts by One Market Media, Video Works, and Iceni.
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