How much should I charge??

[Shaunp007]

I have been doing some steady media production for a few months now. Couple weddings and a few small time commercials.

Now I have a 3-partner local law firm asking my crew to shoot four, 30 second video spots for their website only. We are filming with mid-grade cam equipment (2x canon 5d mk2 w/ 24-70L(f2.8)/85mm (f1.8) with arri lights and decent sound equipment. They are going to be asking me how much its gonna cost and I have no idea what to tell them. We are going to be meeting with them rather soon so ....

Please give me some ideas!

Thanks!

[Almohada]

$200 each video

[drapeama]

$200 each video

Sounds great to me. Depending how complex each videos are, it can be easy-money.

[Almohada]

Sounds great to me. Depending how complex each videos are, it can be easy-money.

Yes, also that way he's like... hey that is a reasonable price, why don't you do two more videos for me?

[Daniel Rutter]

Charge them what YOU think YOUR work is worth.

That's always a good start.

[Shaunp007]

Depending how complex each videos are, it can be easy-money.

The videos are going to be a mixture of interview style setup with the lawyers involved and then a second setup with a mock client.

$200 each video

Thanks for the help. That is in the ballpark we were going for as well. We were actually thinking $1000 for all four videos. Maybe we should scale it back. The videos they currently have look pretty decent except one of the guys in the video is no longer with the firm.

[Shaunp007]

Charge them what YOU think YOUR work is worth.

I agree but I don't even know a good measure of where to start because I'm just getting my feet wet in commercial videography. I don't want to charge too much and lose the work. They really want us to do it for them, but if I floor them with a high price, they might bug out. My original thoughts were between 1000-1200. Almo put me down to 800. So now im between 800-1000.

Thanks for the advice Dan, good to see you on here.

[Almohada]

$1000 for all four videos.

Yeah, that sounds like a good price but I'd go a little lower. I always think about being very reasonable and then how the client would speak highly of my work and recommend me, which in turn = more business. But that's not always the case, some clients can afford to pay up extreme prices and may not even refer you to anyone.

[Shaunp007]

Here is the website. Look on the left hand side part way down. There is a video section.

If you had to value those videos. What would you pay for them? Those are the ones we are reshooting for them.

http://www.fortwaynedefense.com/

[Almohada]

How many people will be working on this? I'd do $750-$800. Maybe you could ask them how much the other guy charged to do the existing videos and go from there.

[Shaunp007]

How many people will be working on this?

Its just me and one other camera operator. There will be two of us shooting and editing.

I really appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

[cgbier]

$50 per camera per hour, $300 editing up to one hour runtime, $100 each additional hour, $100 DVD/BD authoring with three free disks, $15 each extra disk.

As your clients are lawyers, don't be ashamed to go beyond the price quoted above. It's fun to rip off a lawyer!

[Playing]

How long will the whole job take? How far do you have to drive? Will you shoot all in one session? Will they ask you to change things? I think you have to work from a rate per hour or day and don't forget the meetings before the shoot and the time it takes to deliver and show the final product.

Edit: cgbier beat me to it.

[Janke]

Ask them what they charge per hour per person for legal services...

[Almohada]

Ask them what they charge per hour per person for legal services...

LOL

I don't know guys, I'd rather charge a flat rate. They probably have enough to deal with. I know I wouldn't want to sit there and calculate hours and all these other charges when I have stacks of paperwork on my desk...

[cgbier]

Why? If anyone has a clue of billable hours then a lawyer...

[1]

I still use the VERY antiquated formula:

1 minute (finished production) = $1000 USD

[Dr. Benway]

Some indicators here:

http://philipbloom.net/2011/08/07/rates/

http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/12/855262

[Shaunp007]

What a great group here. I really appreciate all the help. Quite a range of opinion though seems like $800-$2000. Its hard for me to ask for payment by hour of editing time because they would have no idea where we may end up. I keep reading about never charging a flat rate but at least they would know what to expect. I also see the other side of where I should never undercut myself. I think I have enough info to at least have a sit down meeting with them. THANKS!

Some indicators here:

http://philipbloom.net/2011/08/07/rates/

http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/12/855262

Those are great reads and give quite a bit of insight, thanks!

$300 editing up to one hour runtime, $100 each additional hour

Is that $300 for an entire hour of finished product? Or $300 per "working day", I guess I'm unclear what you meant here.

[cgbier]

Sorry that I wasn't clear.
I was talking about the length of your final video. If it is less than an hour long, editing costs you client 300 bucks. is it two hours long, it cost 400, three hours would be 500, now I'm running out of fingers.
I don't have an hourly rate for editing, just a flat. That gives you a lousy "salary", but is easier on the client, as he knows from begin on what to expect (at least price wise).

[blondandfun]

Get them to discuss the project before tell them the price. Not all lawyer commercials are the same. Some are more complex and creative than others. What this does is helps lock them into you. If they spend a lot of time on the phone or in person with you (especially in person), they are more likely to hire you regardless of price.

The minute you tell them price they hang up.

Take your sweet time on the phone to discuss the project and the client's desires as well as your capabilities.

[Almohada]

If it is less than an hour long, editing costs you client 300 bucks

It's only 2 minutes worth of video...

[Shaunp007]

Get them to discuss the project before tell them the price. Not all lawyer commercials are the same. Some are more complex and creative than others. What this does is helps lock them into you. If they spend a lot of time on the phone or in person with you (especially in person), they are more likely to hire you regardless of price.

The minute you tell them price they hang up.

Take your sweet time on the phone to discuss the project and the client's desires as well as your capabilities.

That is great advice, thanks.