JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum How Much Should a Music Video Cost?

We are going to have a video production company make music videos of two of Justice's new songs. How much should be expect to pay. Any advice regarding this project?

Tom

There is a video guy here that will come out and shoot a video or you can have it done at his studio.
He charges fifty dollars.
If you are talking about a full production video like CMT I am sure that the cost would be considerably higher.

www.eyeconvideo.com

A place to start.

I say find a few film students and ask them for something very economical, yet artistic... I know one musician here made a music video by shooting random scenes with the cellphone's camera, and it came out really interesting.

Just a thought.

Tom,

I did a video on one of my songs last year and the cost ended up right at around $1000. It could have been done cheaper I am sure but I was working with a film crew from a different state and there was a reason we did it that way.

A lot of people have companies doing that. You should do some checking in your area and region. Should be able to get competitive prices.

For the big involved productions, you could look anywhere in the $20,000-$60,000 range. I would try to avoid that for now.

MAB

Are you talking about playing the music live for the video or lip syncing the recorded track? No experience here, but it seems that syncing would be more complex (more direction involved and editing the recording). Also consider scenes, props, choreography, and extras. It could get expensive.

A live video would be OK (cheaper), but she probably deserves a full blown video at some point.

I might be a bad example, but I won a JPF music video award for my song Falling In. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiMxFBfSFzY

Grand total spent on it was $700. Most of that was equipment rental.

You can do great things for no budget. If you're dealing with a full on production company you might expect to spend $20,000 on up to $150,000 or more.

There are crafty ways to do great videos for nothing. Why spend so much?

Thanks for all of the information. I very much appreciate it.

Tom

Yeah, the range is 0 to millions. I'd assess what the business behind the video is and decide like any business expenditure. What will be your ROI. If the answer is likely very little, then your budget should be likewise.

Brian

Jody,

I think yours and my experience are pretty similar. My video on one of my songs, "Less is More" was done by a film company looking to make their way into the independent film market. They were wanting something to enter in Film and art's festivals, like Sundance, to put themselves in proximaty of people who did financing for smaller films.
It worked, and the company recieve'd a good deal of publicity and work when our video won a "Telly" award, voted on by film and television media people in it's catagory.
For my own use, in addition to work for the song, it chornicled the process we use of recording from start to finish in the studio I work out of, Jay's place recording studios in Nashville. A third element was that we used the world famous bass player Bob Babitt, from the Motown era, who was a thrill to be around.

Any money spent on video is the same as any recording, performance, band, agent, service,etc. Should be well thought out for the uses, the upside, downside, and overall process used. They can be a great tool or can really be poorly done. Do some research, get good people and think far ahead.

MAB

Hi Tom..

I have filmed and made quite a few music videos and had you been in the UK I would have been able to help you...

The cost will depend entirely on what you want in the video and the way you go about it.. What's the video for.. how good does it have to be.. loads of questions...

You can check out my videos on my site(LINK BELOW) and if any are up to spec for what you are aiming at, let me know and I will be able to offer more advice...

Of course they may be tottallty wrong for what you are after... you may even feel they are CRAP... we all have different opinions on what is good and what is value for money..

Their are many different types of video I have done, some live, some miming and some totally bluescreen (special effects).

anyway let me know and if I can I will help with advice or information I will.

God bless Roy

Thanks everyone for the information.

Tom

Hey Tom,

Essentially, if you want broadcast quality vision, then ( over this way, anyways ) a 2 man camera shoot costs about $500 per day. Then there's the audio if reqiured, and the main thing.... a great director and vision mixer, and of course post production.

Why not start with a story board ? Flesh out some ideas, and come up with a storyline/script. The 'ol "we'll just film a live song or studio take" doesn't really cut it any more.

Try some community collages, there's always film students who need a project, and work in with them to create a mutually beneficial situation. Credits are everything when you're just starting out.

Like anything, there are standards. I'd just try to avoid "Hey, I can shoot your video with my handycam" sort of stuff.

Good luck !

cheers, niteshift

I ran into a situation where one of the groups I work with had the same problem you're having. They had one director who was willing to do a 2 day shoot for like a few grand and all the director was willing to do was film in a big house that had a pool and do an MTV cribs party type video. The group ditched the director and my friend asked me if I knew any good directors.

After making a few phone calls, I was able to locate a good director who also has a fully equipped production company. This director/company is not about the money so much as they are about putting out the best quality product they can. My friends didn't have an actual storyboard for their video, so the director created one for them. It's gonna be one day of set building and then the next day will be the video shoot. All for a very reasonable price.

The point of me telling you this is simply make some phone calls. Ask some friends if they know people. After some good research in your local area, you will most likely find what it is that you're looking for that fits your exact needs.

Think outside the box as well. If you can't afford the cost of the videos out of your own pocket, then maybe hold some silent auctions for the fans that can raise the funds needed in order to get these videos done for your artist.

If you do it right, you won't have to spend your own money. Hope this helps.

Greg

Julia Nunes has produced dozens of videos on essentially no budget. She's had millions of hits on youtube, sold thousands of albums, toured both sides of the Atlantic, and probably paid her college tuition with the proceeds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oooAWRF086Y

This live video probably cost about $1000 to produce:
http://vimeo.com/10714178

This one I believe was more like $2000-3000:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCmn7pDgXlc

Arguably, the value of any of these bears little relationship to what was spent producing them.

$500/day for a two camera shoot would be a very fair price here in the States but I don't know if you'd get that in any but the smallest markets. Remember, with freelancers and small companies you're basically paying for two things: gear and people. Larger companies also have more overhead to contend with. You won't get a RED 4K package for the same price as a standard def DVX100. Of course, just because a guy bought a top of the line gear package doesn't mean he'll (she'll) be the creative, hardworking visionary to shoot your masterpiece.

IMHO, creativity & skill trump technology in this case. Moderately priced gear can produce amazing results these days. As suggested ask around, check with the colleges, community media centers, film making clubs. you may get someone more creative & dynamic in those circles than through a small production company that does mostly commercials, corporate video & weddings.

Niteshift, great idea about the college source.


Greg, very fine perspective. I appreciate it.


John, thanks for the links and info. You are right.


Tom