Negotiating with a Video Production Team
December 21, 2022
Design and Production Photo and Video
Costs for video production can increase a lot if not planned out well. Negotiating with budgeting for video production can be tedious, but don’t worry. We’ll guide you throughout negotiating process with the video production team for a much more cost-effective shoot.
It is important to let your video production team know what you can contribute to the shoot, and how you can make it easier for them (and lead to a more cost-effective price). It’s not bad to work at a cheaper rate if it doesn’t affect the quality of the shoot.
However, the last thing you want to do is bully your supplier into a cheaper rate.
Be helpful. Remember, this is YOUR video shoot. Wouldn’t you want the people working on your company to be in their best spirits?
What to discuss with the video production team?
Video concept
A lot of business owners have a vision for what they want to highlight in their video. The company’s tone, the what makes their products special, the authenticity of what they have to offer, the sincerity of their service, etc. Figure out what you want in your video and this definitely helps save time and money.
Location
This is a great option for stores and restaurants. What better place to shoot than the actual place of business itself? Although remember that production teams take space during the shoot, so be sure to accommodate the team.
This depends, however, on what type of shoot will happen. Some shoots require silence and a controlled environment.
Props for the video shoot
This is very important if you want to have supporting details on your shoot. If you’re shooting a food item, help the team with cutleries, ingredients, things that will make your video look great. You’ll almost always have something that will help the aesthetic of the shoot.
Also, always think of how you can completely insert your branding materials, especially if it’s a company-wide video where you will highlight your products/services, manpower, and all other elements which make your brand great.
Food for the production team
A little goes a long way. A team will always appreciate a thoughtful client, and these little gestures will be sure to improve their mood when it comes to handling the project. Although don’t always think you’d be entitled to a discount just because you bought their food for them. This will merely be a gesture of goodwill.
While these items get you a better price, there are some non-negotiables that come with their services. We imagine they wouldn’t want to use your cameras even if you have them, and it’s very rare that they’d let someone else edit their footage especially if a promotional video is the goal.
Just be completely transparent in the back-and-forth of the pricing phase. While you would have something to contribute, always respect a video production team’s craft and if they want certain things their way. The idea is, they’re the expert in making you look great. Contribute to the vision, the preparation, and the motivation, but never interrupt their process (unless they ask you for inputs).
What else to do for the video production team
There are a lot of ways that you can get a more “accurate” quote for a video project. If you already have something to help the video team, they’ll be sure to work with you through it. Most video production crews are very considerate when it comes to helping out businesses. We all want a prolonged and reliable partnership, so do right by them and we’re sure they’ll do their best for you too!
