How much does a one minute video cost?

Choosing a Video Partner

How much does a one-minute video cost?

How much does video cost? We get asked this a lot! Our job is to work with you to create video that not only meets your campaign goals, but also your budget. That can feel like a ‘scary’ conversation, but we’ve worked with everyone from startups to global enterprises: there’s always a way to add video to your strategy.

"Reel-y" Insightful Key Points

The cost of a one-minute video can vary greatly depending on a few key factors. It's not just the duration of the video that affects the cost - here are some things to consider:

Elements like video concept, crew, locations, equipment, length of the video, animation styles, etc... all factor into the cost of a video.
The best way to create a video within a budget is to have an open conversation about your budget and goals and brainstorm video concepts, campaigns, and deliverables that meet those goals.
There are different budget tiers and ways to execute all types of videos in any tier. It's important to have a video partner that guides you through the options and creates deliverables that fit your budget and goals.

We find it’s best to have an open conversation about your budget when we’re talking about what you’d like your video to accomplish. That way, our marketing and creative teams can brainstorm video concepts, campaigns, and deliverables that meet your goals without breaking the bank. As you can imagine, the difference in concept between a $10,000 video and a $100,000 video is night and day.

Just like any other marketing or comms strategy, there are variables that will impact the cost. The concept, crew, locations, equipment, length of the video, animation styles -- there are a ton of little details that can have an impact.

A 10 second video with a helicopter and explosions is going to cost way more than a 5 minute interview video -- specialized crew, specialized locations, props, and equipment would all be big factors there, even though the length is much shorter.

But, there are also ways to execute cool commercials in smaller budgets, by adjusting some of these variables. (And maybe by ditching the helicopter…)

Your marketing goals are unique, and your video strategy should be too. It’s the role of your video agency partner to walk you through your options and work with you to develop a set of deliverables that will help you accomplish the most within your budget.

Ok, so let’s walk through a few budget tiers and some examples!

We're using budget tiers instead of actual numbers because video costs can vary between countries, production quality, and even between video production companies.

Repurposing content - $

We love repurposing content! It’s the best way to extend the lifespan and reach of your video, and it’s extremely budget-friendly. This could be anything from taking video we’ve shot for different projects and creating a highlight video, to converting an iPhone video from an event into social posts.

In the example above, we edited some social content for the Accelerator Centre, pulled from the longer version of the Jumpstart video that we created for them.

It’s a great way to keep the content rolling if filming isn’t an option, but it should always be part of your video content strategy to get the most value out of your spend!

Stock video & typography - $$

Although they don’t always feel custom and can limit some of your storytelling potential, stock video and typography projects are awesome value. And they’re a great fit for some goals and channels.

Stock video can get pricey: if the typical cost of the clips we chose are between $100 - $250, a 30 second video would cost $1,500 - $2,000+ in stock alone. Seems expensive, but again, that’s actually awesome value. Filming a waterfall in South Africa would cost more than that in travel alone.

There are plenty of stock video licensing sites that we can work with to source video clips. We might not be able to get the specific shot you had in mind, but it’s an easy way to access a broad range of footage from all around the world.

Interviews & case studies - $$$

Interview-style videos can be great for internal communications, for establishing your brand and team as thought leaders, and even for showcasing testimonials and case studies.

Some factors that could impact the budget are graphics and animation, location, travel, length of the interviews, music royalties, and script writing. Yes, there’s a system to script writing for interview videos (which we rock at). Asking 20 questions with a hope and a prayer isn’t going to work. We actually find that more time spent in the early stages of these videos can make for less editing time and a better-executed message!

Animation - $$$$

We love animated video for explaining products, breaking down complex concepts, and walking through tutorials and platform introductions.

We find especially that 2D animation videos are a great tool for software companies who are introducing a new product. We can design a simplified graphic version of your platform so that software updates won’t date your video. Screenshots can make a video obsolete with UI redesigns or feature additions. But using animation, we can tell your story and walk through your platform in a way that will always resonate.

The style of animation and length of video is really what influences the budget here. There are so many little things that go into animation, including video design, scripting, storyboarding, graphic design, animation, sound design, and music. All of these elements come together to bring your video to life.

Commercial or live-action - $$$$$

Live-action videos are ideal for generating awareness and getting people to build an emotional connection with your brand. Top of funnel awareness, story-driven commercials have the most variables in terms of concept and style, so they also vary the most in terms of budget.

These projects usually require multiple days of filming with a larger crew, which is why they cost more than some of the other styles we’ve talked about. Check out our case study on the Linamar commercial above.

That said, there are plenty of ways to develop a concept that can be executed within your budget. Commercials don’t need to have those helicopters and explosions. Let us know your budget, and our creative team will start brainstorming!

They might cost more than some of these other approaches, but they can also be much more effective because they leverage emotional responses.