Editing 2 hours of Video

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LuckyProducer

Well-known member
Hey guys, I just got an offer to edit 2 hours of video including pictures and music. I have no clue what to charge. Can you guys help me out?
 
Wow, 300 a day? Well, I don't really work for the whole day. I go to school. I usually only work 2 hours a day on videos.
 
yep 300 a day. When I first started I posted on the forum about the same question and I got some good info. I believe it was Jarred that spoke about not undercutting the market. Also a work day is generally 8-10 hrs a day and a half day 4-5 hrs. I would just make it clear to them that you would only charge them for actual hours worked. I don't know how experienced you are with editing and how complicated the video will be , but I go with 1 work day for each finished minute of video
 
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What's the job worth to you? $150? $200? Figure that out, divide by two, and offer it at that hourly rate. I don't think $75/hour would be asking too much for what you describe.

Do they want you to actually scan the photos as well? If that's the case.. RUN! Seriously, scanning is a boring time-eating task, which could eat up 2 hours by itself.
 
Photo Montage

Photo Montage

I have done a few boring photo montage videos in my day.
Some I made good money, and others I ate it big time!

I did a Family History DVD. It was all Photos that had to be scanned in. I had to hand scan 750 photos. Then ad titles and music, burning it to DVD and make 18 copies. I made around $1,400 bucks. I worked on it part time, but I put over 20 hours into it. I ate it big time!

On the other hand I shot a 4 day live performance with two cameras. I had one stationary camera, and I ran the second one. I made $2500 to shoot it, and another $5,000 in DVD sales.

When I started out I didn't charge industry standard rates. I needed clients and didn't have the demo video most asked for. I had to have something that would get me the work. I took video business away from many large productions companies because I charge so little, but was able to provide a top quality product. Of course, after that I bumped my pricing up!!

It doesn't hurt to be a little competitive with deals, discounts and pricing for reacuring clients. Just make sure whatever you charge, you do the job RIGHT!

I try and stay away from Photo Montages now. YUKE! But, if you need the money and experience, give it a whack! I learned a lot from every project I have ever done. And you never know when you might do some little project for some one that doesn't make much money, but they have a RICH business friend who has money to spend on a big budget GIG! It happened to me!
 
LuckyProducer said:
so you would charge $300 x 120 (2 hours)?
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In reality only you can decide how long it will take you to do the project. I don't know what they want out of the video. If it's just cuts and dissolve then it will take you a lot quicker but once you start doing some really complicated keyframes and titles / graphics everything takes a lot longer. I used that formula mainly for corporate type work like promotional video and commercials. If I was doing event coverage then that wouldn't take as much work so I might call it a little different. The key is when quoting them to give yourself enough time to finish it. It always looks better to quote longer but finish earlier then to quote earlier and have to finish later
 
Alright guys thanks. This is not the first time I am doing this. I am really experienced with editing. I just never did it for someone. I've done photo montages already and am pretty talented with them. I think I will charge $75 for every two hours. what do you guys think?
 
wow yo uguys are making way more than me..... i get embarrased to ask for more than 100 a day.....

Maybe i should ask for more.....
 
Don't be. In my secret indent I have a job that requires far less skill and dedication and I make well over a hundred grand a year. The worker is worth his pay!
 
LuckyProducer said:
Alright guys thanks. This is not the first time I am doing this. I am really experienced with editing. I just never did it for someone. I've done photo montages already and am pretty talented with them. I think I will charge $75 for every two hours. what do you guys think?
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I think that's fine especially if you aren't used to charging people. I gurantee you though you will get used to it and realize the value that you really have. Go online and check out other people website and see some of the prices they have. the only difference between you and them is that they charge the client 500-600 dollars and pay their editor 100. you're cutting out the middle man and getting all the money.
Also 75 dollar for every two hours is 37.5 an hour or 300 a day.
I don't like to break it up in hours because they will start counting the hours. I would just charge tell them it's 150 for every half day 300 for a full day.
 
SilverWolf said:
yep 300 a day. When I first started I posted on the forum about the same question and I got some good info. I believe it was Jarred that spoke about not undercutting the market.------------> Also a work day is generally 8-10 hrs a day and a half day 4-5 hrs<--------------. I would just make it clear to them that you would only charge them for actual hours worked. I don't know how experienced you are with editing and how complicated the video will be , but I go with 1 work day for each finished minute of video
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Quote from the first page


-------->Also a work day is generally 8-10 hrs a day and a half day 4-5 hrs<---------
 
LuckyProducer said:
Hey guys, I just got an offer to edit 2 hours of video including pictures and music. I have no clue what to charge. Can you guys help me out?
Click to expand...

How long will the final video be?

Don't know how long you've been editing, but...

$15-20 hr = entry level editor/wedding editor or editor who works at Banyan and thinks he has a good thing going

$25-35 hr = low end/young corporate editor

$75 hr = going rate for freelance editor and skill level is usually unsubstantial from what I've seen, nothing extraordinary.

I like to break it down into minutes of raw footage. If the client doesn't like your price, you don't have to budge, they just have to edit out stuff they give you and make less work for you. In terms of "by the minute" raw footage...

1 hour of raw usually = to 5 hours of editing

so

$20 hr = $1.66 per minute of raw footage
$25 hr = $2.00 per minute of raw footage
$75 hr = $6.00 per minute etc.

So frankly, I'd charge them the $6.00 per minute of raw footage - if they gawk, just explain all they have to do is spend not even one hour logging/capturing only what they need - which is fairly easy in terms of time/money ratio for them (they should make their own hourly rate in what they save pre-logging for you).
 
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