FAQ videographer questions for my website

J

Josh Bass

Veteran
I had the idea recently to update my very simple site (in my sig) with a tab/page called "FAQ" or similar. . .questions that video production people get often from potential clients. Stuff that I've explained countless times, but there in written form so they might get it answered before they ever contact me. I can only think of two, right now, which are something like "my event/shoot is only an hour, why don't you have an hourly rate (or "do you have an hourly rate)", whereupon I explain the whole day/half day thing and several reasons behind it, and "how do I know if I need editing services?", where I explain that literally doing anything to the footage is considered editing, even if it's just chopping off the beginning and end of the footage and re-encoding to smaller size for upload. The only time you don't need editing in other words is if I'm transferring the footage to a drive or something and handing it off.

These are based on discussions I've had multiple times and that certain types of clients don't know or even know to think about.

Any other FAQs you guys can think of? Two seems like a weird number to put on there.

Keep in mind for me, personally, I am but a lowly videographer/sometimes editor/occasional "DP", not so much a producer/writer/guy who does script to completion work for people.

Oops. Just thought of a third. . ."I want a 2 minute video, how much does that cost", where I explain that could be a 2-minute video of you talking in front of a wall or a 2-minute video that involves me or a team flying all over the world to shoot footage and a billion graphics etc. etc. and how I need many more details before I can deliver any kind of quote, etc. etc.
 
Just because you love that song from Beyonce (Or whoever), doesn't mean you can legally use it in your video. Music can be expensive.

When it comes to editing, hourly rates apply. If you "Just want this, or just want that", changes cost money. Know what you want in advance.

I've only had one cup of coffee, so that is all I got right now.
 
"I want a 2 minute video, how much does that cost"

This would be the most common one for me, and people expect an answer straight away. I've found that if you start asking questions, people think you're looking for more money. It's a tricky conundrum for sure, but one that needs to be addressed, at least for me and my clientele.

Great idea, btw.
 
My answer is that cost doesn't depend on finished running time but rather days of shooting. I quote a 3 person crew (camera/director, sound, and a third which could be anything from gaffer to makeup to boom) at $5,000 per day for the shoot (including 2 or 3 lights) and $4,000 for the edit (no effects). They must handle all trafficking and placement of the product, whether it ends up on their website site or radio or TV (that way I don't get stuck with conversion problems). I do this because of the point made above: if you ask questions or hesitate, they get suspicious. Then the discussions start from there. For instance: "We are shooting in my warehouse" - well, that's 7 lights, an electrician and a generator, plus a half day setup. "I want to dolly from one office to the next" - that's 3 guys and a dolly. "It's in a conference room" - that's additional lights , microphones and a mixer...and so on. At least it keeps the conversion going after getting my foot in the door.
 
Just had a thought.....

Door to door how long does a 1 hour flight take? It might be 1 hour in the air but depending on where you are flying to and from you may need to be at the airport 2 hours before take off and if you have hold luggage maybe 45 minutes at the other end, so a 1 hour flight may take closer to 4 hours. Never mind the time taken from home to the airport and airport to final destination at the other end.

Maybe that sort of explanation might work? Well with some people at least.
 
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