Typical TV commercial prices

[FatBird19]

Just curious, what would be the typical pricerange for creating a digitally shot 45second TV commercial with maybe 2 locations max?

Reason I'm wondering, I know a car-dealership that wants to make a commercial. He's asking around for prices.
Any direction for typical prices would be nice.

 

[Barry_Green]

Car dealerships are notoriously stingy and the typical car dealer commercial will go for $1500 or so; $2500 max. At least, around here (Vegas). They'll spend a lot for airtime, but not usually for production services.

 

[FatBird19]

Car dealerships are notoriously stingy and the typical car dealer commercial will go for $1500 or so; $2500 max. At least, around here (Vegas). They'll spend a lot for airtime, but not usually for production services.

Yikes. Well I guess I can forget employing an entire crew. For that price, a director/DP/scriptwriter, and editor, and 2 grips/microphone holders will have to be enough. rogar-BigGrin(DBG)
Gotta start somewhere I suppose. :/

Thanks Barry.

 

[Jeremy Ordan]

I've shot just a couple of local car commercials and my top payday here in Charlotte is right at the extreme low end of Barry's range. That include broadcast ready master delivered, edited, titled, shooting, ect.

In general Car commercials for dealership are the lowest end of the production world, but for me it is a nice place to get started. My projects are very simple, normally shooting 30 second spots with an hour set up, 20 minutes shooting, and 3-4 hours editing (lots of words on screen). It's not financially rewarding, but you hear some great stories when you're on the lot.

-Jeremy

 

[smithgallTV]

You mention a 45 second commerical. That is a very odd number. Almost every commercial runs in 15, 30 and 60 seconds with 30 being the preferred choice from both a station and money perspective. You may want to double check and also get the costs of buying air time for each. You would hate to work in it and then find that it cant be used because it doesnt fit their production schedule. If they are making time for it that is because they are fitting ina 15 to fill in the gap. Most comemrcial blocks are going to run in blocks of 2 minutes or something divisible by .30. To add an extra 15 mean they have to have something to fil in that extra time. the programming is cut for commercial blocks so they cant add more programming to a rerun of ER. They may actually be charging more because this is more effort. Since standard commercials run 30 there is no reason to spend more for the extra 15 especially for a car dealer that really doesnt say much different that all car dealers. Additionally if by pulling it back to a 30 it saves money and make it more frequently usable then you as the producer look smarter and can use that to your benefit. Let me know if this was an error or if the station is really running 45's i'd be intersted.