Video quotes are among the hardest in marketing services to compare, because the same finished minute can be produced in ways that differ tenfold in cost and none of the differences appear in the brief. Crew size, shoot days, whether talent is hired, whether music and footage are licensed, and how many rounds of edit are included all move the number, and most of them sit in the assumptions rather than the headline. This page sets out what a production quote should itemise and how to brief one so the bids are comparable.
The quote has three parts and most briefs price one
Production work splits into pre production, the shoot, and post. Pre production is scripting, storyboarding, casting, location and scheduling. The shoot is crew, equipment and time. Post is edit, colour, sound, graphics and revisions. Cheap quotes usually compress pre production, which is where the cost of a bad shoot is actually decided, and cap revisions tightly. Ask for the three priced separately, and the comparison between suppliers stops being a guess.
Licensing is where the surprises live
Music, stock footage, fonts, talent and location releases all carry licences with terms: where the video may be shown, for how long, and on which platforms. A licence for organic social use is not a licence for paid advertising, and discovering that after a campaign has started is expensive. Ask for the licence terms of everything not shot by the crew, and for confirmation in writing that the usage you intend is covered for the period you intend it.
Who owns the footage
There is a difference between owning the finished video and owning the raw footage. Suppliers frequently deliver the first and keep the second, which means every future edit has to go through them. If you expect to cut the material differently later, negotiate for the rushes at the start, when it costs little. The US Copyright Office publishes guidance on works made for hire, and it is worth understanding that ownership follows the contract rather than the invoice.
Claims in the video are your responsibility
Whatever a video says about your product is advertising, and the FTC's guidance on substantiation and on endorsements applies to it exactly as it applies to a written claim. Testimonials, before and after sequences, and comparisons all carry requirements. A production company will film what you ask for; the obligation to be able to back the claim up stays with you, so review the script for claims before the shoot rather than after the edit.
Questions people ask about video production company
What should a corporate video production company's quote include?
Pre production, shoot and post priced separately; crew and shoot days; how many rounds of revision; what music, footage and talent are licensed and on what terms; which deliverable formats and aspect ratios; and who owns the raw footage.
What is the difference between a video production company and a video marketing agency?
A production company makes the video. A marketing agency decides what video to make, for which audience and channel, and what happens after it is delivered. Some firms do both, and a great film that nobody planned a distribution for is the usual result of buying only the first.
How many revisions are normal?
Two or three rounds on the edit is common. What matters more is what triggers a round: agree that revisions respond to consolidated written feedback, because most overruns come from notes arriving separately from people who were not at the earlier reviews.