What should a quote for filming or editing a video ad include?
Want a quote for filming or editing an ad? Learn the items the quote should make clear, how to compare quotes, and what to prepare before you ask for a price.
The short answer: a good quote for a video ad explains in detail what you will get: the idea or script, the filming days, equipment and team, the editing, effects and sound, the number of rounds of changes, the materials delivered to you and in which formats, and the rights to use them. The clearer and more written the items are, the fewer disagreements there will be later. The price itself and the duration are set according to the case, but the items must be explicit from the start.
Why is asking "how much?" not enough
A video ad is not a ready-made product. It may be a simple ad for one product, or a promotional film with several scenes, actors and places. So the amount of work varies a lot.
If you ask "how much?" without saying what you want, you will receive numbers that cannot be compared, because each company assumed something different. So it is better to ask: "what does the offer include, in detail?".
What increases the amount of work in a video ad?
Offers differ because many factors decide the amount of work. The most important are:
- The number of scenes and places: one scene in one place is simpler than several locations.
- The presence of people: actors or models mean more coordination and longer preparation.
- The complexity of lighting and movement: moving shots or special lighting need more equipment and a bigger team.
- Graphics and effects: the more designed elements, the more editing time.
- The number of versions needed: versions in different sizes and lengths mean extra exporting and adjusting.
Understand these factors first, and you will know why offers differ, and you can decide where to simplify and where to invest.
Items the quote should make clear
1. A description of the work and the goal
The quote starts by defining what will be produced: the type of video (a short ad, an introduction video, a product promotion, event coverage), where it will be shown (social media, YouTube, television, screens inside the shop), and the target audience. The place of showing decides the size, length and style.
2. The idea and script stage
Ask: are the idea and the script included? Who writes them? Is there a storyboard that explains the scenes before filming? Can you review the script and approve it before filming starts? A change on paper is easier than a change after filming.
3. Filming
The quote should make clear:
- The number of filming days or hours.
- The filming location: at your place, in a studio or at an outside location? Who arranges the location and the permits if needed?
- The team: the photographer, assistants, and the director if there is one.
- The equipment: cameras, lighting, sound and movement equipment if the work needs it.
- Actors or fashion models: are they included? Who chooses them?
- Supplies: decor, clothes and products, and who provides them.
4. Editing
Ask about the details the editing includes:
- Arranging and cutting the shots.
- Color correction.
- Text, titles and the logo on screen.
- Effects and simple animation.
- Subtitles if needed.
If you are looking for editing for a video you filmed yourself, the offer here will be for the editing alone. Learn about the promotional video editing service.
5. Sound and voice-over
Sound is half of the video. Ask: does the offer include the voice-over? Who will do it, and in which dialect? Are the music and sound effects chosen within the offer? Is the music licensed for commercial use? To learn how important sound is in an ad, read why professional voice-over is the key to the success of your ad videos, and for what we offer in this area, see the ad voice-over service.
6. Deliverables and formats
Do not settle for the word "video". Ask:
- How many versions will you get? (For example a long version and a short one.)
- In which sizes? (Horizontal for YouTube, vertical for reels and stories, square for other platforms.)
- In what quality and format?
- Will you get the open project files and the raw material, or only the final file?
Many disagreements start here: the client thinks he will get versions for all platforms, while the offer includes one version.
7. Changes
Agree on the number of rounds of changes, and on what counts as a simple change and what counts as a change of idea. A change to colors, text or the order of a shot is different from changing the script after filming, and the latter needs new work. Write this in the offer.
8. Usage rights
Make clear: where and how are you allowed to use the video? Are there limits on the period or the platforms? Can you edit it later? What about the music, fonts and stock images used? Do not ignore this item, because it protects you in the future.
9. The timeline and work stages
The offer should show the work stages (the idea, then filming, then editing, then review, then delivery) and what depends on you in them: approvals, providing materials, and setting dates. The actual duration is set according to the case, but a clear timeline is important.
10. Payment terms and what the offer does not include
What is the payment method and its stages? What happens if filming is postponed or canceled? Which work does the offer not include, so that it needs a separate item? What is not mentioned in the offer may be wrongly understood as included.
How to compare two offers?
Make the comparison on items, not on a final number. Put these items in front of each offer and compare them:
- The idea and script
- Filming: its days, equipment and team
- Editing and effects
- Sound, voice-over and music
- The number of versions and formats
- Rounds of changes
- Usage rights
- The timeline
As with other marketing services, the cheapest offer may not include items you need, so you end up paying more than it later. You will find similar logic in our article on the cost of managing social media pages.
What should you prepare before asking for the offer?
The clearer the information you give, the closer the offer is to your case:
- What is the goal of the video? What do you want the viewer to do after it?
- Where will it be shown?
- Who is your audience?
- Do you have an idea or examples you like?
- Which products, places or people will appear?
- Do you have a visual identity, a logo and colors?
- What date suits you? Is there an event date or a season the ad is tied to?
- Who will approve the work on your side?
Signs that call for caution
- A one-line offer that details nothing.
- No mention of changes, or leaving the door open to changes with no limit or with no possibility.
- No explanation of usage rights.
- No mention of what the offer does not include.
- A promise of specific results from the video. The quality of the video helps, but its result is affected by the audience, the way it is published and the ad itself.
What do we offer?
We offer promotional video filming services and audio and video production, and the editing and voice-over connected to them. The details of each offer are set after we understand your idea and your goal, and we make clear to you in detail what it includes and what it does not.
Common questions
Can I ask for filming alone without editing?
Yes, each part can be requested separately, but agree beforehand on the format in which you will receive the materials, and on who will do the editing, so that the shots are filmed in a way that suits them.
Do I have to have a script ready?
Not necessarily. You can come with an initial idea or just a goal, and the team helps you develop it. What matters is that what was agreed is written down before filming.
Do I get the raw material after delivery?
It depends on the agreement. Ask about this item before starting, because it affects your ability later to reuse or edit the shots.
How do I decide the right length for the video?
According to where it will be shown and the goal. A short ad suits fast platforms, and a longer introduction video suits your website or YouTube. This can be discussed when the idea is set.
In short
A good quote for filming or editing an ad answers many questions before they are asked: what will be produced, how, with what materials, with how many changes, with what rights, and on what timeline. Ask for the details in writing, compare the items and not the numbers, and do not sign before you understand what you are paying for.
Do you want a clear offer for your ad video? Contact us on WhatsApp or from the contact page, and tell us about your idea, your goal and where the video will be shown. We will explain in detail what the offer includes.