Unlike a plumbing or printing quote, a video production quote can vary by as much as three times for a seemingly similar result. The reason: each agency breaks down its costs differently, and some items are sometimes hidden in vague line items. This guide gives you the keys to reading any quote like a pro.
Includes time spent on the briefing, writing the script or concept note, creating the mood board, casting, location scouting, and logistics. This phase is often underestimated in tight budgets—which is a mistake. A rushed pre-production phase always ends up costing more during filming.
The most visible expenses: shooting days, technical crew (director, director of photography, gaffer, stagehand, assistant(s)), camera and lens rentals, filming locations, vehicles, and catering. Always check the crew-to-project-complexity ratio: a crew of three for a commercial with four sets is suspicious.
Editing, color grading, sound mixing, subtitling, motion design, VFX. This category can account for 30 to 50% of the total budget. Be wary of quotes that don’t break this down.
Formats, resolutions, number of versions, and web-optimized versions. A quote for “just one master” can be misleading if you need five different formats.
At Bengale, our quotes are itemized line by line. We explain each line item and never charge any hidden fees. Request your free quote.
