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Home: Video University Forums: Marketing & Business:
Quote question

Lara
Novice

Sep 5, 2005, 2:33 PM

Post #1 of 9 (1205 views)
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Quote question	Can't Post

Hi folks....

I'm totally green at video production, but I have a background in journalism, communications... have written for radio... have many transferable skills and tons of confidence, enthusiasm for learning a new medium. I'm also in a small market where competition from other videographers is negligible, and I have a corporate client who loves what I do as a writer, is aware of my lack of experience in video production, but is fully on board to contract me for a promo video.

I've read most of Hal's wonderful book, Marketing with Digital Video, and his videographers' course which I purchased... It's giving me an excellent head start. I've also subcontracted an able cameraman who works daily in news production, and my client is buying a very nice camera which will more than serve the purpose at hand. Now I'm trying to put together a quote for my client for the pre-production phase: research, script-writing, preparation of a detailed budget for the production phase, planning.

Could anyone suggest what would be an appropriate amount of (my) time to bill for this phase: research, scriptwriting, pre-production planning... for 7- to 10-minute video?
Also, what would be a reasonable percentage of the total budget to allocate for pre-production planning, scriptwriting?

Some factors to consider:

There likely won't be much acting... voiceovers mainly
Minimal travel involved.
Video will showcase this company's services as a drilling company to mining exploration companies.
Scenes will likely include client testimonials, overview of company operations, shots of its innovative technologies in use.
Weather will likely be a factor in filming.
He's indicated he expects to spend between $10,000 and $20,000 on the entire project

Look forward to hearing from you!
Lara

Freelance writer / communicator
Emerging videographer!

Smithers, B.C. Canada

(This post was edited by Lara on Sep 6, 2005, 12:45 AM)

DVXGalt
Veteran

Sep 5, 2005, 9:52 PM

Post #2 of 9 (1194 views)
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Re: [Lara] Quote question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Congratulations on selling and landing an excellent corporate client !!!

But percentages don't really mean much, every project is different. However it is not unreasonable to spend 20-45% of you total budget n preproduction. Planning dollars are the best dollars you can spend. Beyond that it depends on the total plan.

I generally have a rough idea of the project approach, and give the client a treatment which guesses at the preproduction time (how many peple do you need to get involved, are they all in one place, etc?). It also guesses at production time in terms of days. Post production depends on the character of the project (taling heads edit quicker than interviews). There are no formulas. Make your best guesses, and try to stay within (or lower) the overall project budget. To me , it sounds like a 50-80 hour project overall. Script is minimal, other stuff is all simple.

Think about how you can make the project better, it sounds like he has plenty of budget for this project. VO is never as good as a real person. You may wish to press the client testimonials. These will add cost (especially if you have to travel), but are also teh most valuable things you can add.

HTH

Ken Ehrhart
User

Sep 6, 2005, 2:38 PM

Post #3 of 9 (1172 views)
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Re: [Lara] Quote question [In reply to]	Can't Post

EDITED TO FIX GRAMATICAL ERROR

Lara...

It does indeed sound you've gotten into a good situation with a
corporate client. As stated in the other post, trying to come up
with an accurate percentage or guesstimate on how much time
to quote for pre-production planning, research and script writing
depends greatly on YOU more than what we can offer. How
long does it take YOU to do all that. Some can do it very
quickly... others need more time. Sit down with yourself and
try to determine YOUR BEST estimate (or guesstimate) of how long
it will actually take you. I've done dozens of corporate jobs and
I've found the finished length has nothing to do with the amount
of work one will have to put into such a project. I know you'd rather
have tangible "numbers"... but that's simply the facts. Anyone who
blindly gives you such numbers is just guessing too.

I've got a SAMPLE BID PROPOSAL that could at least help you
put something together and I am available to chat if you'd like.
The sample is an MSWORD file and I can be reached
at Ken@summitvid.com.

Happy to talk... okay?

Ken Ehrhart
SUMMIT Productions

(This post was edited by Ken Ehrhart on Sep 6, 2005, 4:18 PM)

Lara
Novice

Sep 6, 2005, 4:11 PM

Post #4 of 9 (1166 views)
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Re: [DVXGalt] Quote question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi HTH!

Thanks so much for your speedy reply... so appreciated!

Very good thoughts... I think I'm going to tell the guy seven days in pre-production, and shoot for five (and bill him for $ equalling five days of time), in hopes of "under-promising and over-delivering".

Good points about voice overs and testimonials. I think I will make great use of testimonials.
Lara

Freelance writer / communicator
Emerging videographer!

Smithers, B.C. Canada

Lara
Novice

Sep 6, 2005, 4:22 PM

Post #5 of 9 (1163 views)
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Re: [Ken Ehrhart] Quote question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi there Ken,

Yes, I can't believe my luck sometimes. This client is a really good guy who's prepared to put a lot of trust in me. He already gifted the magazine I work for (fresh outta the gate a year ago) with a pricey digital camera, just to help it on its way...

These are good points. I'm learning more and more that you establish the outlines of a project, then deliver what you can within those. Just about any task can expand to fill the time you allow it, right?

I would love to look at your bid proposal... Thanks so much for offering your expertise. I will email you.
Lara

Freelance writer / communicator
Emerging videographer!

Smithers, B.C. Canada

DVXGalt
Veteran

Sep 6, 2005, 4:41 PM

Post #6 of 9 (1155 views)
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Re: [Lara] Quote question [In reply to]	Can't Post

HTH = Hope This Helps.... Cool

You did not mention Post Production Time.
Costs for Voice Overs, Music, Assistants during Production Days (nearly always a good idea if you are setting lights, moving a lot, need a boom operator, etc.) Travel, Animation or Graphics, DVD Artwork, Printing/Replication Costs (is that part of his $20k budget in his mind?), Stock Footage, Legal (clearances needed for any products or machinery appearing?)

I have no idea if your preprod and prod guesses are high or low. Besides YOU, time and cost is affected by client and their willingness to do some of the work, especially at the script stage. Testimonials can be grueling or really easy to shoot. Anyway, good luck, let us know how it comes out...

Bob

Lara
Novice

Sep 7, 2005, 2:51 AM

Post #7 of 9 (1134 views)
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Re: [DVXGalt] Quote question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Bob!... now that I know you have a name... Wink

... searched your original post but did not find one...

Thanks for these great considerations... I will make great use of Hal's book and the video course I received from him, particularly the section on budgets, which covers a lot of these items.

Q: Why do you think testimonials can be grueling to shoot?
Lara

Freelance writer / communicator
Emerging videographer!

Smithers, B.C. Canada

Ken Ehrhart
User

Sep 7, 2005, 7:38 AM

Post #8 of 9 (1128 views)
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Re: [Lara] Quote question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Lara...

Not to answer for Bob, but in MY EXPERIENCE... a number of factors
make shooting testimonials a real "crap shoot". First, you're most likely
dealing with "real people" who are always not good at expressing themselves.
Second, said "real people" get nervous when a camera is pointed their way...
finally, you don't want to take a lot of time, if you can help it, shooting
them while they struggle to put their thoughts together.

Whenever I've had to do them in a "controlled" corporate environment,
I've tried to discuss with said "real people" exactly what we're looking for.
I've even tried to "screen" said people to find out ahead of time if they're
really up to the challenge of what they've got to do. Once they've been
"briefed" so to speak, I ask the questions in such a way as to solicit
the response I desire... or at least to TRY to get them to say what
I want them to say. As Bob said, sometimes they're great and the
testimonials go quickly... sometimes not. That's my interpretation
of what he meant. Hope I was close.

Ken Ehrhart
SUMMIT Productions

NJVideo
Novice

Sep 8, 2005, 9:06 AM

Post #9 of 9 (1092 views)
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Re: [Ken Ehrhart] Quote question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Lara -
Congratulations. I think you are going to find this quite a new experience. If you like be "out there" with the action, you enjoy it even more.
One really BIG thing that perhaps you are well aware of, but just didn't get mentioned in the posts is the "storyboard" (outline -- or whatever you want to call it). When I first started doing "corporate" work, I thought this wasn't really necessary. After all the "event", training program, product introduction, pretty much "just happened" and I was there to capture and organize it for video.
I quickly came to appreciate that learning the dicipline to layout a good storyboard (you don't have to be any kind of artist -- just hand lettered cards with notes, snapshots, very rough sketched -- and (running) time projections) goes a long way in helping decide what assets you need to collect. If you and the client are happy with how this looks in the storyboard, you'll save LOTS of time and money by not having to go out and get those one or two shots that weren't thougth of the first time around.
As you're finding out, there is no easy formula for pricing. Your narration and editing may be less demanding and if you don't have to hire talent and studio space, you'll save money there. However, depending upon locations and travel time, you may spend more than you first think in the field. The storyboarding process provides a mechanism for noting all these details.
Enjoy the process!