*Director/DP/Editor, Jeff Ray, shoots a low-budget promo spot.
If you run a company, are in a band or if you ever need to promote things from time to time, then there is a good chance that you will have a need at some point for a professional video. But, if you’re like most company’s, bands or events, you’re working with a budget that is, at least, three times smaller than you would have liked to have for the project. Do not worry! It is not only feasible, but very likely that you can get a professional quality video for much less than you might think. You just have to know where to look!
Here are 5 secrets that will get you a great looking video for pennies on the dollar:
- Know your concept. One of the biggest challenges for a production company or agency is coming up with a great idea that YOU will approve. Depending on the agency and depending on the client, coming up with a concept that EVERYONE can agree on can take a day, or more likely, it can take weeks and weeks. If you come up with the concept you want to shoot in-house and then go shopping for a production company, you’ll save yourself a lot of money simply by cutting out the pre-pre-production process.
- Borrow locations. Another hefty expense in most professional videos goes to scouting and renting each of the locations that will be used in the video. While it is, often times, necessary to pay for a location, especially if you need a studio space or something very specific, you can usually get away with locations that are available to you for free. Before you start shopping your project to production companies, make arrangements with a few locations you can use for free.
- Borrow talent. This rule is a tricky one. Trust me, it is easy to find people that will want to be in your music video or commercial. The problem is that those people are probably terrible actors. Other than good lighting and good sound; whether your actors are good are not will reflect worlds on the production value of your project. But, you can find good actors for free or for little cost. Contact your city’s film commission and ask if there is a website or database of talent living locally (in Austin, http://www.austinactors.net is a great resource). If they don’t, then you can always turn to Craigslist, but DO NOT HIRE OFF OF A HEADSHOT if the role requires the person give lines. Professional casting calls can be expensive, but if you find your talent yourself or call actor agents directly, you can save a few dollars.
- Hire freelancers.You have your concept, location and talent. Now, all you need is someone to shoot the thing. So, find some freelancers! These are people ranging from production company staff looking for something to do in their off-time, to college film students, to middle school kids with their parent’s video camera. Depending on your budget, you can choose your level of talent accordingly. Craigslist.com is a good place to post and find someone that can shoot your music video or commercial, but make sure you have them submit a production reel, resume and references. The best way to find a good freelancer is to just ask around to other people who have had video produced in the past. If you don’t know anyone that can make a good referral, then call your local college and talk to the Dean over the film or advertising school. They can usually make a worthy suggestion and you might even get a free video if you can swing something that gives them school credit for shooting your project. Of course, if you can afford it, though, an accredited production company is always the best. You’ll still be able to get them to discount their prices if you do all of the above.
- Sign a contract. Finally, if you have a spot that isn’t a one time deal, you can gain a lot of leverage by offering up an extended term contract. If you need a new commercial every single month, or want to shoot 3 music videos over the course of a year, then put the entire year’s worth of videos into one contract. I, personally, have discounted my freelance prices almost 25% in the past for a lucrative contract of guaranteed work for an extended period of time. Just make sure the company you sign with is going to treat you well.
A good quality video can be the difference in selling a product or just wasting advertising dollars. If you have a good product, a professional video will pay for itself time and time again. But, a poorly produced video can create a first impression with potential customers from which you might never recover. But, fear not, a great looking video and concept isn’t that expensive and if you follow the secrets listed above, you’ll be surprised at how much money you can save.
Don’t have the time to put the entire video shoot together yourself? You might consider hiring a freelance producer. He/She can put the concept, location and talent together and then find a production company for you that will execute the entire project. A good producer is worth their weight in gold and more. You can find local producers in your local film production manual (contact your film commission).
If you have any questions you’d like to ask about video production, media buying, marketing, PR or social media, I have handled projects on a local, regional and national level and I’m always available for conversation. Hope this helps! ;)
Jon Ray
whoisjonray AT gmail DOT com
512.785.9160
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