How Much You SHOULD Charge As a Freelance Videographer
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
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Pricing your services is tricky, and there's a lot of variables that stand in the way. I've seen a crazy difference in the rates that people are charging for their video/ content creation services, and I genuinely think it's down to the fact that there's no decent information out there about pricing and business strategy in this particular situation.
I've been running my own business now for 4 years, and in that time I've been raising my prices every year almost religiously. A lot of people seem to feel like they can't ask for more and instead sell themselves short time and time again, making their time less valuable and damaging the reputation of other like-minded freelancers.
So, in a bid to help everyone who watches this channel who may currently be selling themselves short, or just find the whole pricing thing really scary and confusing, I wanted to make a video that goes into depth about my pricing strategy, and how the rates I charge have changed over the last few years.
Being self-employed in this industry is tough, and I want to make sure that everyone is getting paid the money they deserve for their services.
A lot of people either charge and day rate or an hourly rate, and in this video I wanted to talk about how each method will change the way your business works.
Thanks for watching this video, and I hope it's helpful for you!
If you shoot video or take photos for a living you need to stop thinking of yourself as a "freelancer". You are a business, just like any other business you are working with. And you have operating expenses, payroll, taxes, etc. You provide a valuable service, a money-MAKING service, for your clients. You must charge and operate accordingly. Stop acting like everyone is doing you a favor by hiring you for your skills and talents.
I spoke to a wedding photographer who told me he always charged more than other photographers as customer would feel they would get more from paying a higher rate. He said never offer lower always charge more!This wedding photography business was one of three businesses he had on going and made £100.000 a year just on weddings. This was over 3 years ago.
When a client asks for something else/extra in the middle of a project or after a project is completed, always respond with something like, "sure, send me a brief and I'll work out a quote." Your time is worth money, don't just give it away.
Please please please make more videos on this! I'm specifically am interested in hearing more about how you broke into your industry. How did you find gigs initially? How do you recommend building your brand ? How do you communicate with clients about their needs and expectations/ deal with revisions. So many things I want to pick your brain about!
Hey Sebastien, I’d love to make more vids about this topic and the whole world of business in general. Finding work is a tricky one, but there’s ways to make it more streamlined for sure and I’ll make another video on that.
Communication with clients always depends on whether they realise what they want from the get go or whether they have no idea. It’s always best to understand what they think they want and then persuade them otherwise if it doesn’t sound attainable with the budget they have to spend :)
Literally just got laid off 2 days ago. Been building this business on the side for 6 months and now I’m ready to do a complete career change. Very scary and so exciting at the same time. Definitely share more of your journey because this was encouraging!
Mind if I ask how its going? I’m very close to leaving my regular job
Outstanding!!!! This need to be taught in school. I'm a Los Angeles based photographer where everyone is now a photographer. All the so called photographers have greatly impacted the pricing to the negative. As you point out a client will take advantage of you if you let them. Earlier this year Post COVID - work started to return. So it was tough to get paid work at my normal rate. Had to eat, so I took a job to do behind the scenes on a short film. Well when I arrived we discussed what I would be covering and what they were looking for which was behind the scenes photos. But throughout the day the director asked for me to make sure I captured a good cover shot for the box cover. The producers would come over and ask to get coverage... and this went on two more times....Be sure to be firm on what your were hired for because that is the rate that was agreed upon. Anything beyond that a new price and agreement should be made. I usually word it - oh let me tell you how it works... yes it's abrupt but so is there FREE work request. After a few times defending your value it becomes really easy. Josh I bought my S5 to become a Camera Operator. You have been an amazing help in my transition.. once I have work worth sharing.. I would love your feed back. If your interested here is some of my photo work.. instagram.com/renardgarr/ Thanks again.. I love this camera and you are a big part of learning how to use it. You Stabilization video helped me so much.
This was super super helpful, I would love if you could make more videos like this!! The on-site, traveling times, expenses EVERYTHING haha
I just had to explain this today to a client that she was asking for a 4h shooting and I quotate her for full day, because at the end of the day it will be much more than 4h, furthermore there is setting up and transportation time...
Great video, btw! I'm a freelance filmmaker from Barcelona and my rates and way to apply them are quite similar to your method!
Some people just don't understand how much effort and time it takes :) Thanks for watching ! If i'm ever in Barcelona i'll give you a call ;)
@@JoshCameron don't hesitate to do it! Great work!
Would love to see more videos like this! Trying to build my own freelance network
I’ll take a note and make more !
Hey Josh! Love your content mate, keep up the good work.
I love this video - Please make more like this! Your content has been so key to me getting off my butt with a decent camera and getting involved, I'd love to hear more from you. You should create a course, I'd buy the hell outta that.
Mate this video is prefect! It’s so refreshing to have input from someone who is actually in the UK. I went freelance in 2019. I’m an FX6 owner currently charging £400 a day, but I still don’t have consistent clients. It’s been so hard trying to drum business and I’m still having to stay at my previous job as a carpenter.
Would you mind doing a video on how to hunt clients and how you even approach them for work?
Great video. You’ve got a sub from me.
You need to invest 100% on your work. How much networking are you doing? Are you going to certain events and capture those events for free, then post on you social media page?
Thank you for this!🔥
Thank you! This is a very clear pricing breakdown system, and makes a lot of sense :)
Watching you slowly understand business is awesome. Next your going to do this video again and be a full Savage. Like you said people WILL take advantage if you don't get what you deserve!
Thanks Jesse 🙌🏼
3:10 mans spitting nothing but facts. when you first said "it becomes a full day" i was thrown off, but the reasoning makes sense
I’m at 750 CAD for 1/2day 1200 CAD for a full day. I let my clients know that they are also renting all my gear for that time also and the more expensive my gear becomes, the higher the rate also. Preproduction cost are separate and I charge hourly for editing.
My friend charges 3500-5000 pounds per day but he also uses RED V raptors and other really expensive gear
love this, super helpful. I kinda followed the same structure with day rates but living in San Francisco it doesn't go far at all
Love this! Super helpful!
Thanks Michael!
Great video , just one question. What about 2days of shooting and then editing? Do you quote only 2 days of shooting for example 1200 or do you quote 1200 ( shooting) + editing ? Thanks!!
this is great thank you more videos like this is a great help !
5:41 - Of course I would like to hear more... Make more videos like this
Great video, very helpful.. An idea for a video for ya.. what about how you go abouts approaching sponsors or sponsors approaching you.
Really useful thank you. I also have a day and half day rate. But I consider this to be time on set only. I am pricing a private farewell gathering which should be about 4 hours. However I've had to get to know more about the person concerned and had a 2 hour telephone call. Also I need to get some b-roll of where he's buried, to intersperse. I always start with asking what outcome they're looking for. This has indicated there could be some considerable editing involved. So I said I'll price based on filming initially and once done, I can chat further about editing. As I'd like to do the full package, do you think I could charge extra if they don't use me for editing? I know media companies charge a kind of release fee giving you full use of the material rather than licence to use it.
Appreciate it, bruv
Please more videos on what we need to start a freelancer videography career
I have plans to do so!
Great video, just what I was looking for.
What type of business was your first client? Have you ever ventured into weddings? Did you invest in more lenses etc with your earnings at first?
More videos like this please ❤
Hey Thomas! So my first real client was a chain or bars and restaurants (in fact, they’re still one of my clients and I work with them regularly).
I still am investing into more gear to this day, 4 years later. It’s important to understand what it is you ACTUALLY need for your business and not what you want…. For example, lighting, modifiers and audio equipment are essentials for my everyday work but they’re not the most fun purchases!
@@JoshCameron thanks for the info.
It’s good you found your niche straight away.
I’m using the S5, the only problem is the price of the L mount lenses but the quality of the prime lenses is superb.
Do you have a portfolio so I can see your work?
My ful day is $1k/8 & $700/4. But for projects that include editing I charge separate!! Example my music videos packages start at $1500 until to $10k !!!
Those are really great rates, especially if you're able to keep that work coming through!
Hey!
Is your time is for the shoot only? Do you charge separately for prep/storyboarding and edit time?
Great video Josh!
Cheers Torie!
Another informative video! Really interesting to see you're able to charge £800 per day in the UK. In Ireland it seems the max you can get is 500-600
I’m sure you can get way higher - you just need the right clients!
@joshcameron - does your daily rate include your post-production time for editing and such?
Hey Josh! Great Video. Thanks for sharing your personal informations. It helped a lot. I have a question. How do work with pre production (story board, planning etc)? Do you also charge for that or is it included in the shooting days? All the best 🥰
Normally my clients are pretty clued up with what they’re after. So the heavy lifting and brain power is done by them, but I just reformat their ideas into achievable shot lists that will actually translate the way they want it to.
But yes, all consultation is included in the rates and I don’t charge extra for that :) hope this helps!
definitely make more video like this
Does your Day rate include editing time? How do you charge for that after 8 hours of shooting?
very useful, thank you
You're welcome :)
Great video Josh
Cheers mate!
Great video but I think you missed the gear rental and transportation costs to the project budget. A good transportation estimate is to open uber an calculate hoe much it will cost to get to the shooting location and for the gear rental I go to adorama rentals and quote the gear I own. The gear and technology wears out overtime. I highly recommend to charge separately for the editing and having 3 packages aiming towards the middle priced one.
So I drive, and always add mileage costs to the invoice too, sorry I didn’t get into that.
I also never rent equipment, I own all of my equipment and no client has ever required anything different to what I already have available :)
@@JoshCameron Just imagine, you need something you don't own. Who should pay for the rental? The client? If so, why should the invoice to the client depend on whether you happen to own the equipment. If your invoice does include use of equipment, regardless of whether you own it, then it seems to me entirely straightforward. But I wouldn't like the idea of being the only one in my neck of the woods doing that.
Wait ,i didn t understand if on the day rates it s include the editing time …thanks for the content ,i appreciate it a lot
very interesting video
Thanks buddy :)
More of these types of videos please
Will do !
If u have a medical emergency are u going to sit there in the emergency room--if u make it there--and tell the Doc, "You are charging too much! You should just do it for free. After all u can use the practice, put it on your resume for later." I heard such nonsense from lawyers and medical firms when I was doing some freelance work a few years back. I let them know that my formal schooling in film was much harder to get into than their med school, etc. Professional program in Advanced Television that I was in: 431 applicants, 8 admitted. So that ratio is 50+ to One. Harvard Med at the time was 17 applicants to one. 😎😎
Did I miss how your editing rates changed after you started charging day rates?
Awesome 😎
Veryyy late comment but yes please make more content on this
Does your half day and full day rates include post production ?
I was also curious as to how the price for editing was adjusted. Is it included in the day rate? Does the day rate also apply for editing ($300 for every day editing the project for example)? Does it have its own day rate or flat rate?
Excellent! What about clients who 1099 (US) and you have to pay taxes back.
hey Josh, this is the video I was looking for and am glad I found it. On a daily race pricing, how do you charge for editing that goes after it? Still on a hourly rate or? Thanks
Great video! Do you add the costs of editing into the hourly charges or is that a different package?
The editing is included in the day rate :)
@@JoshCameron Hi Josh, so you could be out there for 4 hours filming for £300 and then you could be spending another 4 hours (if not more) editing when you get back home? for no additional charge? so that could work out for 8hrs of work for £300? regards, Jeff
Jesus. I feel like you shouted so much at the microphone and I just couldn't take it any longer. Dropped off at the 2:28 minute mark.
Apart from anything else, it could be hard to do two half-day gigs in one day.
Also how much do you charge now for editing ? And is it also a day rate and half day rate for editing?
Editing would be a fixed day rate of £500 also :)
@@JoshCameron Thanks!
have you got a calculation or equation how to calculate rates / how much money you would need to fund your lifestyle and survive? taking into account bills, savings etc
Is your day rate for editing now the same as your shooting rate? If not, how does that differ? I find people are happy to pay for shooting but I struggle to charge the same day rate for editing.
Nice video! Can you tell us (and sorry if you mentioned this somewhere), where do you get your clients?
I’ll make a vid on this soon!
You really ought to have explained why you should charge larger clients more.
Hi Josh, you started splitting your rates into filming (visible) and editing (non-visible). Now you charge 800 pounds for 6 hours. Do these 6 hours include editing? Cheers!
Hey dude! So the day rate of £800 includes 6 hours on site and then whatever time it takes to edit :)
@@JoshCameron So this is a project rate, not a day rate. This is hugely misleading
@@88888888Ozzy88888888how is he making money?!? That’s wild
do you use the same pricing model for your editing rates?
is in your daily rate editing included? no, right?!
Hello and and thank you for this video. Can we have others videos like that ?
I need to know if you charge in more, the car rent, the time on the road to go on several shooting area? When you travel outside your country, do you have a special bous for this (ticket plane, hotel, restaurant....) and how much do you ask ? For exemple, in france , we have 25 % of taxe on each contract... So we must charge a lot the client and it is very bad ... How do you charge in other countries ?
Thank you very much
( can you describe the charge of your compagny too .. taxes,wat .... studio rent .... ? )
I want to ask you a question. I am thinking of buying an S5, but I want to know, can I shoot transitions with a suitable focus in this camera, or should I go to Sony?
Retainer fees would be really helpful Thanks!
Noted! Cheers for watching!
I'm just an eastern European construction worker earning 55pounds a day.....:D
Besides, I have done some editing gig for a company in Japan but unfortunately this industry is pure slavelabour there
£800 pounds for a full day? I've been working for over 10 years in this industry and the best I've managed to charge a client is 400€ per day as a DIRECTOR, for a corporate film that ended up costing over 50K.
Everytime I see the prices being practiced outside my country makes me want to pack my bags and leave.
Where abouts are you living currently? Prices in the UK (especially near London) for freelancers are normally around this amount, or at least they should be as long as the clients are good enough :)