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How Much Does A Nonprofit Videographer Cost?
Running a nonprofit is hard. It requires constant communication with board members, scheduling events to raise public awareness, writing grant applications, organizing fundraisers, and managing staff and volunteers to help you fulfill your mission. And that's just scratching the surface.
On top of all that, now you're in the process of finding a nonprofit videographer who can capture footage of your team in action and help elevate your organization's impact, attract volunteers, and help raise money. You've done the research and know how important professional video production is these days, but one lingering question remains...
How much is this going to cost?
Don't worry. We know you've got a lot on your plate, so we're going to break down nonprofit videography pricing as simply and concisely as possible.
Let's get to it.
How Nonprofit Videographers Calculate Prices
Sometimes the best way to explain pricing structure is by making a simple comparison. Let's pretend you're calling a home contractor and you ask, "How much do you charge to remodel a kitchen?"
As you can imagine, the home contractor will have some questions.
How old is your house?
What's the square footage of your Kitchen?
Are we replacing cabinets or just giving them a fresh coat of paint?
Does the flooring need to be replaced?
Do you need new appliances?
Are we putting in an island?
When are you hoping to have the project completed?
Working with a nonprofit videographer is no different. The videographer will need to know the specifics of your project before they can give you an accurate price. After all, there's a big difference between shooting a 2-minute promotional video and building an entire YouTube channel for your organization.
A nonprofit videographer calculates their prices based on the following criteria:
Number of hours/shooting days
Travel requirements
Required equipment
Script writing/Storyboarding
Number of interviews/Interview locations
Post-production requirements
Music licensing
Special graphics
And more...
Because the requirements can fluctuate from project to project, a videographer can't give a price without knowing the specifics first. So be sure to write down the specific details of your project before you schedule your discovery call with them. The more information you can provide, the easier it will be to give you an exact price for services.
Standard Nonprofit Videography Rates
Although rates can vary between markets, most nonprofit videographers charge $50 to $150 per hour for videography services (just shooting the footage).
Some videographers charge a flat day rate for services, which can range from $500 to $2,000 per day. Each videographer's day rate is based on experience and quality of equipment.
At 4Everscope Media, we charge a day rate of $800 per day (8 hours of coverage), which breaks down to $100 per hour. If you're in need of less coverage, you can expect us to charge $100 per hour for our services.
Calculating the price for editing and post-production is a bit trickier because there is no one-size-fits-all answer or solution. Some videographers will charge by the hour, which typically ranges between $40 to $90 per hour, while others may charge a day rate for post-production services.
It's hard to say what each videographer charges for editing, but it's easy to tell you 4Everscope Media charges $250 per day for video editing services. You can expect our team to spend 6 to 8 hours per day on your project, ensuring you're getting the most out of your investment.
To give you an example of how this breaks down, if you're working with 4Everscope Media, let's say it took 8 hours of filming to capture the footage for your project, and based on projects we've created in the past, it's going to take 10 days of editing to complete...
8 hour shoot = $800
10 days of editing = $2,500
Total = $3,300
Our pricing structure is really that simple.
How To Save Yourself Some Money
So much of what videographers and video production companies do is based on scale and scope. To put it as bluntly as possible, the bigger the project, the bigger the investment (it's impossible to make Star Wars for $100).
But you shouldn't let the fear of a large price tag hold you back from creating the video, or videos, your organization has been needing for years. There are 3 highly effective ways you can save yourself some money.
1.) Negotiate the Scope of Your Project
It's very rare for videographers to offer nonprofit discounts because the price of equipment and crew members remains fixed for them. However, if you can negotiate the scale and scope of your project, you're far more likely to lower the overall cost of the production.
If you have 5 interviews in 5 different locations, consider cutting it down to 3 interviews, or find a way to schedule all of them in 1 location.
If you want 6 custom-made graphics included with your video, consider cutting those down to 2 or 3.
If your project requires 2 days of filming because you need 1 day of event coverage and 1 day for interviews, consider having staff members and volunteers shoot event coverage on their phones and turning their video clips over to the videographer when they're editing.
Lowering the scope of your project is the fastest way to lower the price of your investment.
2.) Bundle Your Assets
Rather than hire a videographer to create a new video each time you need one, hire the same videographer throughout the year to capture B-roll footage from major events held by your organization. Doing so will allow you to create a content library that you can access whenever you need it.
For example, let's say you've hired a videographer for 3 events. They're not there to create any specific videos, just to capture some event highlights for a few hours each time. When the time comes for your organization to make an "About Us" video for its website, the videographer will only need to capture staff interviews and start editing. All the extra footage has already been shot, and can easily be utilized in the editing phase of the project.
The same goes for client testimonials. If your videographer has already captured hours of clips from various organization events, they only need to capture interviews with the clients who are ready to sing your praises.
Best of all, the footage your videographer shoots can be combined with the video clips you capture on your cell phone when they're not around. Every visual moment becomes a valuable visual asset for future projects.
When you hire a videographer to bundle your assets and build you a content library, you're setting yourself up for success by getting the full value of your investment for years to come. Not just for a single video.
3.) Provide Your Own Resources
The more pre-production work your videographer has to do, the more their price will increase. If you want to save yourself some money, consider writing your own script for the project, lining up locations in advance, providing some of your own cell phone footage for the project, and utilizing staff and volunteers to prep for interviews.
The little things add up in big ways. The more you're able to help your videographer do their job more easily, the more money you're going to save in the long run.
How Can 4Everscope Media Serve As Your Official Nonprofit Videographer?
Over the years, we've had the honor of working with some incredible nonprofit organizations, including the Lions of Michigan Foundation, Lions of Michigan All-State Band, Shiawassee Art Center, Ruth Mott Foundation, and Special Olympics Michigan. We would be delighted to work with your organization as well.
At 4Everscope Media, we offer video content solutions to nonprofits and businesses designed to communicate your mission to your target audience, establish you as the primary authority in your industry, and most importantly, build trust. We can help you accomplish all 3 by providing you with a strategically built video content library designed to last forever.
If you're interested in working with 4Everscope Media on your upcoming project, reach out to us and schedule your free discovery call today.
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