How Do You Determine Price for a Music Video?

[Ivan Jasper]

I'd ask how much you charge to make a music video but I figured that very few would want to quote a flat rate. But feel free if you'd like.

First I should say that I'm new to all this, I've made exactly one music video and it stunk. If it is ever leaked to You Tube it would lose me more work than it got me. I guess you could say they got what they paid for. But I learned from it.

Now the same band actually wants me to make another one for them and I'm excited about it. Better song, costumed and choreographed in an old train depot so we're already off to a way better start. And it's an excuse to buy a crane.

Pretty much a one man show. If I'm lucky I might have a couple people to help set up. It will take a full to to film and then the many hours at the editing desk.

Costuming/choreography will be handled by someone else.

[Brian Drysdale]

Basically the same way as any other production. You work out a schedule, what equipment is being used and the cost for the production to use it per the schedule, how much each crew member is being paid and other costs eg insurance etc.

[Jonathan Palfrey]

Brian pretty much summed it up. What ever your normal daily rate is go with that, just work out how long it will take to produce (pre-production, production and post production) then charge them for the x number of days.

I guess you also need to consider what it is worth to them as well, e.g. the video may help promote a bit an unknown band but thats it, while a well known band may make a lot of money out of having the music video.

Like Brian said work out how much it will cost you and how much you generally want to earn for a day's work then maybe add on a bit for the 'value' that the video with provide to the band.

Jon