How much to charge?

[Troy Davis]

Hello,

I have someone that wants me to video their kids city league football games. The games are 1-1.5 hours long on the weekend. They basically want the highlights of their kid on DVD and maybe Youtube. I would only be using a single camera, but not sure how much to charge? Any ideas?

Thanks!
T

[Jeff Brewer]

It would really depend on what you feel you are worth. I would try to think of what hourly rate you feel comfortable charging for doing the videography, then the hourly rate for editing and then just plug in the hours of videography and editing.

Some videographers refuse to settle for less than $300 an hour, where some would be fine with $20-$30. It's all up to how much you feel your time is worth and the clients you are wanting to appeal to.

[Chris Davis]

I had a friend ask me the same thing a couple years ago. He about choked when I told him $250 per game and $1000 to edit. Then I told him to find a high school kid who would probably do it for $20 per game.

For some reason, people think the use of the finished product should determine the price, not the actual amount of work that goes into it.

[Kyle Root]

What else do you have going on on the weekends?

Will you be potentially missing out on other business? (weddings etc)

You gotta value your time, and also factor "do you -really- want to do it."

Sounds like it might take 8 hours (1.5 to shoot, 5.5 to weed through and edit, and an hour to convert and put up online)

at $50/hour that would be $ 400 per event.

at $20/hour that would be $160 per event.

Just throwin out some stuff for you to consider.

[Troy Davis]

Great post. I think I have a idea on what to charge now. Thanks to all.

[Paul R Johnson]

My response to a similar question - how much to shoot a Sunday League football game (proper football, not the throwing kind) led to an unusual deal. I bought them a new away game kit - with my business name on it. Their last kit lasted 3 years, so I guess the $500 it cost to get one made is good advertising - I've covered a couple of games already for their opposition teams, so a kind of sponsorship deal has worked for me!

The best thing is what they actually want is a simple visual record to use for training and archive purposes - so the key feature is continuous recording - all it needs is topping and tailing - with a simple Oxford Arms FC v ABC Wanderers and the date at the top, and my credits at the end.

Really simple to do, and probably 6 hours work start to finish - priced as a days work.

[Philip Howells]

Originally Posted by Chris Davis

(snipped)

For some reason, people think the use of the finished product should determine the price, not the actual amount of work that goes into it.

Chris, of course you're right but I don't blame the parents etc but the Hollywood production companies that use DVD sell through and rental companies as a dumping ground for films that won't justify the huge investment in promotional costs that the top films evidently need to succeed.