How expensive is video production?

“We only need a short video. Thirty seconds or so.”

For a film crew, that is about as precise as telling an architect you need a smallish house. They still don't know where it will stand, what it will be built from and what has to be inside.

A thirty-second video can be a statement from a director in an office. Or it can involve a night shoot, three actors, a moving car, a purpose-built set and a product animation.

The final length is the same. The work behind it is completely different.

So how much does a video cost?

As a concrete reference point we can take the publicly available price list of the Slovenian provider Studio S. At the time of checking it lists filming with one videographer plus editing from €600 + VAT, production with a small crew in the range of €1,000 to €3,000, and more demanding adverts from around €5,000 upwards.

These are examples from one provider, not an official market average or Vertier's price list. With price ranges, also check the scope and how VAT is treated. They are useful mainly because they show how broad the category “video” is.

To compare quotes you need a clear description of the product: what is being filmed, for how long, who is involved and which final versions you will receive.

The camera is only one line in the quote

Before filming, the idea, the message and the sequence of scenes have to be defined. Then come the location, the people on screen, the schedule, the props and equipment prep.

On the shoot, the cost is shaped by the number of people, the complexity of the set-ups and time. Every change of room can mean moving equipment and setting up light and sound again. If the day runs long, the work of several people runs long at once.

After the shoot come selecting the material, editing, sound work, colour grading, graphics and preparing the final files. On some projects this is the most demanding part.

So when you see one shooting day in a quote, also ask what happens before it and after it.

Why can six videos be cheaper per piece than one?

Imagine filming six product explainers in the same room. The lights stay in place, the presenter is the same, the products are ready and the crew knows the scripts.

The videos can share part of the costs.

If you spread those same six videos across six different dates, you have to repeat the travel, the room preparation and the equipment set-up several times. That kind of organisation can raise the cost per finished video.

For regular publishing it therefore makes sense to think in series as well. Of course, the quantity has to match how many good ideas and quality performances you can deliver in the time available.

A sample budget you can actually check

Below is a made-up breakdown of a project worth €3,000 excluding VAT. It is meant to show the logic, not to set prices for individual services.

With a breakdown like this you can ask a concrete question: for our goal, is an additional location more important, or more usable versions of the ad?

That is a far more useful conversation than a general request for a lower price. The crew can adapt the execution, and you understand what you gain or give up with the change.

Where can you save without unnecessary complications?

First of all, on decisions. An approved script, a prepared location and consolidated feedback reduce the work that has to be repeated.

Before you start, also define the number of final videos, the formats, subtitles, deadlines and the scope of revisions. Changing a sentence in the script is a small intervention. The same change after filming is finished can require a new shot.

If you would like a useful estimate from Vertier, send an example of a video you like, the intended use and the approximate amount of content. That way we can start the conversation with an execution that fits your goal and budget.

Videos and sources

• Studio S: publicly listed video production price examples. Checked on 6 October 2026; an example from one provider, not a study of average prices.
• StudioBinder: the stages of film production.
• StudioBinder video: how a shoot works. An example of a larger film production, useful for understanding the work of a crew.