ABOUT VIDEO PRODUCTION COSTS

How much does a video production typically cost?

Production costs vary widely according to length and style of the presentation, as well as the number of locations, images and interviews to be shot. We determine costs by discussing your needs in detail, and putting together a formal production proposal for you. For other non-profits, a typical range for our productions would be:

Orientation/Fundraiser (5-7 minutes) ----- $4,000 to $6,000
Educational Outreach (20 minutes) ------ $7,000 to $10,000
Broadcast Documentary (30 minutes) ----- $10,000 to $15,000

The cost for commercial, for-profit clients will typically be somewhat higher.

What does this cost include?

Production costs include everything from initial research to script writing, shooting, interviewing, editing, music, titles and narration. Not included would be open- or closed-captioning, and royalties for music or images you may decide you would like to use.

Is Yesterday's News really less expensive than commercial production houses?

Yesterday's News production costs are less than half of what many for-profit production houses charge. We can do this because we are a small, non-profit company, working specifically with other non-profits. While our costs are considerably lower, our professional standards are not. Yesterday's News shoots on Sony DSR-200 DVCAM digital cameras, and uses Avid's MCXpress editing system to create a state-of-the-art, broadcast-quality product. We pride ourselves in both the technical and artistic quality of our work.

What if we have to fundraise to pay for the project?

Most of our clients do. We will be happy to put a proposal together for you, which you can then take to your board of directors or submit as part of a grant application. The fact that Yesterday's News is also non-profit is often looked upon favorably by grant-making organizations.

Is it possible to pay in "installments"?

Yes. We request one-third of the total cost when we sign our contract with you, and the remaining two-thirds upon completion of the project. In addition, we frequently structure our projects in phases to help our clients with their budget constraints.

How can we get the most for our money with a video project?

Many of our clients discover that by using their video productions for several applications, they can fulfill a variety of needs. By editing a presentation into several different lengths, we can create an on-site orientation, an educational outreach piece for schools and other community organizations, a "looped" presentation at a tourism kiosk, and a documentary for broadcast or resale to the general public.

Yesterday's News
20 King Street, Rockport, MA 01966
Phone: 978-546-9920  Fax: 978-546-5156  e-mail: info@yesterdaysnews.org