Just because you can shoot 4K on your iPhone doesn't mean you can produce your own movie. 

When a company begins to consider integrating video production into their marketing strategy, they usually become fearful of the cost. All of the components that go into making a quality video can be overwhelming when trying to calculate the total bank you must spend. Although video production is not the cheapest form of marketing, it is one of the most effective and your investment will make a great return in the long run. 

Here are some common misconceptions about video production:

Video is expensive 

The cost of video production all depends on your needs. 

The cost factors of video production are:

Pre-production: 

Where will you shoot the video? Will you use actors, team members, people on the street? What equipment will you use? Strategic planning in preproduction: using accessible locations and your own team, can greatly reduce costs.

Production: 

Is the video animated or live action? Animation adds in the need to pay an animator, but may be more strategic is serving your overall purpose. Be sure to know the target audience and the goal of your video and then you can find the cheapest way to produce it.

Post-production: 

The biggest factor in post-production is time. Shorter videos save your budget. You must also consider how much content the editing team must sift through during post. A tight script with a solid storyboard will save time.

There are many ways to save a couple bucks in the planning process of a video.

Since my phone takes HD video, video production must be cheap.

iPhones have allotted for a world where you can shoot in HD anywhere you go. But, just because you have the ability to create a high-quality video on a smartphone, doesn't mean you will. Smartphone videos are often shaky and have low sound quality. On top of filming, creating content yourself means you have to write, capture and edit your own video. 

Good video production has a higher cost for a reason: it delivers a great product. 

A professional company will research, write, edit, and, in some cases, distribute high quality, clever, and entertaining video for you. Just because you can create your own video with today's easy access to technology, doesn't mean you should. You've got to pay if you want a great product, but because you're investing money, you're ensuring your product will be good.

All proposals are created equal

Every pitch will be different. 

The proposals for your video will differ in cost, vision, idea, equipment, location, and editing. Every company will have its own approach. When reviewing these proposals compare the various time allocated to pre and post-production as well as how many days are suggested to capture footage.

Every video production project is unique. Have an open mind and don’t feel like you cannot meet the cost of the project, you will find the right company for you.