Sometimes when people contact us for video services, they are surprised by the cost. And that’s understandable. After all, it’s just a minute or two of video, and it can be hard to see why it should be priced the way it is.
But why should you want video for your listing in the first place? It’s because, more than any other type of advertising medium, video allows you to guide the viewer in how you want them to feel. We craft a story around the house, and the camera movements, colors, music, and sequence of shots all work together to create a certain emotion in the viewer. Whether it’s a lake house promising freedom and relaxation, an urban loft communicating energy and youth, or a family home presenting comfort and warmth, video can connect with a potential buyer on an emotional level and make them feel that buying this house will make their life better.
So why the cost? First there’s equipment. We use about $9,000 worth of equipment to film and edit each video. Between the camera, lenses, filters, memory cards, the drone, gimbal, external recording monitor, and a high-powered computer capable of handling the high-end files we capture, it adds up fast! And one of those pieces of equipment - the drone - has a risk of being destroyed every time we use it!
Speaking of the drone, in order to film the aerial footage to make our cinematic videos, our photographer is legally required to get a pilot’s license from the FAA. The time and expenses necessary to do this are another factor that influence the cost of a video.
And then there’s experience. It takes quite a bit more experience to become a good videographer than a good photographer. You first have to learn to think in terms of what story you are trying to tell, and from that learn what shots you will need to tell that story. Then you have to learn how to get those shots, what camera and equipment settings you need, and train your body to move smoothly to capture smooth footage.
After all the footage is captured, then it’s time for editing. The editor will spend many hours carefully choosing which parts of clips to use, as well as the order to use them in so as to tell the best story. Then the editor has to choose music. We pay to license music on every video we create, which adds to the cost, but is vital since music is half of the video. After finding the perfect song to fit with the emotion of the video, the editor will adjust the video clips to match up with the rhythm of the music, further enhancing that emotional connection. Then the music must be mixed to the right volumes and faded out at the end of the video. Then the editor will add agent branding to the video so that buyers know who to contact about the listing.
The last step is color grading. This is the most difficult part of the whole process, but is absolutely essential. In this step, the editor adjust colors and light to make the video vibrant, makes sure that key visuals are able to be seen clearly, and grades the footage so that the hues enhance the mood of the video. It usually takes years of practice to master editing and color grading.
So why is video so expensive? Because there are a lot of costs, time, experience, and care required to create truly great videos. And while you certainly could pull out your phone and hit record for a minute or two, we believe that the results of a professional video make it well worth the cost.
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