What does it cost to have a corporate video made? An honest answer

The cost of having a corporate video made is a question we receive almost weekly. It is often asked by someone comparing quotes and wondering why the amounts vary so widely. Prices between one thousand and fifty thousand euros are not uncommon, and that difference says more about the approach than the end result.

In this post, we explain where the price of a corporate video actually comes from, what ranges are realistic in the Dutch market, and how to avoid securing a cheap production that costs your brand more than it delivers.

Where most price confusion comes from

A corporate video is not a product, but a commission. Among two providers, a completely different approach often underlies the same request. One delivers a single shooting day with a two-person crew and a pre-determined shot list. The other starts with a two-week concept phase, on-location direction, and multi-layer editing with motion graphics (moving graphics and typography). Both call it a corporate video.

That explains why a discussion about price without a discussion about the goal usually leads nowhere. Anyone who wants to know what a video should cost must first know what the video needs to do.

Which factors determine the price

Concept and direction

The biggest hidden cost lies at the front end. A strong concept requires research, conversations with the client, and sometimes a script and a storyboard. With our approach, direction is added to this: deciding who to show, in which space, at what time of day, and with what question. One day less direction at the front end usually means an extra week of work in the editing, or a video that is technically sound but fails to resonate emotionally.

Production day and crew

A day of shooting in the Netherlands with a professional camera, sound, lighting, and director costs somewhere between two thousand and five thousand euros. If you add a second camera, a gimbal operator, a drone, or a make-up artist, the costs rise rapidly. Locations with limited access, such as a working factory hall or a hotel with guests, often require more preparation and therefore more time.

Post-production

This is where most of the variation lies. A simple four-minute montage with music and subtitles is different from a series of six social cuts plus a main video, with color correction, sound editing, motion graphics, and versions in multiple formats. Expect roughly thirty to sixty percent of the total budget to be spent on post-production, depending on the complexity.

Indicative ranges for the Dutch market

A few general guideline amounts for what we see in the market:

A short testimonial or recruitment video, one shooting day, one main deliverable: from approximately three thousand euros.

A brand film or corporate portrait with concept, one to two shooting days, and detailed editing: from approximately seven thousand to fifteen thousand euros.

A campaign with multiple videos, social cuts, and continuous production over several weeks: from fifteen thousand euros, often higher.

These are ranges, not rates. Every request is worked out on a quotation basis because no two assignments are the same.

Why the creative director model makes pricing fairer

At Bergstra Media, we do not work with a fixed in-house team, but with a selected network of freelancers. For photography, we have a permanent partnership with Willem Verstraten, and for video production, Surya has been sitting next to us on set for years. This has a direct effect on the price you pay.

An agency with a fixed team passes on that team's overhead, even in months when production is lower. In the network model, we hire the specialists per assignment who best fit that specific request. This often saves twenty to thirty percent on comparable quality, simply because no idle hours are charged.

The second advantage lies in the match. A production for a boutique hotel requires a different perspective than a brand film for an automotive client. Within a network, we can put together the most suitable combination for each assignment.

When a cheap corporate video turns out to be more expensive

Cheap production often ends up being more expensive than well-thought-out production. Not always immediately in euros, but in time, frustration, or brand damage. The three most common pitfalls we encounter:

A video without a concept. A week after delivery, you notice that no one can pinpoint exactly what the video was about. It looks good, but it doesn't move.

A production that is scheduled too tightly. No room for a second take, no margin in the editing, no time for feedback rounds. The result is a video that is squeezed out of the veins, not out of the creation.

An agency that does not pass on rights. You discover after six months that you are not allowed to reuse the music, or that the raw footage remains the property of the production company. Always ask in writing which rights you are receiving.

How we estimate the cost of having a corporate video made

In an initial meeting, we aim to clarify three things: the goal of the video, the minimum and maximum number of deliverables, and the final placement of the video. Based on this, we create a rough range, often in two scenarios: a compact approach and a more extensive one. The final quote will only follow once that scope has been confirmed.

This prevents us from surprising each other halfway through production, and it gives you as the client the flexibility to allocate internal budget based on a realistic assessment.

Finally

Having a corporate video made costs whatever it takes because the approach makes the difference, not the equipment. The same camera in different hands produces a different result. Those who pay too much for a production without direction, and those who pay too little for a production without a concept, end up being cheated in a similar way.

Would you like to know where your question fits within the ranges above? A no-obligation half-hour consultation is usually enough to clarify that.