A corporate video can cost $1,500 or $150,000, and both prices can be fair. The difference is almost entirely crew size, shoot days and how much is built around the footage: scripting, casting, locations, motion graphics and the number of edited versions. This guide breaks the budget into its parts so you can read a quote line by line, with VIDART’s published rates as the baseline.
Typical budgets by project type
| Project | Typical range | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Single interview or testimonial, one location | $1,500–$4,000 | Half or full day, one operator, light graphics |
| Company overview or recruiting film (3–5 min) | $5,000–$20,000 | 1–3 shoot days, b-roll at several sites, drone, graphics |
| Product or explainer video | $4,000–$25,000 | Studio day, product styling, 2D/3D animation |
| Training or e-learning series | $8,000–$50,000 | Number of modules, teleprompter, screen capture, versions |
| Conference or event coverage | $3,000–$15,000 per day | Multi-camera, live switching, same-week highlight |
| Broadcast or paid-social commercial | $15,000–$150,000+ | Casting, locations, art department, full crew, licensing |
At VIDART, single-operator shoots are $1,500 for a half day and $3,000 for a full day with cameras, lighting, audio and a drone included, and editing, color and sound are part of the rate. Anything with multiple crew or multiple days is quoted per project from a short brief. Full details on the film production page.
Where the money goes
Pre-production (10–20%)
Discovery call, script or interview questions, shot list, scheduling, location scouting, permits, casting if needed. Under-funding this stage is the most common reason a corporate video runs over: a crew standing in a lobby waiting for someone to find a conference room costs more than an hour of planning.
Production (40–60%)
Crew day rates are the largest line. A single operator who shoots, lights and records sound covers interviews and b-roll well. Add a dedicated sound recordist when you have several speakers or a noisy environment, a second camera for interviews you want to cut without jump cuts, and a gaffer when you are lighting a large space. Equipment is often itemized by larger production companies; at VIDART it is included in the rate.
Post-production (25–40%)
Editing, color grading, sound mix, captions, motion graphics and the number of cut-downs (a 90-second web version, 30-second social cuts, vertical versions). Each additional deliverable adds editing time. Agree the deliverables list before the shoot.
Extras that move the number
- Talent: professional on-camera presenters and voice artists are $500–$2,500 per day plus usage fees for paid advertising.
- Locations and permits: public-space permits run from free to a few hundred dollars (see our Wisconsin film permit guide); rented locations $500–$5,000 a day.
- Music: licensed library music $50–$500 per track; custom score more.
- Animation: 2D motion graphics $1,000–$5,000 per finished minute; 3D considerably more.
- Travel: VIDART charges none inside Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Missouri and Michigan; elsewhere it is the day rate plus travel.
- Rush: a same-week turnaround typically adds 25–50% to post-production.
Three example budgets
A. Customer testimonial, $3,000
One full day: two customers interviewed at their own sites in the morning and afternoon, b-roll of the product in use, drone exterior. Delivered: one 2-minute testimonial film, two 45-second social cuts, captioned. Single operator, equipment and edit included.
B. Recruiting film for a manufacturer, $9,000–$14,000
Half-day planning visit; two shoot days with a two-person crew covering the floor, three employee interviews and leadership; drone of the facility; motion graphics for benefits and figures; a 3-minute main film and five 30-second vertical cuts for job boards and social.
C. Regional TV and streaming commercial, $35,000–$75,000
Script and storyboard, casting of two actors, two locations with permits, a six-person crew for one day, art department, licensed music, broadcast-spec deliverables in 30- and 15-second versions plus social cut-downs. The budget is in the people and the preparation; the camera is the same.
How to get an accurate quote fast
- Say what the video is for (hiring, sales, training, a trade show) and where it will run.
- Say how long it should be and how many versions you need.
- List locations and the people who will appear.
- Give the deadline.
- Give a budget range if you have one. It does not raise the price; it tells the producer which of three very different approaches to propose.
Send those five lines to VIDART and you will have a scope and a number within a business day. We produce corporate video across the Midwest from Madison and keep city pages for Madison, Chicago and other markets.
Have a project in mind? Send a one-paragraph brief and we will scope it within a day.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 2-minute corporate video cost?
Typically $3,000–$15,000. A single-day shoot with one operator and a clean edit can be done for around $3,000; adding a second crew member, several locations, motion graphics and multiple versions moves it toward the top of the range.
What is a video production day rate?
A single camera operator with equipment runs $1,500–$3,500 per day in the Midwest. VIDART charges $1,500 for a half day (up to 5 hours) and $3,000 for a full day (up to 10 hours), equipment and editing included.
Why do corporate video quotes vary so much?
Because they describe different productions. Crew size, shoot days, talent, locations, animation and the number of deliverables each change the budget by thousands. Compare quotes on the same scope or ask each company to quote the same brief.
How long does corporate video production take?
Two to six weeks from brief to delivery for most projects: one week of planning, one or two shoot days, and two to four weeks of editing and revisions. Rush turnarounds are possible at extra cost.
Do I own the footage?
You should own the finished films outright. Raw footage is usually retained by the production company unless you buy it; VIDART provides a raw footage archive drive for $450.
