How much should a business actually spend on video?

Less than you think to start. The thing that drives the cost is volume, not polish. A studio can make one film that costs thousands, or edit a steady stream of short videos for a fraction of that each. For most businesses, the second one is what actually grows an audience.

Here is how to think about it without overspending.

Start with what you already have

You do not need a shoot. You need footage. If you can film on your phone, you have raw material, and a good edit turns it into something people finish watching. We are an edit-first studio for exactly this reason: the expensive part of video is rarely the camera.

The two ways to buy video

• A one-off piece: a launch film, an ad, a founder story. This is a project with a fixed scope and a fixed price.
• A monthly volume: a set number of shorts and long-form edits every month. This is a retainer, and the per-video cost drops the more you do.

Most businesses that see real results are on the second model. Posting once is a coin flip. Posting every week is a system.

What actually moves the price

• How many videos, and how often.
• Long form versus short form, and how many cutdowns you need from each.
• Motion graphics, captions, and sound design.
• Whether you need scripting and strategy, or just the edit.

A simple rule

Spend enough to post consistently for three months before you judge it. Consistency beats one perfect video every time. If the budget forces a choice between one polished film and twelve good posts, take the twelve.

Want a number for your situation? Tell us what you are posting and how often, and we will give you a straight answer.