How to quote for videography work
Videography quotes go wrong in post, not on the shoot day. The filming is predictable; the edit, the revisions and the version the client asks for at the last minute are not. This guide covers how to price a project so the edit is paid for, and how to write scope that survives round three.
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How to price a video project
Quote projects, not days, wherever the deliverable is defined. A client buying "a two-minute brand film" is buying an outcome, and a project price lets you charge for the two edit days that outcome actually needs.
1. Split the quote into pre-production, shoot and post
Pre-production (treatment, shot list, scheduling, location recce, permits) is often 10–20% of the work. The shoot is the visible bit. Post — ingest, backup, assembly, grade, sound mix, motion graphics, subtitles, exports — is frequently longer than the shoot. Showing all three tells the client what they are buying and stops the edit being treated as free.
2. Set a shoot day rate, then price post by the hour
A solo videographer day rate of £450–£900 is typical in the UK, covering roughly 10 hours on location. Post is easier to price at £40–£70 an hour: a two-minute corporate film with graded footage, licensed music and subtitles is usually 12–20 hours, a wedding film 20–35.
3. Cap the revisions in writing
Two rounds of revisions included, further rounds at your hourly rate. Define a round as one consolidated set of notes, not a drip-feed of emails. This single line prevents more lost margin than anything else on the quote.
4. Price crew, kit and extras as their own lines
Second operator, sound recordist, gimbal or drone operator, lighting hire, drone insurance and CAA-permitted flight, licensed music, voiceover artist, studio hire — each as a line item at cost plus your handling. A client who wants to trim the budget can then see exactly what removing the drone saves.
5. Charge for usage and licensing, not just production
A film used on a company's Instagram is not the same product as one running as a paid TV or YouTube pre-roll for two years. State the licence — territory, duration and channels — and price broader usage accordingly. Repurposed cutdowns and vertical versions are additional deliverables, so price them per version.
What to put on a videographer quote
- Deliverables listed by name, length and aspect ratio
- Number of shoot days and hours on location per day
- Crew attending and their roles
- Pre-production work included (treatment, recce, scheduling)
- Post-production hours: edit, grade, sound mix, graphics, subtitles
- Number of revision rounds included and the rate beyond them
- Music licensing and stock footage costs
- Drone, studio, lighting or specialist kit hire
- Usage licence: channels, territory and duration
- Delivery format, timescale and where raw footage sits afterwards
Realistic UK price ranges for videographers
Indicative UK figures for 2026, excluding VAT. Broadcast, agency and paid-media usage sit well above these ranges.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Solo shoot day (up to 10 hrs) | £450 – £900 |
| Two-person crew day | £800 – £1,600 |
| Post-production per hour | £40 – £70 |
| 2-minute brand film (shoot + edit) | £1,200 – £3,500 |
| Wedding film (full day + edit) | £1,400 – £3,200 |
| Social cutdown / vertical version | £90 – £250 each |
Run your own numbers in the free quote calculator or check your margin with the markup & margin calculator.
Common quoting mistakes for videographers
- Quoting a shoot day and treating the edit as an afterthought — post is usually the bigger half of the job.
- Unlimited revisions, or revisions that are not defined as consolidated rounds.
- Absorbing music, stock and licensing costs rather than itemising them.
- Quoting one film and delivering five versions, because "can we get a square one for socials?" arrived after the price was agreed.
- No usage licence on the quote, so a corporate film ends up in a paid ad campaign at no extra cost.
- Omitting the data cost: multi-camera 4K work means drives, backups and archive time that nobody paid for.
Pricing FAQs
Should videographers charge a day rate or a project price?
Project pricing for defined deliverables, day rates for open-ended or client-directed shoots. Day rates reward you for time on location but hide the edit; project pricing lets you charge for the full pre-production, shoot and post cycle the deliverable actually needs.
How much is a typical corporate video in the UK?
A single-day shoot producing a two-minute film with a professional edit typically lands between £1,200 and £3,500 in 2026, depending on crew size, location count, graphics and usage rights. Multi-location or multi-film campaigns scale from there.
How many revision rounds should I include?
Two is the industry norm. Include them explicitly, define a round as one consolidated set of notes with a deadline, and state your hourly rate for anything beyond. Clients rarely object; they just want to know where the line is.
Do I charge extra for social media cutdowns?
Yes. Each cutdown is a separate deliverable with its own edit, reframe, captioning and export. Price them per version — typically £90–£250 — and list them on the quote so the client can choose how many they want.
Quote a full video project — shoot days, post hours and licensing — in one page with QuoteRocket.
Accepted in one tap, invoiced in one click. Free trial, no card needed.
More reading
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