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-   -   $1,000 for wedding coverage?! (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/wedding-event-videography-techniques/48480-1-000-wedding-coverage.html)

Anthony Mooney July 28th, 2005 04:28 PM

$1,000 for wedding coverage?!
 
Maybe I should not post this at all,,
This lady today was trying to get her wedding (2006) for $1,000! She also told me that she got this price from somebody else - i believe her...

My pricing is not high but at least is not that low.

We try to improve our product with better cameras, software, mics, edit,etc and spend all those hours for edit. And some people work for 1k?

Some people (new guys - start now) have to understand that even if they start by charging 1k, a time will come (if they stay and become pros) that they won't be able to have a second job - because of time.

It is the time that vidography won't provide for 100% survival, but it consumes a 100% of your time and you can't work another job.
Then they will understand that the "1k deal" was only digging their grave.

Thanks for listening

Kevin Shaw July 28th, 2005 11:40 PM

The question is, how much did you charge for your first few wedding videos? This discussion comes up frequently on various forums, with established videographers griping about low prices charged by newcomers -- but that's pretty much the way to get started in this business. If someone isn't willing to pay you what you feel you're worth you shouldn't worry about that; just work on convincing people who have money to pay you a fair fee.

Peter Jefferson July 29th, 2005 04:27 AM

i agree with the comments so far, on all accounts, but theres one thing people are overlooking.

Brides arent stupid...
they KNOW that if they plan ahead, and book at least 1 yr to 18 months ahead of time, theyll be saving $$ as most people review prices (i review my prices every season)

but you gotta play it smart..

For an average job thats to be filmed this year, i give them a 2005/2006 price list. For next year, i give them a 2006/2007 price list which is more expensive for obvious reasons. Most people dont do this as they're "despereate" for the booking, they offer too much for free.. i used to do this and sometimes i do it now if im competing for a decent gig.
The amount of money i have invested in my business, time, as well as the background work i do for suppliers and distributors here just increases, not to mention the cost of maintenance and travel... we do MUCH more work than a photographer woudl ever do (ie been in both pairs of shoes, but video to me is more open for creativity.. hence my decision) but the money is hnowhere as near a photographers of this level.
In effect, what im tryin to do here in Oz, is to change the reputation of video.. the way it is seen here in Oz for example, its as if its a substandard service which isnt required, or is a waste of money... this is simply because the level of work delivered in the past by other companies is subpar, therefore it has set a precedent..

The more backyard producers come to the fore, the more work we have to do to justify our rates... which is wrong.. i dont agree with it, but we have to start somewhere.. so i understand that mentality.
But in the end, its all about the finished product, what YOU offer, and HOW you sell your wares and the EXPERIENCE and SKILLS you have to be able to produce a decent piece which is worth watching over and over again, as oppsed to collecting dust on the shelf..

There is a difference and you CAN make yourself stand out from the crowds... but this again is all abotu trial and error and the how you manage dealing with your competition.. irrespective of their "level"

I am open with my clients and i say to them on the outset.. if you want dodgy mpg stereo audio (i do DD 5.1), if you want a good looking "home video" (I shoot and deliver progressive scan), if you want a basic edit with all the raw material intact, if you want cheesy effects and bad transitions.. youre looking at the wrong company..
You pay us to shoot and edit. Thats what we do. If you want HDV, you pay for it.. but im not taking my Z1s out and racking up hours when im selling them in 3 months..
If you want your wedding video 2 weeks after the wedding date, forget it.. minumum 16 weeks.. and i tell them, that they get what they pay for. They get what they see in the demos, and they get everytign in writing without question.

Remember.. youre running a business.. and the your priority is to make sure that the business pays for itself.. after that is when you worry about profit.. its not an easy task and its very easy to offer too much too soon when your building a portfolio, however there comes a point in time, where you must stop and rebuild and review what your doing..

how much are you REALLY worth... and do you have the ability to sell THAT

Steven Davis November 22nd, 2005 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Jefferson
how much are you REALLY worth... and do you have the ability to sell THAT


Hey Peter,

I just wanted to say thanks for the words you wrote. For some odd reason a recent lowballer took a gig away from me. The gig was a referral off another wedding I did. I was a little disturbed because even though she liked my product, had seen me in action, she still went with someone she had never seen before. It came down to about 350 bucks.

I tell myself that this is what business is all about, competition. And we'll be fine, it is however frustrating.

So as the victim of a lowballer, I will continue to try and maintain a higher standard.

I just have a problem slicing my prices. As a company we pretty much saturate into a wedding celebration with a lot of preperation and post work.

I respect what you wrote Peter and it's words like these that are very encouraging to others. I wanted you to hear it from a 3 year newcomer.

Tommy James November 22nd, 2005 02:19 PM

Well according to www.ourweddingvideo.com they will charge 500 dollars for a one camera shoot of the wedding ceromony only. This of course will be shot in high definition at no extra charge. And they offer various upgraded services for a substantial additional charge.

A.J. Briones November 22nd, 2005 03:03 PM

to me, it's not a matter of lowballing. the brides that take these low prices know that they are taking risks and know that they won't be getting superior product. it's payless vs. fendi, imho. it's great for starting videographers who need the experience, great for brides who can sacrifice quality and risk for price, and great for established videographers as an example of why their prices are higher.

everyone wins.

Bob Costa November 22nd, 2005 09:13 PM

Steven , i f you lost deal due to $350 price diff, you just failed to make the sale. You did not do a good enough job if differentiating, making prospect comfortable with you etc.... Polish up your sales techniques....

Everyone agrees the middle is where competition sucks. Either be bargain basement or high end, the middle guys are the ones always complaining and making the least money.

Steven Davis November 22nd, 2005 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Costa
Steven , i f you lost deal due to $350 price diff, you just failed to make the sale. You did not do a good enough job if differentiating, making prospect comfortable with you etc.... Polish up your sales techniques....

Normally I would agree, but this bride refused to go over 1000 bucks. She got her video for 950.00.

And I'm not complaining. I was just making a comment about what Peter said. Hell, if I wanted to I could low ball everyone around here, because I have a full time job and my wife has income. My original point was just to say thanks to Peter.

I am trying to raise the standard. I think you missed my point. But thanks for the advice.

Marion Abrams November 22nd, 2005 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Costa
Steven , i f you lost deal due to $350 price diff, you just failed to make the sale. You did not do a good enough job if differentiating, making prospect comfortable with you etc.... Polish up your sales techniques....


Some people just don't have the money period. Even if you sell well, and they want you, there will be some who will compromise. I got my first lead from the wedding show I did. The bride said her total wedding budget was $5000. I don't see how she's going to get a wedding video at all. A disapointing lead.

Bob Costa November 22nd, 2005 10:14 PM

Actually, I think you missed my point, but nevermind.

A price objection is never about price, but about value. [Last try].

Matt Brabender November 23rd, 2005 01:52 AM

I think one of the biggest problems for beginners is having a place to start. It has to be hard, if not impossible to gauge where to start your pricing and how long it will take you to complete the project, and indeed how long it should take if you were to do it as a profession.

It's a bit of a catch 22 situation. You can either under cut a professional crew, so as to match your price with your abilities, or you can charge the same amount and either not get hired or fall short of what is expected.
It's a bit of a stab in the dark doing your first few videos.

I remember the first job I took editing some footage (not a wedding). I completely screwed up my estimates on how long it would take and how much other people would charge. I knew it as soon as I provided the quote. A response of "wow! that's cheap!" makes you kick yourself instantly but until you do those first couple, how are you suppose to know? It seems that's the only way to learn.

How about some of the more experience people here doing a bit of a guide for those that are starting out? Something that would give a beginner a rough idea on how to price and time estimates and what they could be aiming for.
It doesn't have to be really specific or give away secrets, just somewhere to start.

A.J. Briones November 23rd, 2005 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Brabender
It's a bit of a catch 22 situation. You can either under cut a professional crew, so as to match your price with your abilities, or you can charge the same amount and either not get hired or fall short of what is expected.
It's a bit of a stab in the dark doing your first few videos.

when a videographer with little or no experience charges far below market price, i don't consider it undercutting. i'm not worried, i'm not upset, and i feel no animosity. they are cheaper for a reason. the brides take a risk, albeit at heavily discounted prices. in return, the videographer gains experience and expands their reel. it happens all the time with other vendors (florists, photographers, djs, etc.) and in other industries.

there's a clear difference between an experienced videographer and a newcomer. experienced videographers know the local churches and venues. they know how to work with difficult photogs and lighting conditions, they have the confidence to adjust on the fly to catch the right moments, they know where to set their cameras up to get the best angles, they know when to stage a shot or shoot candid, they know how to make brides, bridesmaids and children feel comfortable during awkward moments (i.e., getting dressed), they have honed their skills in the editing room, etc. etc. and it all shows in the final output.

i don't worry that the market becomes saturated with sub-par work or that newbies may be lowering the perceived value of my services. i'll take the pepsi challenge with my work versus a newbie any day of the week and feel comfortable that any bride will see the difference and justify the added cost. if she wants to go with the cheaper product, more power to her. two weddings ago we did a photo session at a popular location (balboa park in san diego, ca). i counted 6 other wedding parties at that location alone. there is so much work out there. the way i see it, we choose the brides we work with, not vice versa.

basically, what i'm saying is, feel free to undercut me. if you can take a wedding away from me and save the bride $2k in the process, more power to you. it just means that the bride is willing to take a risk to save money and give you experience. no worries. i'll still be able to book someone else for that date at full price.

Glen Elliott November 23rd, 2005 08:44 AM

There is no reason to be alarmed or concerned about the 1k videographers. No matter how high the bar is raised for our industry there will always be the McDonalds and BurgerKing's metaphorically.

If you produce high quality work and cater to high end clientel then the 1k videographer shouldn't even be a thought, yet alone a concern. Brides that seek this price range and demand it be under 1k, as stated, either 1) Don't put a high value on video and/or 2) Simply cannot afford it.

Mike Cook November 23rd, 2005 07:37 PM

I think Glen just nailed it. As with just about every other industry, there are differing levels of clients and those that serve them. Pick where you want to be and differentiate yourself.

If you are a 3k video guy you will never nail the 1k bride. That's OK. Market accordingly. Oh, and one more thing...perception, perception, perception. If you want to be a 5k guy, make sure you look like it. Perhaps the best business lesson I was ever taught.

Good luck!

mike

Steven Gotz November 23rd, 2005 08:29 PM

I suppose that one solution would be to introduce yourself to a couple of the 1K guys and figure out how to get referral fees if you send business their way.

Karl Heiner November 23rd, 2005 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.J. Briones
when a videographer with little or no experience charges far below market price, i don't consider it undercutting. i'm not worried, i'm not upset, and i feel no animosity. they are cheaper for a reason. the brides take a risk, albeit at heavily discounted prices. in return, the videographer gains experience and expands their reel. it happens all the time with other vendors (florists, photographers, djs, etc.) and in other industries.

there's a clear difference between an experienced videographer and a newcomer. experienced videographers know the local churches and venues. they know how to work with difficult photogs and lighting conditions, they have the confidence to adjust on the fly to catch the right moments, they know where to set their cameras up to get the best angles, they know when to stage a shot or shoot candid, they know how to make brides, bridesmaids and children feel comfortable during awkward moments (i.e., getting dressed), they have honed their skills in the editing room, etc. etc. and it all shows in the final output.

i don't worry that the market becomes saturated with sub-par work or that newbies may be lowering the perceived value of my services. i'll take the pepsi challenge with my work versus a newbie any day of the week and feel comfortable that any bride will see the difference and justify the added cost. if she wants to go with the cheaper product, more power to her. two weddings ago we did a photo session at a popular location (balboa park in san diego, ca). i counted 6 other wedding parties at that location alone. there is so much work out there. the way i see it, we choose the brides we work with, not vice versa.

basically, what i'm saying is, feel free to undercut me. if you can take a wedding away from me and save the bride $2k in the process, more power to you. it just means that the bride is willing to take a risk to save money and give you experience. no worries. i'll still be able to book someone else for that date at full price.

hello a.j.

thanks for your post.
i am one of those newcomers, who run out, about 5 yeras ago, with just a little sony.
since i have my canon, more expirience, and my overhead is bulding up, i can't do things for free anymore, don't want to do things for free anymore, gaining more and more expirience. getting return clients, even return clients which like the quality and pay now.
there are still bigger jobs out there which i still decline, for various reasons, not enough knowledge, beeing scared to take bigger jobs, no helpers who want to work for an entry level salary. most important, i am still a super beginner in the editing part of the business.

greetings

Craig Seeman November 24th, 2005 12:05 PM

Newbie guide to pricing weddings
 
The issue some of us may have with the 1k videographer is not so much price but price/performance/quality. There are excellent 1k videographers who are providing multi-cam shoots and doing exquisite shoots and edits. They unfortunately, have no idea how to run a business (meet expenses, have no reserve for maintenance, upgrades). They basically offer matching quality at a ridiculously low price. They go under but are replaced by doing the same. That drags down the entire market. No Problem with McDonalds/Burger King. It's when they're gourmet at the fast food price that creates the problem.


My quick and simple guide for the "newbie" price.

Add your monthly living expenses (housing, food, utilities, transportation, etc.)

Plus all your business expenses (Credit card bills to pay off, or buy new equipment in 24 months, equipment maintenance, consumbles like discs and tapes, insurence, software upgrades).

That's what you need to make per month to keep the business and your life from going under. Assume it takes you One full work week to edit a wedding. You now can figure out what to charge for a wedding and meet your life expenses.

You may not be able to book a wedding a week at first but the above gives you a business survival rate. If it takes you a bit more to edit your wedding because your new (NOT because you gave away too much) you can eat that cost. If you gave yourself a few weeks turnaround time, the client won't know it took you 8 days (to fix your newbie problems, learn) instead of 5.

The above will prevent you from charging too low. What you don't want is going low and getting that wedding, doing a great job, getting a bunch of referrals who expect the same rate and not being able to survive at that rate. Your base rate is your SURVIVAL rate. NEVER LOWER.

What you're not making in the above is PROFIT. The money that buys you trips to the movies, a night out, a vacation (or more gear toys). As you feel more confidence you can move your price up and you can increase your profit but you'll never make too little.

One caveat. The formula is a little different if you're doing other types of video projects. In that case you need assume about 20-25 hours of paid work (not 40) since you'll need to spend more time/money marketing, talking/pitching to more clients, doing paperwork. You'll need to do some of that for weddings too though.

You can be looking at a 60 hour work week with nearly half unpaid. If you want to work closer to a 40 hour week, you've got to make what you want in 20 hours or less or have so many regular clients you can cut your meeting/marketing time. That's actually why referrals are so valuable!

Chad Huntley November 25th, 2005 03:56 PM

You can't expect to start out in the business with prices similar to competitors, it's as simple as that. If someone has the choice to hire a veteran or a newbie for the same price, of course they are going to hire the veteran. I'm getting plans on starting out, and I know for a fact i'm going to have to charge $1000 or less for the first several weddings, or else i'll never get the business going. I'm still a college student, and making over $40 an hour is much more than any of my peers make, and by charging less than 1k, is what i'll be making.

Craig Seeman November 25th, 2005 05:08 PM

Chad, how can one even determine a single "price" similar to competitors. With experience you charge more. If you can't pay your bills though, you won't ever make it to "competitor. There's no single price point. They have varying degrees of skills, experience, gear etc. If they live in one part of town vs another they may have higher or lower costs of living.

I made the BIG mistake of undercharging for my first wedding although I had over 15 years doing corporate videos (which a wedding is NOTHING like). Well, the couple loved it SOOOO much, they posted all over the wedding boards along with the rate. A had a stream of referrals, all of whom wanted the same rate. At that rate I would have been insolvent. I raised my rates and learned my lesson real fast. Charge a base survival rate and never less or . . . you may get so busy you'll drive yourself out of business.

Undercharging is probably the single biggest mistake newbies make. Take more time to edit if you need it and eat that loss. Better to charge $1500 and take 3 weeks the first time and 1 week the next time. You're making more since you can increase your volume. Want you don't want is to increase your volume at a price so low that you can't pay for housing, food and the fat credit card bill you used to buy the gear.

Chad Huntley November 25th, 2005 07:38 PM

You can't expect to build a portfolio of hardly any experience and charge the same as competitors though (I'm from a MUCH smaller market than NYC, so it's easier to find those similar to me). So you charge cheap the first couple weddings, get the experience under your belt (and less pressure for someone new when charging less). If the waves of referrals want that price, don't let them have it. Use the previous weddings you did to show off to new clients with a brand new price.

I don't see if its even possible to do your very first couple weddings as good as your next 50 or 100, so why charge that person the same price?

Mike Cook November 25th, 2005 08:11 PM

There seems to be the assumption you CAN'T charge what your worth out of the box. I think that is wrong.

We did one wedding free to figure it out (for a friend) then charged $1800. Did 4 that way and went to 3k. We stay as busy as we want. If you take your art seriously and take pride in what you do, you can get the bucks. You can learn your craft (well enough to shoot a wedding) on your own time and charge accordingly when you get hired. You are most likely going to eat it in post - but that is temporary.

We tend to sell brides short. We assume they don't know the difference between crappy video and good video. In my experience - WRONG! They know and some are willing to pay for it. If you take your craft seriously those are the people you want to work for. Target them and leave the others to the 1k guys. Nothing wrong with that.

If you build a reputation as a quality vendor you can charge accordingly. Do it. I think we all have a responsibilty to improve the image of wedding video. Photographers get more for less because they have cultivated a concept of value for their product. There is soo much crappy video out there that we are fighting an uphill battle. Brides, however, are starting to notice that wedding video can be VERY good and are starting to fork out for it. In fact, I see many post from brides that go so far as to say they value good video over photos. Great!

I think I am rambling now but I suppose the point is this. If you do good work - charge for it. If you don't do good work YET, charge less but when you figure it out get your prices where they belong. You need to be making $40+ and hour at the least.

My 27 cents presented in an incoherent mess.....

Mike

Jim Montgomery November 25th, 2005 10:21 PM

So $500 a day for post production, $1,100 per day for videography, works for me!

A.J. Briones November 26th, 2005 02:31 AM

mike, i find it funny that you say "There seems to be the assumption you CAN'T charge what your worth out of the box. I think this is wrong." and then go on to say that you did your first wedding for free. um. you charged zero dollars out of the box, right? ;-P the rest of your post is spot on, though.

the basic fact of the matter is you are going to need a reel before you can charge full price. mike is right. brides are not stupid and know the difference between crap and good work. they will want to see samples and they will ask the tough questions (how long have you been in business? how many weddings have you done? have you shot at my church? etc.). would any bride in her right mind pay >$1k for a videographer with no samples and no experience? no.

and craig, with all due respect, i think you took the wrong approach with your discount, which is why you were not able to capitalize on the referrals.

our first wedding was for $200. 3 manned cameras, no time limits, montages, bonus features, all the trimmings. but it was not just any ordinary bride. we hand picked the couple, one that had a very marketable look, whose ceremony location was perfect prototype and reel material.

also, instead of giving them a contract for $200, we gave them one for $2,500 with a substantial discount line so the subtotal was $200. because of this, the couple understood that the value of the package was $2,500 and when the referrals came, they knew the cost. also, since they knew how much we were giving them, they were extra accomodating with us and let us shoot everything we wanted. this couple is still sending us referrals. best $200 i ever earned.

Michael Padilla November 26th, 2005 04:09 AM

marketing?
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Cook
There seems to be the assumption you CAN'T charge what your worth out of the box. I think that is wrong.


Mike, we did just the same thing... We ARE NEW! We did 4 shoots before we got paid, but when we got paid, we got paid what we are worth. Our first paid/contracted gig was for $3750. We have big ambitions and plan to be umong the big players by the end of next year. Our problem is prospecting, this is really new to us and even though were busy, we are really busy from all the refferalls from the "free-bees" we did originally. We need more originating business so we did a bridworld show at OC Fairgrounds in costa mesa two months ago. So far we have had NO return on our investment. A Photographer friends of ours did the same show and they have had the same experience from this show... We have been wondering if it was just the show, or something we didn't do right.. or ?? our prices too high? There were actually alot of +/- $1000 price shoppers there and we are wanting to target the 3-4K range.

We would really like to break into the $5+k market, what is your opinion for the best strategy for accomplishing this (in marketing terms)?

Thanks!!

incase its not posted here is our url www.visualmasterpiece.com

Bob Costa November 26th, 2005 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Padilla
We would really like to break into the $5+k market, what is your opinion for the best strategy for accomplishing this (in marketing terms)?

Mike, how much is your high package now? Do you sell a lot of these? Actually, how much are all three packages?

At the high end, your business will come from referrals, not cattle shows.

Michael Padilla November 26th, 2005 06:58 AM

Thanks for the help!
 
well actually our prices are at 2700 & 3700 including tax. We originally had a 1700 as well for just basic coverage & editing but are thinking about taking that away, I belive the package is still posted on our website however.

so far we have booked one at 3700 and one at 2700. Other than that we are honestly starting out fresh, so it's kinda a clean slate. We started our business in the summer of this year (mid-late 2005). We had never had a DVCAM in our hands before let alone operated a steadicam rig, nor had I ever edited anything. This was a totally new venture from the ground up.

Our competiton for this (our) type of work in so cal starts at 4k & up but its rare (blueskiescinema.com are our corona neighbors). A decent videographer ranges in the 2-3k's.

I need to post more of our work cus the demo cut (in my opinion) doesn't do us justice. We edit down the whole day to one music video similarly to ourweddingvideo.com and have a full "real-time" documentary cut as well.

In all honestly we would really like to get more business in the range were in... Our best (only) market has been refferals, and we just don't have enough previous business to generate an overflow of refferals yet.

Bob Costa November 26th, 2005 07:44 AM

In the interest of full disclosure, I don't do weddings.

I think you should leave the $1700 package. Since you have not booked one, it is not costing you anything. People like to book the middle package, if you only have two they are stuck between being cheap or extravagant. You need more bookings, so doing cheaper ones (and $1700 not bad for now) gets you more work, more practice, and more referrals.

From what I have seen, you should also re-evaluate what is included in your packages. The biggest thing that jumps out at me (among several) is the "lightscribe DVD". Most people don't know what that means. And I think they look cheap. Better wedding vids have a nice presentation package, including 4-color imprinted DVD and a nice DVD case (some leather, some just a nicely printed custom cover). This is REALLY important in terms of how you are perceived, maybe more important than the actual video in some cases.

Do you use 3 cams with 2 operators? That also gives your packages added value, gives you more options for coverage and editing. It does add some time when editing but not much.

IMHO, you need to really evaluate your marketing, based on your webpage. Maybe hire a pro to help you tune it all up (web page, brochure, demo, ads, DVD packaging, personal sales calls, etc) getting more customer focused (emotion sells!!). And if you only have two bookings since summer, you probably need to spend a few more hours EVERY DAY working on marketing /sales stuff. Have you personally met every bridal shop, wedding consultant, photographer, and venue manager within 50 miles?

The big thing is to jump start what you are doing. Get some finished projects under your belt ASAP, and look for ways to leverage each one of them into a stream of referrals. If I was in the wedding business, I would give the first five (or more) clients a free DVD for every guest (they pay postage costs and give you pre-addressed envelopes of correct size). Imagine what 500 "demos" (or more) out there in your target market will do!!!

HTH

Michael Padilla November 26th, 2005 08:01 AM

Bob, thanks for the advise.. your absolutly right about our website's marketing, I personally don't like it and its high on my list of priorities for a full make over.

The Lightscribe probably sounds odd so I'll take that off, our actutal finished package however looks very good. that's something I put alot of time into.

As far as the aggresiveness, your also right... I am way focused on my actual work instead of marketing for prospects & partners.

Time to re-evaluate.

Tommy James November 26th, 2005 09:08 AM

If you want to break into the $5000 dollar wedding market may I suggest moving on up to the Canon XL-H1 high definition video camera. At $9000 the camera is pricey and there are cheaper cameras however the shoulder mounted form factor is critical in order to be taken seriously at the $5000 price range. DVinfo has some footage from this camera that you can download and view in full high definition quality on your computer.

Craig Seeman November 26th, 2005 09:21 AM

A.J. Interesting strategy. It can avoid those low priced referrals that way.

My own initial low price was not a discount or meant to be a newbie price. I grossly underestimated how long a wedding took to edit. That's why I emphasize that one should assume a week of editing.

Chad, market size often dictates cost of living and hence the rate. You still need to charge a base rate that to survive . . . or you won't. Your base rate in your market my be lower than mine but you still have to charge a rate that pays your rent/mortgage, food, bills, for you gear.

Mike Cook has the right idea about charging what you're worth. Now you may not make a PROFIT on the first few weddings but you MUST make your COST OF LIVING. You certainly can raise your rate with experience but if you charge lower than your survival rate you'll stick your business in a bad financial situation.

If your small market is so saturated with wedding videographers it's either the wrong business to get in to OR you need to differentiate yourself quickly.

Mike Cook November 26th, 2005 09:44 AM

I think differentiation is critical. Every industry is overwhelmed by knock off competition. Those companies that stand out are the ones that can prove they are different in some marketable way. Figure out what your strengths are and play to them.

I think stressing gear right now is a mistake. My partner is a scary good camera operator. I would rather edit his cam work on a Hi-8 camera than most peoples stuff shot on true HD. I am not kidding or overexaggerating here. Our skills as ops and editors far outweighs format at this point. Yes, in the not too distant future we will have to move to HDV or HD once there is a way to distribute to the consumer. Even then though, it is the footage shot not the format that makes a bride smile.

There are so many other ways to differentiate your product beyond the technical that are far more powerful marketing tools. We tend to be gear heads and get very excited about the new gizmo that is improving our work. None of that matters if you act like a pinhead at the wedding. It is not just your finished DVD that people are watching........


Mike

Thomas Smet November 26th, 2005 10:10 AM

I usually get into an argument with a fellow videographer about this same topic.

He thinks the low charging producers are wrecking the industry but I disagree. The way he wants it seems like wedding videos should only be for the wealthy. Only they can afford a video for $2,500.00.

I try to remind him that when he started with VHS cameras in the 80's he wasn't charging $2,500.00 for weddings but he just doesn't see it.

He thinks the lower priced producers wreck the industry because they use inferior cameras and give a bad product.

I think it is not a big deal and is kind of like cars.

I'm sure most people realize a BMW is a high quality car but not everybody can afford one. Many would love to buy a BMW but it just isn't in their budget. They end up going with a Kia that is in their budget even though they know they are taking risks and it isn't as good of a car. This is the way everything is from cars down to laundry soap.

If you have a middle to lower class group of people getting married with a certain budget how can you expect them to pay the same $2,500.00 as a wealthy family and feel the same about it? Forcing people into a certain this price only market forces only the elite to have wedding videos.

I'm sure just like with the car most clients realize the higher priced producers may give a higher quality product but they really may not care. Just like with the Kia they will feel for the cost savings for the Kia is more bang for their buck. The car might suck but it for the most part will get them from A to B just like the BMW will. Their budget wedding video may not be as good as the nice wedding video but it will still at least be some level of coverage.

One thing I like to point out to my friend is that even if their wasn't a cheaper video option those clients still wouldn't hire him. They would just go without a video and have uncle Bob do it. A budget is a budget.

Forget about the lower end clients. They wouldn't hire you anyways. If the option is to go with a cheaper not so good video or not have a video at all I say go for the cheaper video. Maybe when wedding videos can cover every segment of the market then perhaps wedding videos will become one of those common things everybody knows they need. At this point people will start to add a budget for the video and start to think about what chunk of the budget they want to use for video instead of making it the last resort.

If we ever want video to surpass photography we need to stop treating video as a luxory item. As a luxory item most people will never want it. If we saturate the market and make video as important as the dress then we might start to sell people on making that much desired item the highest quality possible. At this point people will start to look at the craftsmanship.

Michael Padilla November 26th, 2005 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommy James
If you want to break into the $5000 dollar wedding market may I suggest moving on up to the Canon XL-H1 high definition video camera. At $9000 the camera is pricey and there are cheaper cameras however the shoulder mounted form factor is critical in order to be taken seriously at the $5000 price range. DVinfo has some footage from this camera that you can download and view in full high definition quality on your computer.

I don't know... although having HDV is a tempting proposition, in the end I don't think that will do the trick. Right now no one is asking... so there is no need for the extra money. I feel that your work dictates your worth; this is regardless of the camera you use. In particular I offer a true "steadicam" operator for the day with our xl2's. For those that know what this is, is obvious that were high-end. A real steadicam operator can get $1-3k per day for onsite studio work.

Steven Gotz November 26th, 2005 01:10 PM

"No one is asking" ?

They don't know to ask. They might have a big screen TV, a receiver for DTS and all of the toys, but they don't know that a $250 DVD player can provide them with the technology to see their wedding in HD instead of a blown up SD. They may be planning to uprez it.

They are not asking? Offer it! Let them know that for only $1K more, you can shoot it in a format that will make them proud. (Then throw in the DVD player for free!) And you will provide a letterboxed DVD for the rest of the family.

Mike Cook November 26th, 2005 01:34 PM

HD or HDV?

Young Lee November 26th, 2005 02:18 PM

"Our competiton for this (our) type of work in so cal starts at 4k & up but its rare (blueskiescinema.com are our corona neighbors). A decent videographer ranges in the 2-3k's."

Hmm... So talent does not always equal to success in business. I've just viewed their clips.

Michael Padilla November 26th, 2005 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Young Lee
"Our competiton for this (our) type of work in so cal starts at 4k & up but its rare (blueskiescinema.com are our corona neighbors). A decent videographer ranges in the 2-3k's."

Hmm... So talent does not always equal to success in business. I've just viewed their clips.

LOL :)

So what are you saying...? I mean I think I understand.. but I didn't want to be the one to say it! At least not publicly.

BTW - they were just featured in EventDV mag. ??? go figure.

Marcus Marchesseault November 26th, 2005 08:13 PM

Wow, they don't care at all that they are using copyrighted music on their site. They are looking at thousands or millions in fines if someone decides to go after them.

Do they do anything but slo-mo? Don't get me wrong. I like slo-mo. But....

Hey! I just decided that I'm going to triple my rates, stop using micropohones, shoot only slo-mo, put every other clip in B&W, use only crossfade transitions, and get rich!

A.J. Briones November 26th, 2005 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Marchesseault
Wow, they don't care at all that they are using copyrighted music on their site. They are looking at thousands or millions in fines if someone decides to go after them.

Do they do anything but slo-mo? Don't get me wrong. I like slo-mo. But....

Hey! I just decided that I'm going to triple my rates, stop using micropohones, shoot only slo-mo, put every other clip in B&W, use only crossfade transitions, and get rich!

let's be professional guys. the company in question is not here to defend themselves, nor did they wish to be a part of the conversation or ask for critique. and no, i don't know who they are.

Michael Padilla November 27th, 2005 12:19 AM

Agreed.. obviously they are doing something right in order to get 4-6K even if it doesn't exactly show up on the footage.

That's what we have to learn i guess, isn't it?


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