September 29, 2020

How Much Does it Cost to Make an Explainer Video?

The addition of a 30 to 60-second explainer video can greatly improve your conversion while adding to your recognition as an industry thought leader, but “how much does it cost to make an explainer video?” This is a common question that arises frequently and for good cause.

Of course, you want to know how much the explainer video production will cost before you commit to adding this form of content to your marketing strategy. While we cannot provide an exact figure, we are breaking down the estimated costs and what you can expect, below.

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Average Explainer Video Cost Per Minute

The average explainer video is between 30 seconds and 2 minutes long. With this in mind, we set out to define the average cost of an explainer video per minute and the answer is almost as varied as the potential creativity that can go into producing a video of this magnitude. The average cost of an explainer video runs between $1,000 and $10,000 per minute most of the time, but graphic intense explainers or those that include 3D animations can quickly run upwards of $20,000 per minute up to $100,000 per minute.

What Does a 30-Second Explainer Video Cost to Make?

Producing a quality explainer video takes time, effort, and input from various sources including cameramen, editors, voiceovers, Directors, and many other professionals. A 30-second explainer video can cost anywhere from about $1,000 to $5,000. Keep in mind that you will typically pay more per minute overall for a short video than you will for a longer video because you’re paying an upfront price for the initial creation of all elements involved and some of those elements can be reused and repurposed in longer videos, shaving some of the cost.

What Does a 60-Second Explainer Video Cost to Make?

Most explainer videos are 1 minute or less in total length. A 60-second explainer video will cost you between $3,000 and $6,000 to produce in most cases. The complexity of the project and various other factors will further influence this per minute price but most 1-minute explainer videos will fall in this price range unless you include extensive graphics or 3D animations. Beware of 1-minute explainer video content that is quoted at say, $500 or something insane like that — you get what you pay for and you will almost certainly be disappointed!

Why Production Rates Vary So Much

Production rates for explainer videos really do vary a lot. If you ask, “How much does it cost to make an explainer video?” to 10 different production companies, you will almost certainly get 10 different answers. This is because so much more goes into figuring out the total cost of an explainer video beyond just the length of the video. Hiring a production crew means you’re bringing on the following professionals to work on your explainer video:

Film Director – >$250 per hour
Script Writer – >$150 per hour
Cameraman – >$400 per hour
Editor – >$175 per hour
Actors – >$500 per hour
Equipment – up to 100s per hour
Studio Shooting – up to $400 per hour
Narrator – >$400 per hour
Audio Files – up to $1000
Video Rendering – up to $75 per hour
B-Roll – expect to pay a percentage between 10 and 50% of your total cost
Miscellaneous Fees – can cost very little up to 1000s extra

Now think of how each professional varies and how their technique, day rates, and skills can vary. This should help you to see and understand how the rates associated with producing an explainer video can be so different in so many ways. Every part of the process involves a unique skill set and individual time and effort to make all of the finished pieces of the puzzle fit together for a finished video that amazes your audience.

Need more information or still wondering, “How much does it cost to make an explainer video?” Give Beverly Boy Productions a call, we’ll help you figure out what you can expect to pay for your next video project.

Here is an example of an explainer video produced by Team Beverly Boy: