What Affects the Cost of a Brand Video in Utah

One of the first questions I hear from businesses is some version of "what does a video cost?" The honest answer is that it depends on what you need it to do. Corporate video production cost is built from a handful of choices, and once you understand them you can shape a project that fits your budget instead of guessing. Here is what actually moves the number, from someone who plans and films these projects in Salt Lake City and across Utah.

1. Length and purpose of the film

A 30 second website banner film and a three minute case study are very different projects. Longer films usually mean more interviews, more footage, and more editing time. Before talking about length, it helps to decide where the video will live: your homepage, a paid ad, LinkedIn, a trade show screen, or a recruiting page. The purpose decides the length, and the length shapes the cost.

2. Number of shoot days

Shoot days are one of the biggest drivers. A single, well planned day can cover a lot, especially for a small business or a simple brand film. A series of films, like the case study collection I made for RESOLUT covering several buildings across Utah, needs more days because each project lives in a different place with different people.

3. Locations and travel

Filming in one space is efficient. Moving between an office, a job site and a customer location in the same day adds setup time and sometimes another day. Travel matters too. I'm based in Salt Lake City, so a shoot along the Wasatch Front is simple, while a location further out in the state may add travel time.

4. Crew size

Many brand videos can be made with a small crew, which keeps costs down and helps people relax on camera. Bigger productions with multiple cameras, dedicated audio, lighting crew or a producer add cost but can be worth it for complex shoots or live events where you only get one chance.

5. Talent and people on camera

Using your own team and customers is usually the most authentic and affordable option. Hiring actors, models, a voiceover artist, hair and makeup, or a stylist adds cost. For fashion and beauty work this is often part of the project. For most business videos, real people tell the story best.

6. Edits and cutdowns

The main film is only part of the picture. Most brands also want short vertical versions for Reels and Shorts, website banners, ad edits in different lengths, and still frames. Each extra version takes editing time. For example, the BLANK Summer 2024 campaign included a widescreen hero film plus 30 vertical social videos from the same production. Planning those cutdowns up front is far more efficient than adding them later.

7. Music licensing

Music sets the tone of a film, and the license matters. Royalty-free and subscription libraries are the most affordable. A well-known commercial song can cost far more and may limit where you can use the video. If your film will run as a paid ad, make sure the license covers it.

8. Turnaround time

A standard timeline lets planning, filming and editing happen at a normal pace. If you need a finished film in a few days, for a launch or right after an event, it may require rearranging schedules or extra editing help, and that can add cost. Booking early is the simplest way to avoid rush timelines.

How to get the most out of your budget

• Decide where the video will live before you decide anything else.
• Plan every cutdown before the shoot so one day produces many assets.
• Feature your real team and customers when you can.
• Group locations so fewer days are needed.
• Book early so you are not paying for a rush.

Talk it through

Every project is different, which is why I don't publish a price list for commercial work. Tell me what you want the video to do, and I'll put together a plan that fits. You can see the kinds of projects I make on my commercial page, or read about brand video production, corporate video production, event videography and fashion videography in more detail.