interested in obtaining a Photography/video retainer
and do you really need one?
Dream it.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story visually can make all the difference.
Build it.
At GVI, we approach video production retainers differently. We refer to it as our VIP Media Club, emphasizing a personalized approach with direct human interaction. This includes regular video chats or phone calls to strategize upcoming video projects and monthly reminders to ensure timely scheduling.
Photography and Video Production Retainer Partnership: The Essentials
At GVI, we engage with our clients/brands (that's you!) in two distinct ways to deliver photography and video production services:
Per Project Fee:
This approach entails collaborating with you on a project basis to produce content for mid to large-scale commercial projects. These individual projects range from $25,000 up to $300,000 for extensive concepts and multi-day productions. Pricing is determined based on the specific requirements of each project.
Monthly Retainer Fee:
Here's where we work with you consistently to deliver a pre-defined volume of photography and/or video content within the retainer period, typically spanning 6 to 12 months. This partnership involves integrating our production team (us) with your brand. Retainer pricing for photography and video production starts from $3000 to $8,000 and can scale upwards to $20,000+ per month based on your production needs.
Determining if a Monthly Photo and Video Production Retainer is Suitable for You
Firstly, outline your annual photo and video production schedule to identify the required content. For instance, you may need 1-2 branding videos along with photo support, social media videos in various formats, corporate interviews, customer testimonials, and event coverage throughout the year. If your brand's marketing strategy entails consistently releasing such content, then a photo and video production retainer is an ideal choice.
Should you require further clarification on the annual production schedule, we're here to assist in mapping it out for you. However, this might necessitate additional time for planning a monthly retainer fee.
Advantages of GVI's Photography and Video Production Retainer Partnership
Our partnership model emphasizes integration and consistency. By consistently collaborating with our photography and video production team, we become ingrained in your brand. We understand your brand story, vision, preferences, and dislikes, which facilitates a seamless workflow. Additionally, working with us regularly ensures that the photo and video content you publish maintains consistency in style, quality, and storytelling.
Apart from integration and content consistency, here are the key advantages of our monthly retainer:
Controlled and Predictable Marketing Costs: Facilitates easier budgeting by establishing one comprehensive budget approved by management, as opposed to managing individual projects throughout the year.
Bulk Discount Pricing: Instead of itemized pricing per project, you benefit from significant savings through bulk pricing.
Priority Access and Support: Enjoy priority access to our services, akin to TSA PreCheck, ensuring timely and efficient support.
Enhanced Marketing Strategy: Predictable content scheduling saves time and money, boosting the efficacy of your marketing strategy.
What exactly is a video retainer?
A video retainer entails a contractual agreement between your organization and our video production company, enabling you to set an annual budget for video production. This budget serves as a guideline for various video projects throughout the year. Payment terms can be negotiated on a monthly basis or upon completion of work, but you are committed to spending the agreed-upon amount by the end of the year.
Why consider a video retainer?
A video retainer proves beneficial for clients whose marketing strategy heavily relies on dynamic, regularly updated, and captivating content. For instance, if you require primary brand videos alongside shorter social media clips, executive interviews, customer testimonials, or event coverage, a retainer provides a seamless solution. Additionally, it helps in managing and forecasting annual marketing expenses. If you've encountered challenges in gaining approval for individual project budgets from your board or executive committee, consolidating these into one comprehensive budget can streamline the process.
How to initiate the process?
We believe in fostering long-term partnerships based on mutual understanding. Our approach begins with a single video project, allowing both parties to gauge compatibility in terms of creative vision, workflow, and communication. Once we establish a solid working relationship, we explore the possibility of a retainer contract. Our team collaborates with you to assess your marketing needs, propose creative concepts for video projects, and determine an appropriate annual budget. Upon execution of the retainer agreement, you gain access to a pool of video production hours, which can be utilized for planned initiatives or unforeseen requirements such as social media edits, interviews, event coverage, product commercials, and more.
Consistent Video Content is Key
When you sign up for a video retainer contract, we initiate with a discovery meeting to understand your goals and build a plan for consistent video content every month. By establishing a video retainer contract, you can easily budget for video content on a monthly or yearly basis, ensuring a fixed monthly cost while receiving new content regularly.
We're prepared to help you leverage the benefits of a video retainer contract. If you're ready to embark on consistent video content production, let's connect to address your queries and commence the process of establishing a video retainer contract.
Should you require further information or wish to initiate discussions about a video retainer contract, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're excited to collaborate and deliver exceptional photography and video content for your brand.
Top 5 Benefits of a Retainer
PREDICTABLE MARKETING COSTS:
You establish an annual video production budget and control your marketing costs.
PRIORITY SCHEDULING:
Our retainer clients are given priority scheduling over project based clients.
ENTIRE 7 PERSON TEAM VS. 1 EMPLOYEE:
Get access to a wide variety of creative skills
UNIQUE CREATIVE IDEAS:
Get an outsiders take on solving your creative problems. New script ideas and unique visual perspectives.
B-ROLL LIBRARY:
We organize all footage we film into a searchable, private, online portfolio.
Analysis of Video Marketing Strategy:
Production Services Overview
The frequency of two videos per month raises questions about the overall content marketing strategy. It's essential to ensure that these videos are part of a broader content plan with consistent daily or near-daily postings. At my company, we specialize in social management and content creation, typically offering 8-12 videos per month within a budget range of $3,000 to $6,000. We use professional-grade equipment such as the Blackmagic Pocket 6k camera, Rode Wireless Go II microphone, and minimal lighting setups, which our clients find highly satisfactory, often using natural light for shoots.
Pricing Approach and Considerations:
For pricing, I recommend basing it on 2 filming days and 2 editing days at your standard day rate, with an additional 20% allocation for travel and production expenses. It's crucial to estimate the time commitment accurately, approximating around 4-5 days (or 40-50 hours) per month for production and post-production tasks. Regarding equipment, owning your gear allows for flexibility in adjusting rates. Rental costs should be factored in at around 3-5% of the equipment's total value per day.
Contract and Pricing Strategy:
A 6-month contract offers stability and benefits both parties. It's advisable to provide a preferred rate for extended contracts as a gesture of appreciation for their commitment. I recommend quoting monthly deliverables transparently and then extrapolating this for the entire contract duration. For instance, if Month 1 involves shoots and post-work totaling $2,500 (based on 5x 10-hour days at $50/hour), multiplying this by 6 months gives a total contract estimate of $15,000. This should be supplemented with a "professional courtesy" discount to convey the true value of your services.
Client Engagement and Pricing Perception:
When dealing with clients unfamiliar with video production, it's crucial to manage expectations and justify costs. Sticker shock can arise when comparing professional services to amateur alternatives. It's important not to undervalue your work significantly to secure a contract, as this could compromise your brand reputation and profitability in the long run.
Video production retainers offer steady income and mutual benefits for production companies and clients. However, careful consideration is needed when selecting a retainer to ensure it aligns with specific needs and expectations.
