Video costs can feel like a mystery… but they don’t have to be.
“How much does a video cost?” is the question we hear more than any other at MRP Studios, our boutique video production company based in St. Catharines, Ontario. We create videos for brands across Niagara, Hamilton, Toronto and all over Canada.
But here’s the tricky part:
Asking “what’s your rate?” without giving a budget is like asking for a steak dinner when you only have Big Mac ingredients.
There’s no way to know what we’re cooking with.
Why Video Budgets Feel Awkward
If you’ve ever had the budget conversation, it might sound like this:
“What’s your rate?”
“Well… what’s your budget?”
“Well… what does it cost?”
“Well… what do you want?”
And suddenly you’re stuck in the Awkward Budget Dance where nobody wants to say the wrong number first.
I get it. Clients are trying to be smart & save money… but they actually lose time because video is not a simple thing to price.
The Kitchen Analogy
Think of your video like a kitchen renovation.
You can renovate a kitchen for $10,000 or $100,000…
but it’s still the same square footage.
Same room. Vastly different outcome.
Sure, a kitchen with quartz counters, lighting features and custom cabinets has a greater wow factor than a basic refresh. But both function as a kitchen.
Both feed your family.
Both serve your needs.
And yes… The more expensive kitchen? It will likely turn some heads.
Video works the same way.
Nicer location? More actors? Complex, eyecatching cinematography? All of these can absolutely elevate your video, but you may not need those premium features to get the results you want.
A video budget doesn’t limit the effectiveness of the messaging. It simply defines how we get there.
️ Your Budget = The Sandbox
Here’s what we’ve learned working with clients across Ontario and all of Canada:
A budget is a sandbox. It tells us where we’re allowed to play.
(And yes. We at MRP Studios, are small children trapped in grown up bodies.)
So how do you create a sandbox?
The Simple Fix: Use a Price Range
The most productive conversations happen when a client can say:
“We’re willing to invest between $X and $Y.”
From there, we can:
✔ suggest concepts that match your goals
✔ stretch the dollar creatively (our specialty)
✔ avoid offering the steak when we’re working with a Big Mac budget
✔ and actually move the project forward
We’ve worked with hundreds of Canadian businesses .. From our home in St. Catharines, Ontario to Toronto, from British Columbia to New Brunswick, heck, even to Calabogie, and every budget conversation is identical despite every video being unique.
Every client deserves strong messaging, no matter their budget.
Because video isn’t just about a great looking video. It’s about strategy, results, and connection for your brand. Helping your audience feel something.
But… What Does A Video Actually Cost?
Still not convinced, eh?
Well, for transparency sakes here’s a conversation starter:
For an average one-day shoot,
with no actors, no scripting, no location fees,
and one final 1–2 minute edit…
a starting price range is typically $7,500–$10,000 + HST.
See what I did there? A starting price range.
Once that’s on the table, the real conversation begins! You can say something like, “Okay, my budget is more $10,000-$15,000. And I’d like photography with actors, and ideally 3 videos… Would that work?”
NOW we can stop doing the Awkward Budget Dance and start doing the Creative Cha-Cha. The dance that gets us all excited about the possibilities instead of being worried about limitations.
Want to Talk Budget?
If you’ve been meaning to create a video but weren’t sure where to start just reach out.
No pressure. No sales pitch. We love dreaming, planning and finding creative ways to stretch a dollar.
Hit me up at nick@mrp.tv
or
Contact form on our website
Once we know the sandbox we’re playing in…
We get to build something worth getting excited about.
Because at the end of the day,
we’re not here just to hit record.
We’re here to help you reach people.
