Video Entrepreneur: A Modest Proposal

That's the problem with some potential clients. They want to know exactly what you are going to do before you do it. And they want to know exactly what it will cost before they even know what they want to do.

Here's how I handle such a question. Look, I say, every video project is different. It's like asking how much a house is going to cost before you tell me what kind of a house you want to build. How many rooms does the house have, does it have a water view, how many acres of land? Ceramic tile? A swimming pool? You see?

"Ah, of course, I see perfectly" says the potential client pleasantly, "But how much is it going to cost?"
"A million dollars," I reply.

This is the time to get some details on paper, usually in the form of a proposal. A proposal is simply a document that outlines what the video is going to accomplish, how you plan to make it happen, and an estimate of what it's all going to cost. Ahhh--we're back to the cost issue.

How can you come up with an accurate estimate of a "potential" video? By learning everything you can about the project. Who will be watching the final video--CEOs of corporations or first graders at the local elementary school? How long is the video? Will you need to shoot on Digital Betacam or is S-VHS acceptable? Are you and your crew going to have to travel to Istanbul or will everything be shot locally?

Be sure the client understands what he or she is getting. If your price is for shooting and editing, then let the client know that scriptwriting will be an additional expense. Or if you do take the job from start to finish, then outline all the steps (selecting talent, scouting locations, production scheduling, shooting, editing, dubs). Make sure the client understands that your price includes these items only.

Before you state a price for the project, see if you can find out what the client's budget is. It may be more than you thought, which gives you the freedom to add more elements to the production. On the other end of the spectrum, the budget may be so small that it's not even possible to accomplish what the client wants. It's better to learn this sad fact early, before you invest your valuable time.

Once you state a price, the client will try to hold you to it. Client-human nature is to lock you into a price and then add complexity that will cost you more money. "Did I forget to mention that you could shoot on the warehouse floor only between 3am and 5am? Must've slipped my mind."

This is why you want to be specific in the cost estimating process of your proposal. If you tell them exactly what they are getting for the price you are quoting, the client won't be able to add on more complexity without that price going up.

On simple jobs, I usually break my estimate down into two parts: 1) the Treatment and 2) the Estimate and Authorization.

Earlier, we looked at how you should ask questions to learn about the client's project. With the information you learned through your questions, a natural method of creating the video will probably pop into your head.

For example, a client might be a builder of million-dollar homes. The client wants to show off the many features of the different models. Your treatment might look like this:

Classical music plays as the camera floats past the house with a breathtaking wide shot. The scene dissolves to a closer shot of the front of the house. As the camera floats forward, the front door opens and the camera (who is the viewer) is greeted by a butler. This butler (a professional actor) proceeds to give the viewer a full tour of the house.

The treatment can be as simple or as complex as you like, as long as it serves the purpose of telling your client what the show is going to look like. If the client likes the concept and agrees on the price, you are ready to move into scripting. If there is something the client doesn't agree with, you know it before you discuss money.

Also, if the client loves your idea, they're more likely to go with you than one of your competitors. Of course, the client can always steal your idea and use another company, anyway. The unfortunate fact is you can't copyright an idea.

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