Brand film pricing varies enormously and quotes rarely explain why — this is the breakdown behind the number, so a brand can see where its budget is actually going and where there's room to flex.
Pre-production (typically 10-15%)
Strategy, scripting, storyboarding, location scouting and casting. This is the stage most often cut to save cost, and the one most likely to cause expensive problems on shoot day if it is.
Crew and gear (often the largest single share)
Director, DOP, camera operators, gaffer, sound, and their equipment. This scales with production complexity — a single-location interview costs a fraction of a multi-location narrative film with actors.
Locations and logistics
Location fees, permits, travel and accommodation for multi-day or multi-city shoots. Often underestimated by first-time clients, and one of the easier places to control cost through smart location choices.
Post-production
Editing, colour grading, sound design and music licensing. A film that looked expensive on set can still fall flat without proper time in the edit — this stage is rarely where it makes sense to cut corners.
Where flexibility actually exists
- Shoot days can be compressed with tighter scheduling, at some risk to coverage.
- Locations can be simplified without hurting the story, if chosen well.
- Talent can be sourced more efficiently without sacrificing performance quality.
What we'd never recommend cutting: pre-production planning and post-production time — both are where a film actually comes together, regardless of how well the shoot day itself went.