How to Hire a Videographer

You probably already know how integral video is to the success of your marketing strategy. This is why it is essential that the video content you create looks good but also positively reflects your brand.

Without a video presence, you will find yourself experience issues such as lack of trust with potential customers, poor search engine optimization, lack of promotional content for social and higher bounce rates on your website.

But then why do so many marketers and business owners have an exhaustive list of reasons why they aren’t making video content yet?

Maybe because unless you’re a professional videographer, the process may seem foreign, confusing, time-consuming, and exhausting.

WHAT IS A VIDEOGRAPHER
WHAT MAKES A GOOD VIDEOGRAPHER
WHERE TO FIND VIDEOGRAPHERS
VIDEOGRAPHER PRICING

What is a Videographer?

A videographer is a professional camera operator used for television, movie, or corporate video productions.

The easy answer is they are professional camera operators. Often working as gig workers bouncing between films, commercials, and most recently online marketing videos. Each videographer will tend to specialize in one area. Specializations could include business videos, cinematic productions, drones, slow motion, etc.

So how do we ensure that we are hiring a good videographer?

What makes a good Videographer?

Before hiring a videographer, you need to know what you are looking for. Ask yourself questions such as “What is the video I am aiming to create?” and “What kind of videographer am I looking for?”

To start a good videographer should have experience, lots of experience.

Experience on Set

We want to be looking for camera operators that have been through the wringer. A more talented videographer will be able to adapt to any challenges and produce a better experience for you as the client.

Hiring a less experienced videographer will often be cheaper, but the quality of your production will often suffer.

The Right Background

Having experience is essential, but the type of experience is something to look at as well.

What type of video are you trying to create?

To create a marketing video for your business, you should be looking for camera operators with experience creating just that. A videographer with video marketing knowledge can offer valuable insight beyond your shoot day.

For example, all of our videographers in Philadelphia at Chocolate Bar Studios are certified in Video Marketing and Content Marketing by Hubspot Academy. We do this to provide the best possible videos and better understand the needs of our clients.

Matching Your Brand

Your video will be a representation of your company and your brand. For it to fit seamlessly into your marketing strategy, it should adhere to your company’s style and marketing standards.

Search for a videographer that best matches your style by looking at their experience. Typically a videographer or production company will have a compilation of past work, also known as a reel, or a library of previous work that you can view.

Where to find a Videographer?

Quality over quantity is the game when searching for a videographer. We want to find the most talented videographers and camera operators in your area.

And always vet any recommendations or applicants you receive! You don’t want to end up working with a videographer who you don’t get along with or dislike their style. Best to find someone with a library of work that you like and you enjoy working with.

Word of Mouth

We always recommend starting by talking to your co-workers and friends.

Utilize your network and ask around if anyone knows local videographers or production companies. Send an email to your co-workers or post it on social to get recommendations from your colleagues.

StaffMeUp.com

There are a lot of video staffing websites online, but ProductionHub.com & StaffMeUp are our favorites.

StaffMeUp is free to use! The job site allows free job postings with options to boost your posting at an additional fee. The website will connect you with thousands of videographers and freelancers in your area.

When posting your job on StaffMeUp, you should include a few details to narrow your search.

State the style of video you are looking to create
Ask applicants to include relevant past work
Ask applicants to include references
Include the shoot date(s)
Include the rate of the position

If you prefer to look at available videographers in your area with making a job posting then you want to use ProductionHub.com. This site allows you to search for the video professionals in your area and look through their portfolios, equipment, and past experience.

Instagram

The photo and video sharing app Instagram also provides a way to connect with local videographers in your area. Finding talent on the platform is doable but does require more leg work compared to using a staffing site such as StaffMeUp.com.

Start by searching relevant hashtags local to your areas such as #PhiladelphiaVideographers or #PhillyVideo. In your results, you will have a list of recent posts that used the appropriate hashtags. Look over the results until you find someone you would like to work with. Send them a direct message and ask them if they would like to work together on your project.

Videographer Pricing

When pricing videographers, you need to know what to look for and what to ask. These guidelines will help you measure the value of each videographer and their price tag.

Day Rate

When speaking with videographers, you will hear the term “Day Rate.” A day rate is how most videographers will bill you for your shoot days. A day rate is a cost to hire a videographer for one 10 or 12 hour day.

The reason for Day Rates and not hourly is because video shoots require a lot of preparation and are very time-consuming. Squeezing in two shoots in one day is not possible in most situations.

The advantage of a day rate is you have a videographer for a whole day to film whatever you want! Use this and try to capture as much content as possible.

What you need to be asking your videographer about Day Rates:

What is your typical day rate?
Is that for 10 or 12 hours?
What is the cost of overtime?
What is the cancellation policy?

Cost of Experience

Day rates of camera operators vary depending on experience.

When accepting applications, you will see a wide range of prices ranging from $400 to $1,500+ a day. There is no correct answer for how much to spend as it depends on your specific project and the quality you want to achieve.

Compare the resume and work portfolio of your applicants to understand the difference in quality a higher-end videographer will get you.

Equipment

When booking your videographer for the day, you will need to book someone with film gear. There will be an upcharge to include film gear, but this is generally cheaper than renting it yourself from a local video production rental house.

Your videographer will probably own more gear than you need for your project. Before hiring them to bring everything, talk to your videographer about your vision for the project. An experienced camera operator will be able to put together a custom gear package for your project and provide you with a quote.

If their proposal contains confusing jargon, ask them to explain it to you. Before hiring anyone, you need to verify that you are on the same page as far as production quality and budget.

Ready to film?

Creating videos for your business can boost your search engine optimization, build awareness, raise engagement, and establish yourself as an expert in your field.

If your company plans to start creating a lot of videos we recommend building relationships with videographers, video producers, and video production companies in your area, they will become valuable resources you can turn to and hire when needed for your projects.