In short
- Do not guess a total. Build a subtotal of what you can price and list the rest as unpriced.
- Write down the assumptions behind each line so they can be checked later.
- Ask for quotes against the same brief, then fill in the unpriced items.
- Report your budget as a known amount plus a list of open items.
When you do not know the rates, do not guess one total. Build a subtotal of what you can already price, list everything else as unpriced, and fill the gaps as quotes arrive. The result is a budget that is honest and easy to update.
What does the method look like?
- List the outputs and extras you want: filming, finished videos, captions, music, storage and travel.
- Price what you already know: for example, an item you already own, a licence you have bought, or a cost from your own records.
- Mark everything else as unpriced, with a short note on what drives it.
- Write the assumptions behind each line: hours, number of videos, place.
- Ask for quotes against the same brief and replace the unpriced lines one by one.
The event video budget worksheet does this for you. It shows the known total and the unpriced items separately.
An example with assumed figures
This is an illustrative example, and every figure is an assumption for this page. Say a school plans a prize-giving video. The known items are a stock music licence at RM200 and a new storage drive at RM250.
In this example, the known subtotal is RM450. Unpriced items: camera operator hours, editing, a short highlight, captions and delivery. The budget the school reports is “RM450 known, five items unpriced, quotes expected by the end of the month”. When quotes arrive, each unpriced line gets a number, and the total becomes real.
Which items are often forgotten?
- Setup, rehearsal or travel time. See when setup is billed separately.
- Tax and invoice inclusions.
- Music and usage permissions.
- Storage, raw footage and delivery.
- Captions in more than one language.
- Overtime if the programme runs late.
The guide on what changes the cost of event videography explains each factor.
How do you ask for quotes you can use?
Write a short brief: date, area, start and end times, the videos you want and where they will be shown. The brief builder helps. Give the same brief to each supplier.
When the quotes arrive, line them up before reading the totals. Our guide to comparing two quotations fairly shows how.
What if a figure changes later?
Keep the assumption next to each number, so a change in hours, venue or number of videos is easy to trace. When a quote differs from your assumption, update the line and note why. This also makes it simple to explain the difference to whoever approved the budget.
When is the budget final?
The budget is final when every unpriced item has been replaced by a written quote, and the scope in that quote matches your brief. Until then, label it an estimate and name the items still open.
How do you present the budget to others?
Use three parts:
- Known cost: the subtotal and where each figure came from.
- Unpriced items: the list, with the assumption behind each.
- Next step: who is requesting quotes and by when.
Update the list as quotes arrive, so everyone sees the same current picture.
What we confirm for your event
- Unpriced items: which of your open lines we can quote now.
- Assumptions: the hours and crew behind each line, stated in the quote.
- Exclusions: any item left out of the quote, listed plainly.
- Separate lines: a quote you can add to or remove from.
Pricing your open items
We can price the open lines in your budget from the scope you give us. Our event videography page shows what we film, and the supplier question builder helps you prepare.
Send us your date, area and the videos you have in mind. We can quote the items still unpriced in your budget, so your figure rests on a real quote.
WhatsApp us