Advice
What does a research film cost?
A research film typically costs £2,500 to £10,000+, excluding VAT. A short film sits at the lower end, and a longer documentary, or a film with a podcast series, sits at the upper end.
What sets the price
Four decisions set it, more than the running time of the film:
- The number of filming days.
- The size of the crew.
- The number of contributors.
- Whether the edit produces one deliverable or several.
Three budget levels
| Level | Filming | Edit | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under £2,500 | One day, one location, a director and a camera operator. One or two contributors. | Two days. | One film of a few minutes, built around a short list of messaging points written with you. |
| Around £5,000 | More than one location and more contributors, with a fuller script agreed first. | A longer edit, with graphics where the film needs them. | A short and a long version of the film, or a set of social clips cut from the same material. |
| Around £10,000 | A longer film, with more contributors, more locations and specialist crew where needed. A podcast recording can run alongside. | The longest edit, with animation or graphics where needed. | The main film, shorter versions for different audiences, social clips and, with a podcast, the episode itself. |
Your budget will not be one of these three exactly. It will fit what your project needs, and that often falls between two of them. Adding actors, custom props or set building takes a film past £10,000, and a very short, simple deliverable can come in under £2,500.
What every budget includes
- Two rounds of unlimited amendments. Editing beyond that is £90 +VAT an hour.
- A named line for project management, meetings, filming logistics and insurance. None of it appears as a crew day, so it appears here.
- A private Vimeo page where your team comments on each cut.
What can add to it
- Travel, when the shoot is outside Cambridge. The figures above assume filming in or near Cambridge.
- Stock footage, if the film needs it. We tell you before we buy any.
- Editing beyond the two included rounds.
Podcasts
Podcast episodes run from £350 to £1,200 each. Recording several video episodes in one day brings the cost per episode down to around £550.
How to choose: if X, choose Y
- If you have one contributor, one location and one message, choose the under £2,500 level.
- If the research has several strands or sites, or you need both a short and a long version, choose around £5,000.
- If you want a documentary, a podcast series or a wide set of clips from one project, choose around £10,000.
- If the money has to be applied for, talk to a production company before the application is written, so the film is costed to the figure the funder will see.
- If your budget is fixed, tell the company the figure. A good company reduces the scope to fit, and keeps the quality.
All prices exclude VAT.
Cambridge TV makes research films, creative films and podcasts for universities, researchers and innovative organisations. We are based at the Bradfield Centre on the Cambridge Science Park. To talk about a film, see the contact page.