A brand video's cost is set by five things: the production method (live action, 3D, motion design or AI-assisted), the length and number of versions, what has to be created from scratch (sets, models, music, voice), the people involved on production days, and how many places the video must work. There's no honest single number, but there is a reliable way to scope one, and that's what this guide covers.
What is a brand video, and which kind do you need?
A brand video is any film whose main job is to make people understand and remember the brand, rather than to explain a feature or close a sale. In practice it covers a few formats: a hero brand film for the website and launch, product films that show the object in detail, short social cut-downs for reels and ads, and loops or logo animations used across the site. Most brands don't need all of them at once. Decide first where the video will live and what it should change: a homepage film for a premium skincare brand needs to build desire in the first seconds, while a set of vertical ad cuts needs to stop the scroll and be swapped out often. That decision drives every cost below, because a single polished film and a library of fifteen variations are different productions, even when they share footage.
How does the production method change the cost?
The method sets the cost structure more than any other choice. Live action is driven by shoot days: crew, location, talent, equipment and the planning that makes a day productive, with editing, color and sound afterwards. Its cost is concentrated on set, and reshoots are expensive. 3D product animation is driven by modelling and rendering time: building an accurate model is the up-front investment, after which new angles, colorways and scenes cost far less, which makes it efficient for brands that need many variations. Motion design and logo animation sit in between, mostly design and animation hours. AI-assisted production can deliver concepts, environments and variations quickly, but still needs direction, curation and finishing to stay on-brand, and product accuracy usually still comes from 3D or real footage. Many strong brand films combine methods, such as real footage with 3D product shots.
Why do length and versions matter so much?
Length matters, but versions often matter more. A sixty-second film needs more footage, more animation and more edit time than a fifteen-second one, yet the bigger multiplier is usually the delivery list. Every placement wants its own version: 16:9 for the website and YouTube, 9:16 for reels and stories, 1:1 or 4:5 for feeds, captioned cuts for sound-off viewing, short bumpers for ads, and sometimes a French version for the Canadian market. Each is an edit, not a resize, because framing, pacing and on-screen text change by format. Plan the versions before production, not after, so the shoot or the 3D scenes capture what each cut needs, such as vertical-safe framing or extra product angles. A brief that says 'one brand film' while quietly expecting a dozen deliverables is the most common source of budget surprises in video.
What has to be created from scratch?
Everything that doesn't exist yet becomes a line item. On the visual side: sets, props and styling for live action; 3D models of the product and its packaging; environments and textures for animated scenes. On the sound side: licensed music or an original track, voice-over in one or more languages, and sound design, which does more for a premium feel than most brands expect. On the brand side: titles, typography in motion and end cards that match your identity system. If your brand already has 3D models, guidelines and approved music, production starts further along and costs less. If the product is still being manufactured, 3D lets you produce the film from technical drawings before inventory exists, a common reason brands choose it for launches. List what you can supply and what must be made: it's the quickest way to make two studios' quotes comparable.
Where should the budget go first?
Put money where viewers decide whether to keep watching: the first few seconds, the product close-ups and the sound. A strong opening and accurate, beautiful product shots carry more of a film's impact than extra length or an elaborate middle section. Next, fund the versions you'll actually use, rather than a long master cut that only runs on the homepage. Then fund reuse: a 3D model or a well-planned shoot that yields stills, loops and future cut-downs keeps paying after the launch. Where to save: fewer locations, a shorter master, library elements for secondary scenes, and AI-assisted environments where product accuracy isn't at stake. What not to cut: direction and editing. A modest production with clear direction looks deliberate, while an expensive one without it just looks like spending. Our case studies show how these methods have been combined for different brands.
How do you brief a studio to get comparable quotes?
Give every studio the same written brief, and make it specific. Include the goal (launch, awareness, product understanding, ads), where the video will run, and the full delivery list with formats, lengths and languages. Say what you'll supply, such as product samples, CAD or packaging files, brand guidelines and existing footage, and what must be created. Share two or three reference films with a sentence on what you like in each, the deadline and anything it's tied to, and who approves the work. Ask each studio to quote by phase (pre-production, production, post-production and versions) and to state what's included in revisions and in usage rights for music and talent. Finally, give a budget range. Studios can then propose the best approach for that money, sometimes a different method than you expected, instead of pricing a guess.
So what will your brand video cost?
It will cost what its scope requires, and you now have the variables to define that scope: method, length, versions, what must be created, the people involved and where it will run. Write those down and the number stops being a mystery, because two studios quoting the same brief should land in a similar range, and if they don't, the gap tells you what one of them left out. For Mira Visions projects, our pricing page explains how video and 3D work are scoped and what's typically included, and our creative media page shows the formats we produce, from brand films and 3D product animation to social cut-downs. If you'd rather skip the spreadsheet, send us the brief from the previous section and we'll recommend the method that fits your goal and budget, even if that means a smaller project than you planned.
Planning a brand film or product video? Send us the brief and we'll recommend the method that fits your goal and budget.