Freelance video production for small brands

Local businesses, charities, schools, estate agents, event organisers and small marketing agencies that need video but have no in-house team.

Fixed price per project or day rate, with extra for editing, music licensing, subtitles and reworking the video for different social platforms. Monthly retainers for regular social content are possible.

• Filming and basic lighting and sound
• Video editing
• Storytelling and working to a brief
• Managing clients and deadlines

• Public liability insurance and cover for your kit, check what clients and venues ask for
• Licensing for music, footage and fonts, and written permission from people who appear on camera
• Contracts that say who owns the final footage and how many revisions are included
• Drone filming has its own rules and registration requirements, check with the Civil Aviation Authority before offering it
• Register as a sole trader with HMRC and keep records for Self Assessment

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on your camera, lighting, sound kit and editing software. These are estimates, so price up the kit you need first.

Monthly revenue is typically around £600 to £4,000, depending on how many projects you take on and your pricing. These are estimates rather than guarantees, so use them as a rough guide only.

Check public liability insurance and kit cover, music, footage and font licensing, and written permission from people on camera. Drone filming has its own rules, so check with the Civil Aviation Authority, and register as a sole trader with HMRC.