As a rough rule of thumb, the longer the video, the more it's going to cost (longer running time = more shooting days = more editing days.)

Of course, there is an immediate contradiction to this: if your video is a solid half hour of your CEO talking to camera (but please don't be tempted unless your CEO is a dead-ringer for Daniel Craig), then it won't take very long to shoot or edit.

Let's look at the other components that might drive cost:

LOCATION. If a shoot involves several locations that are many miles apart, then it will drive up the number of shoot days. Say a video involves shooting at an HQ in Bristol and a depot in Manchester, you're immediately into a two-day shoot, even if the film only requires a few seconds from either location. There is no getting round geography.

CREW NUMBERS. This relates directly to the complexity of the idea. Our CEO example, above, could be managed by just one person - at most two. But shoots that call for more challenging shots (for example, tracking shots and high angle jib shots), fantastic lighting and more challenging sound recording, will need more. Of course, it's often these aspects that make your video more powerful.

CUT-RATE. If the style of the video is high-energy, fast-cutting, then it will gobble up shots very quickly, even if the overall running time is quite short. This will have a direct bearing on the number of shoot days.

PRESENTERS. Quite a few corporate videos use Presenters to 'carry' the story and - in theory at least - add lustre to the production. The least you're likely to pay for a presenter will be £300-£500 per day, often with a 'usage' fee on top of that. This would buy you someone very professional, but 'unknown.' The moment you start talking famous or even just 'C' list famous, you're into many thousands.