Why Good Video Seems Expensive (But Really Isn’t)
There’s a moment in every growing business where someone says, “We could just shoot this ourselves.”
And it makes sense. Everyone has a camera in their pocket. Editing apps are a dime a dozen. Why spend money on an outside team when someone on staff has “dabbled” in video?
But here’s the catch: professional video looks effortless because it isn’t.
It takes tools. It takes time. And most of all, it takes experience.
Let’s Talk Gear
If you’re thinking of building an in-house setup, consider this your wake-up call. Here’s a glimpse at what pro-level video equipment actually costs — just to get in the game:
Camera Body: A cinema-level camera like the Canon C70, FX6, or RED Komodo will run you anywhere from $5,500 to $15,000, body only.
Lenses: A solid kit of fast, sharp lenses (Sigma, Canon L-Series, or cine glass) will set you back $4,000 to $10,000+.
Lighting: Professional lighting kits like Aputure 600D with softboxes, stands, and modifiers easily cost $2,500 to $6,000.
Audio: Shotgun mics, lavaliers, field mixers, and boom poles? Add $1,000 to $3,000 more.
Tripods, sliders, gimbals, matte boxes, batteries, media cards, cases, monitors… Easily another $3,000 to $7,000 depending on your ambition.
Editing Setup: A workstation or laptop with enough power to cut high-bitrate footage runs $2,000+, not including licenses for Premiere, DaVinci Resolve Studio, or Final Cut Pro.
And this doesn’t even scratch the surface of color calibration tools, backup systems, or insurance.
Now add time.
Time to research.
Time to learn.
Time to fail before you figure it out.
Because knowing where to put a light is more valuable than owning a $4,000 one. And cutting a 60-second story that actually moves people? That takes more than a YouTube tutorial.
The Real Expense Is the Wrong Investment
If you’re a growing brand, your focus shouldn’t be learning how to light interviews or sync dual-system audio. Your focus should be building your business — and using video as the lever that helps you do that faster.
Hiring a professional team doesn’t just save you the equipment cost. It saves you the cost of missed opportunity.
The cost of mediocre videos that don’t convert.
The cost of your audience tuning out after five seconds.
At Emberhouse, we bring the gear, the crew, and most importantly — the vision.
We show up ready to make your message cinematic, clear, and compelling.
Because you shouldn’t have to become a filmmaker to tell your story like one.
So yes, good video may seem expensive. But trying to do it all in-house?
That’s the real money pit.
