"I'd like a video edited, how much is it?" is the first message we receive most often, and it's not enough to assess anything. That's not us being difficult: the workload varies enormously. A three-minute corporate video and a three-minute event recap need completely different material and work. Put these six things in your first message and the back-and-forth shrinks.
1. Where the video will be used
Website, trade show, social media, internal training, a wedding reception: each has a different length, ratio and pace. "A product short for Instagram" is ten times clearer than "a promotional video".
2. Roughly how long
If unsure, give a range, such as "one to two minutes".
3. How much footage, and what kind
For example "about 40 phone clips of one to three minutes each, plus 30 photos". The amount of footage is the main basis for estimating time. If nothing has been filmed yet, say so; there's also AI video production for that case.
4. The style you want
Send one to three links to reference videos and say which part you like. Adjectives like "premium" or "youthful" mean different things to different people; references are precise. See how to describe the editing style you want.
5. When you need it
Give a specific date, and say whether that date is when it goes online or when it's played on site. If time is tight, see can video editing be rushed.
6. Subtitles, voice-over, music
Subtitles throughout or only on key lines? Will you record the voice-over or do you need a voice artist? Is there music you must use? All three affect the workload.
A filled-in example
Purpose: company introduction for the website homepage and looping at a trade show.
Length: about a minute and a half.
Footage: shot by a photographer last month, about 60 4K clips, plus our logo and 20 product photos.
Style: like this one (link), we like the pacing of the first 20 seconds.
Deadline: one week before the show opens on 15 November.
Other: Chinese and English subtitles; we'll record the voice-over ourselves; please choose the music.
What happens next
Fill in the request form or send the six points on LINE, and upload the footage to Google Drive; see how to send us your material. Within 48 hours we'll tell you whether we can help. If we can, we send a quote and you decide whether to go ahead. The full process is in how we work together.
Frequently asked questions
I'm not sure about all six yet. Can I still ask?
Yes. Fill in what you know and write "undecided" for the rest. We'll ask a few questions to narrow it down.
Nothing is filmed yet. Can you quote in advance?
We can give a rough direction; a firm quote needs the actual amount of footage. Before filming, see filming tips that make editing easier.
Do I have to use the form, or can I just message on LINE?
Either. The form's advantage is that it asks all six things at once, so nothing gets missed. The form is in Chinese; English by email or LINE is welcome.
