"Is that with or without actors, a scriptwriter, an original music score, transcriptions, motion graphics, narration, Hi-Def or DVCAM, small crew, large crew, with travel or without, one day of filming, two days of filming, oh...I forgot, do you need a director, too?"

"Uh...geez, I'm not sure!"

"Well, then, pull up a chair and let me hear your story; from the beginning. Tell me about the time you..."

Funny, it always goes back to the story.

In over 20 years of producing and directing corporate films, this is without a doubt, one of the most often asked questions I get.

Here's the answer: there is no answer.

"But, hey Tom, what about that '$1,000 a minute' rule of thumb that everybody keeps talking about?"

Sorry. Urban myth, legend, fairy tale. If I had a dollar from everybody who believes that, I'd be a millionaire.

There is no magic answer to how much a video costs because telling video stories is a handcrafted art form. Every film is unique. No two films are alike. Each one is a "limited-edition collectible painting."

Here's a refresher from dictionary.com: (hānd-krāft') hand·craft·ed. To fashion or make by hand.

Every film is indeed fashioned and made by hand. There are no shortcuts. There are no assembly lines to create a video story. There are no "put it in here and it comes out there" video machines.

Every film is a new story and every story is a new film.

When a producer and a client begin working together on a new project, they are starting from scratch to "handcraft" the strongest possible story with the highest possible return on investment on two levels simultaneously: 1. igniting the audience, and, 2. effecting the bottom-line.

It takes time to handcraft a story through video that shines brilliantly for all to see.

Yes, films are still fashioned the old way; with your hands.

Of course, the only difference now is we have a 'mouse' to make things easier in the edit room.

But a mouse can't tell your story. Not yet, anyways.

---Tom