Reading Time: 8 minutes | Updated: October 2025
Would you like to have a professional image film produced for your company, but don’t know how much it will cost? This question is on the minds of many companies – and the answer is more complex than a simple price range.
In this comprehensive guide, you will learn everything about image film costs in 2025: from budget productions starting at €3,000 to premium films costing over €25,000. We show you which factors influence the price, where you can save money without sacrificing quality and how you can maximize the ROI of your investment.
What does an image film cost? The 2025 price overview
The costs for a professional image film vary greatly – depending on your requirements, the production quality and the scope. Here is a realistic overview of the price categories:
Budget production: 3.000€ – 6.000€
What you get:
- 90-120 seconds video length
- 1 day of shooting at one location
- Small team (2-3 people)
- Basic equipment (Full HD camera, basic lighting)
- Simple cut with fades
- Royalty free music
- 1-2 correction loops
Ideal for:
- Small companies and start-ups
- First video marketing experiences
- Local service providers
- Social media content
- Internal communication
Restrictions:
- Limited creative possibilities
- No elaborate animations
- Standard look without a special visual language
- Usually only one location possible
Standard production: 6.000€ – 12.000€
What you get:
- 2-3 minutes video length
- 2 shooting days, several locations possible
- Professional team (4-6 people)
- 4K camera, professional light & sound
- Drone recordings possible
- Motion graphics & belly bands
- Professional editing & color grading
- Sound design with license-free premium music
- 2-3 correction loops
Ideal for:
- Medium-sized companies
- B2B service provider
- Established brands
- Career page & trade fair appearances
- Multi-channel marketing
Advantages:
- Professional imagery
- Flexibility in locations and shooting days
- Authentic employee interviews
- High-quality post-production
Premium production: 12.000€ – 25.000€+
What you get:
- 3-5 minutes video length (+ short versions)
- 3-4+ shooting days
- Large team incl. director, DOP, art director
- High-end camera (RED, ARRI Alexa)
- Professional actors (optional)
- Elaborate drone shots
- 3D animations & visual effects
- Composed original music
- Professional color grading (Cinema Look)
- Location scouting & filming permits
- Unlimited correction loops
Ideal for:
- Large companies & groups
- Premium brands
- TV-compatible quality
- Image films with a wow effect
- International campaigns
Features:
- Cinematic visual language
- Emotional storytelling at the highest level
- Multiple language versions
- Complete content package for all channels
The 7 biggest cost factors in image film production
Contrary to popular belief, the length of the video is not the decisive price factor. Rather, these seven aspects determine the total cost:
1. number of shooting days
Why relevant: Every day of shooting means daily rates for the entire team, equipment rental and logistics.
Example of costs:
- 1 shooting day: 2.000€ – 4.000€
- 2 shooting days: 4.000€ – 8.000€
- 3+ shooting days: 8.000€ – 15.000€+
Saving tip: Plan efficiently! With good preparation, you can often shoot several scenes in one day and save a lot of money.
2. complexity of the concept
Simple concept: Authentic employee interviews, insights into everyday working life, original sound bites – works excellently and is cost-effective.
Complex concept: staged scenes with actors, elaborate storytelling narratives, several storylines – artistically impressive, but significantly more expensive.
Cost difference: €2,000 – €8,000
3. number and type of locations
One location (your office/business): Minimal additional costs, simple logistics.
Several locations:
- Directions & transportation
- Location rental (if required)
- Filming permits
- More time required
Cost example: Each additional location: 500€ – 2,000€ additional costs
Saving tip: Use your own premises creatively! With good lighting and camera work, you can make even “boring” offices look cinematic.
4. use of actors vs. real employees
Real employees:
- Costs: 0€ (only their working time)
- Authenticity: Very high
- Credibility: Maximum
- Coaching by film team included
Professional actors:
- Costs: 600€ – 2.000€ per day/person
- Flexibility: High
- Professionalism: Maximum
- Ideal for staged scenes
Our recommendation: Real employees almost always work better for B2B image films! Authenticity beats high gloss.
5. special effects & animations
Basis: Simple belly bands, logo animations – usually included.
Standard: Motion graphics, text animations, infographics – +1.000€ – 3.000€
Premium: 2D animations, character animations – +€3,000 – €8,000
3D visualizations, CGI – +8.000€ – 20.000€+
Rule of thumb: Every second of high-quality animation costs around €200 – €500.
6. music & sound design
Royalty-free music (standard): 300€ – 800€ for professional tracks
Premium licensed music: €1,000 – €3,000 for exclusive usage rights
Composed original music: 3.000€ – 10.000€+ for customized film music
Sound design: 500€ – 2,000€ for professional sound editing, sound effects, atmospheric effects
Saving tip: License-free premium music is completely sufficient for 95% of all image films and sounds high quality!
7. post-production & revisions
Standard post-production:
- Editing & Assembly
- Basic Color Grading
- Sound mixing
- 2 correction loops
- Costs: Included in the basic price
Premium post-production:
- Cinematic Color Grading
- Frame-by-frame optimization
- Sound Design & Mixing
- Multiple versions (lengths/formats)
- Unlimited revisions
- Additional costs: +1.500€ – 4.000€
Important: Clarify in advance how many correction loops are included! Each additional revision usually costs €300 – €800.
Hidden costs: what is often forgotten
Pay attention to these often overlooked items when making offers:
Travel costs & expenses
When film production is not local:
- Journey: 0,50€ – 0,80€/km
- Overnight stays: 80€ – 150€ per person/night
- Meals: 30€ – 50€ per person/day
Saving tip: Choose a local film production! In Wiesbaden and the Rhine-Main region, you have no additional travel costs.
GEMA & music license fees
If you also show the film at trade fairs, on TV or in public spaces:
- GEMA fees: 50€ – 500€
- Extended music licenses: 500€ – 2.000€
Saving tip: Use GEMA-free music with a buy-out license!
Formatting & adaptations
Do you need different versions for different channels?
- Website (16:9)
- Instagram (9:16 Vertical)
- Instagram Feed (1:1 Square)
- YouTube pre-roll (6 sec. bumper)
- LinkedIn (subtitle mandatory)
Costs per format: 200€ – 500€
Saving tip: Order all formats at the same time! The package is often cheaper than ordering them individually.
Rights of use
Standard: Unlimited online use on your own channels.
But watch out for:
- TV broadcasting: +20-50% on production costs
- Cinema advertising: +30-60%
- Passing on to third parties (e.g. sales partners): Individual
Important: Clarify usage rights BEFORE production!
How you can save on image film production (without loss of quality)
1. efficient shooting planning
Instead of: 3 days of shooting, different locations, lots of set-up and dismantling Better: 2 days of shooting, well planned with a well thought-out shooting schedule
Savings: €2,000 – €4,000
2. your employees instead of actors
Authenticity is worth its weight in gold in B2B marketing. Real employees are more credible AND cheaper.
Savings: €1,500 – €5,000
3. use your locations
Your office, your production, your showroom – these are perfect filming locations! You save on location rental and show your real company at the same time.
Savings: 500€ – 3.000€
4. royalty-free instead of composed music
Modern music libraries offer thousands of high-quality tracks. Only in exceptional cases do you really need composed original music.
Savings: €3,000 – €8,000
5. modular approach
Clever: Produce several videos in one day of shooting!
Example:
- 1x image film (2 min.)
- 3x employee testimonials (60 seconds each)
- 5x social media snippets (15 seconds each)
The additional costs are minimal, the added value enormous!
6. choose local production
A film production company from Wiesbaden knows the region, has no travel costs and can react flexibly to your needs.
Savings: €1,000 – €3,000
7 Realistic audit expectations
Every correction loop costs time and money. With a good briefing and clear expectations in advance, you can avoid expensive rework.
Savings: 500€ – 2.000€
What does an image film actually cost? Sample calculations
Example 1: Start-up (limited budget)
Scenario: Young tech startup from Frankfurt, 15 employees, wants to present itself on the website and LinkedIn.
Solution:
- 90 seconds image film
- 1 day of shooting in the office
- 5 employee interviews
- Drone recording of the building (30 min.)
- Motion graphics for tech visualization
- Delivery in 3 formats
Costs: 4.500€
ROI: Through video on website: +35% longer dwell time, +20% more applications, 12 additional B2B leads in 6 months = €48,000 pipeline.
Example 2: Medium-sized production company
Scenario: Mechanical engineering company from Wiesbaden, 120 employees, needs image film for trade fairs and recruiting.
Solution:
- 2:30 min. main movie
- 2 shooting days (production + administration)
- 10 employee interviews
- Drone shots of company premises
- Product macro shots
- 3D animation of a machine (15 sec.)
- 5 social media versions (30 seconds each)
Costs: 9.800€
ROI: New orders through trade fair presence: +8 qualified leads = 3 deals = €280,000 turnover. Recruiting: -30% time-to-hire, 12 new applications.
Example 3: International premium brand
Scenario: Luxury hotel chain wants cinematic image film for international campaign.
Solution:
- 3:30 min. main movie + 8 short versions
- 4 shooting days, 3 locations
- High-end camera (ARRI)
- 4 professional actors
- Extensive drone footage
- Composed original music
- 3-language versions (DE/EN/FR)
- Cinematic Color Grading
Costs: 28.500€
ROI: Increase in bookings +15% = €1.2 million additional revenue in the first year. Brand awareness +40% according to market research.
The return on investment: is an image film worthwhile?
The most important question: Does the investment pay off?
Short answer: Yes, if you do it right!
Measurable success of a good image film:
Website:
- +80% longer dwell time
- +40% lower bounce rate
- +50% more conversions for making contact
Social media:
- Videos are shared 12x more often than text+image
- +1200% more commitment
- Organic reach 135% higher
Recruiting:
- +300% more applications
- -40% time-to-hire
- Better cultural fit (less fluctuation)
Sales:
- 64% of customers are more likely to buy after watching a video
- B2B sales cycle -9% shorter
- Presentations with video: +41% completion rate
SEO:
- Websites with video are 53x more likely to rank on page 1
- Video embedding increases dwell time = better ranking
ROI calculation example:
Investment: 8,000€ Image film production
Results (year 1):
- 15 additional B2B leads via website
- Conversion rate 20% = 3 new customers
- Average order value: €15,000
- Turnover: 45.000€
ROI: 563% (!)
In addition: Recruiting successes, brand awareness, reusable content over 3-5 years.
Bottom line: A professional image film pays for itself within 6-12 months for most companies.
Image film costs: The checklist for your offer
When comparing offers from film productions, pay attention to these points:
✅ The offer should include:
- Number of shooting days clearly defined
- Number of correction loops
- Video length (minutes:seconds)
- Delivery formats (16:9, 9:16, 1:1, etc.)
- Rights of use (unlimited online?)
- Music licensing
- Travel costs (or “no additional costs”)
- Concept development included?
- Timeline (weeks until completion)
- Contact person during production
❌ Warning signals for offers:
- Extremely low prices under €2,000 (mostly hobby filmmakers)
- No clear service description
- “At cost” without fixed price option
- No sample work/portfolio
- Rights of use unclear
- No written agreement
- Hidden costs not communicated
💡 Good signs:
- Transparent price breakdown
- Fixed price guarantee
- Portfolio with similar projects
- Personal consultation
- Clear production process
- References available
- Free initial consultation
Conclusion: What does a good image film really cost?
A professional image film will realistically cost between €4,000 and €15,000 for most medium-sized companies in 2025.
The most important findings:
- Length is not decisive – complexity and shooting days count more
- Authenticity beats gloss – real employees often work better
- Local production saves money – no travel costs, better communication
- Good planning reduces costs – Efficient shooting saves thousands of euros
- The ROI is measurable – image films usually pay for themselves in 6-12 months
- Quality has its price – but it doesn’t have to be overpriced
Our tip:
Invest in a solid standard package (€6,000 – €10,000) with professional implementation rather than either saving money and getting a mediocre result, or spending money unnecessarily on features you don’t need.
The golden rule: An image film should not break your budget, but should be of such high quality that you can proudly show it for the next 3-5 years.
Ready for your image film? Start now!
You now have all the information you need to make an informed decision. The next step:
Arrange a free initial consultation
In a 30-minute meeting (on site in Wiesbaden or via video call):
- Let’s get to know your company
- Let’s define your goals
- Let’s develop initial ideas
- We create a transparent offer for you
No hidden costs. No obligations. Only honest advice.
📞 Call now: 0611 900 67 225
✉️ Email: info@eigenart-filmproduktion.de
🌐 More info: www.eigenart-filmproduktion.de
About Eigenart Filmproduktion: We have been producing authentic image films for companies in Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Mainz and the entire Rhine-Main region for over 15 years. From conception to shooting to post-production – everything from a single source.
Other locations: Berlin | Dortmund/Unna
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How long does it take to produce an image film? Please allow 6-8 weeks from conception to final delivery. Express productions are possible in 3-4 weeks by arrangement.
Can I have the image film updated at a later date? Yes! We archive all project files for 2 years. Updates such as new texts, figures or additional scenes are possible from 300€.
Which formats will I receive? Standard: 16:9 for website/YouTube. Optional: 9:16 (Instagram Stories), 1:1 (Instagram Feed), various lengths (teaser, main film, long version).
Do I need a ready-made concept? No! Most of our customers come without a concept. We work with you to develop the perfect story for your company.
What if I am not satisfied with the result? We offer 2-3 correction loops (depending on the package) and work closely with you. In 15 years we have never had a dissatisfied customer on delivery!
Article updated: October 2025 | Next update: January 2026