Not-for-profit

Sample Not-for-profit: Boys and Girls Club of Canada Parenting Program

Tips for keeping costs down

• Keep it simple. There are many ways to effectively deliver your message and get your point across. Keeping your vision simple and focused can help reduce costs by saving time, locations, props and other elements that can add up fast. If you don’t have Spielberg’s budget, don’t plan on filming ET.
• Use your own people, locations. One way that many organizations keep budgets down is by using their own people, locations, props, etc. Even the most mundane location can be dressed inexpensively and avoiding talent fees and rental costs, especially in major centres where film companies tend to pay big bucks, allows you to use your limited budget dollars towards filming and editing instead.
• Be prepared. Depending on the production, size of crew, equipment used and so on, filming costs can be pretty significant. Being well prepared to start quickly once your video crew has arrived and to not have delays during the filming translates to cost savings and/or added value. Ensure that you’ve prepped your location and anyone involved. Clean up and prep the area for filming ahead of time. Turn off phones, buzzers and anything else that might make sound or disrupt a take.
• Leverage the production. Keeping costs down is important but another way to add more bang for your buck is to find ways to leverage the production. Capturing a few extra soundbites or quotes during an interview for example, that could then be used in a future video or as mini-vignette video on social media.