What a Good Video Production Quote Should Include

Two quotes for the same film can look completely different. One runs to three pages and lists every filming day, every deliverable and every assumption. The other is a single line with a total at the bottom. The totals are rarely measuring the same thing. The detail in a quote tells you what you are actually buying, what happens when plans change, and who is responsible when something goes wrong.

This checklist sets out what a professional video production quote should spell out, so that communications and programme teams can read one with confidence, compare several fairly and avoid surprises halfway through a project. It says nothing about what things should cost: budgets vary with scope and ambition, but clarity should not.

Start with a quote that answers your brief

A quote can only be as precise as the request behind it. A vague brief leaves every studio to fill the gaps with its own assumptions. A clear brief, with purpose, audience, length, locations, languages and deadlines, gives everyone the same starting point. Our video production brief template covers the essentials.

The first thing to check in any quote, then, is whether it reflects your brief or a generic package. A good quote restates the key parameters in its own words: the number and length of films, where filming will happen, how many days are planned and when you need the final files.

The line items a professional quote should show

You do not need to see every battery and memory card, but the quote should break the work into its main stages so that you can see where the effort goes and what changes if you change the scope.

• Pre-production. Research, scripting or treatment, location scouting, contributor identification, scheduling and any recce visits.
• Production. The number of filming days, the crew roles on each day (director, camera, sound and so on) and the main equipment, including any aerial filming.
• Travel and logistics. Transport, accommodation and meals for the crew, and whether time spent travelling to field sites is counted as working days.
• Post-production. Editing, colour grading, sound mixing, graphics, music, subtitling and translation.
• Delivery. The final formats, versions and how files will be handed over.

Where a quote bundles everything into one figure, ask for the breakdown.

Deliverables, described precisely

“One video” is not a deliverable. A strong quote lists each output with its length, aspect ratio and purpose: for example, a main film for a donor event, a cut-down for social media in a vertical format and a version with subtitles in a second language. It should also say whether you will receive still photographs, a selection of raw footage, transcripts or project files, and in what format. If the raw rushes are not included, better to learn that now.

Assumptions, inclusions and exclusions

Every quote rests on assumptions. The useful ones say so out loud. Look for statements such as how many locations are planned per day, whether contributors will be arranged by your team or by the studio, whether interviews will be conducted in English or need interpretation, and whether the schedule depends on particular weather or seasons.

Just as important is a clear list of exclusions. Common ones include translation into additional languages, licensed archive footage, extra filming days, venue hire and courier costs.

Revisions and approvals

Revision rounds are where many projects drift. A good quote states how many rounds of changes are included at each stage, typically on the rough cut and the fine cut, and what counts as a revision as opposed to a new request. It should explain how feedback is to be given (ideally consolidated from one person, with timecodes) and what happens if approvals arrive late. If sign-off involves a country office, a regional team and a donor, say so up front.

Rights, ownership and licensing

This is the section most often left vague, and the one that matters most a year later. The quote, or the contract it refers to, should state who owns the finished films and the raw footage, and how each may be used: on which platforms, in which territories and for how long.

The default position under Kenyan law is worth knowing. Section 31 of the Copyright Act provides that copyright in a work commissioned by someone who is not the author’s employer passes to the person who commissioned it, but that is subject to any agreement between the parties that excludes or limits the transfer. In practice, that means the written terms decide, so make sure they reflect what you need. If filming takes place elsewhere in the region, other countries’ laws may apply, which is another reason to put ownership in writing rather than rely on defaults.

Music, stock footage and fonts are usually licensed rather than owned, and those licences can carry their own limits. A good quote names the licence type for any music and says whether it covers the uses you have in mind, such as paid social advertising or broadcast.

Consent, safeguarding and ethics

For NGOs and conservation groups, how people are filmed matters as much as how the film looks. A professional quote should show that time and resources have been set aside for informed consent, interpretation during consent conversations, and the handling of interviews with children or other vulnerable contributors.

Kenya’s Data Protection Act places the burden of proving consent on the organisation processing personal data and gives individuals the right to withdraw consent at any time. Ask how signed releases will be collected, stored and shared with you, and what would happen if a contributor later asked to be removed from a film. Our ethical storytelling policy sets out the kind of commitments we think every client should expect.

Permits, licences and insurance

The Films and Stage Plays Act requires a filming licence for any film made in Kenya for public exhibition or sale. Filming in national parks, conservancies, airports or government facilities can need further permissions, and aerial filming has its own regulatory requirements. A quote should say which permits are needed, who will apply for them, how long they are likely to take and whether their cost is included. We keep an up-to-date guide to filming permits in Kenya.

If the film involves drones, ask whether the operator holds the relevant Kenya Civil Aviation Authority approvals. Afrovo holds a KCAA RPAS Operator Certificate and works with licensed drone pilots, and we would encourage any client to ask for this evidence from whoever they hire. Ask about insurance too: equipment, public liability and crew cover for remote field work.

Payment terms, cancellation and VAT

The quote should state how payment is staged, for example a deposit on confirmation, a further instalment after filming and the balance on delivery, together with invoicing details and the period within which invoices should be settled. It should also state how long the quote remains valid, since travel and equipment availability change.

Cancellation and postponement terms deserve a careful read. What happens if your event moves, a contributor withdraws or heavy rain closes a road to a field site? A fair quote separates postponement from cancellation and explains what is payable in each case.

Finally, check how VAT is shown. The Kenya Revenue Authority sets the general VAT rate at 16 per cent, and suppliers must register once their taxable supplies reach the annual threshold KRA publishes. A quote should make clear whether figures are inclusive or exclusive of VAT and show the supplier’s KRA PIN on the eventual invoice. If your organisation has a VAT exemption or a donor-specific arrangement, raise it before the quote is finalised, not after the invoice arrives.

Red flags in a vague quote

• A single total with no breakdown, or a breakdown that does not match the filming days your brief requires.
• No mention of revisions, or “unlimited revisions”, which usually means nobody has thought about the process.
• Silence on who owns the footage and the finished films.
• No time or budget for consent, interpretation or safeguarding.
• Permits described as “the client’s responsibility” without any guidance on which ones are needed.
• No statement on VAT, validity or cancellation.
• Deliverables described only as “a video” or “content”.

Each is a question worth asking before you sign. If you are comparing several bids, our guide to evaluating video production proposals shows how to score them fairly once the quotes are comparable. And if you would like to see how we approach this kind of work, our NGO video production page explains how we work with communications and programme teams.

Frequently asked questions

What should a video production quote include?

At minimum: a breakdown by stage (pre-production, filming, travel, post-production and delivery), a precise list of deliverables, the assumptions and exclusions behind the figures, the number of revision rounds, rights and licensing terms, permits and insurance, payment and cancellation terms, and whether VAT is included.

Who owns the footage from a commissioned video in Kenya?

Under section 31 of Kenya’s Copyright Act, copyright in a commissioned work passes to the person who commissioned it, unless the parties agree otherwise. Because the written agreement can change that position, ownership of both the finished films and the raw footage should be stated clearly in the quote or contract.

Should a video production quote include VAT?

It should state clearly whether VAT is included or excluded. In Kenya the general VAT rate is 16 per cent, and suppliers must register with KRA once their taxable supplies reach the annual threshold. Organisations with exemptions should raise them before the quote is finalised.

Do I need a filming licence to make a video in Kenya?

Yes, in most cases. The Films and Stage Plays Act requires a filming licence for films made in Kenya for public exhibition or sale, and some locations need further permissions. A good quote says which permits apply and who will obtain them.

Afrovo Studios is a Nairobi-based video production company working across East Africa, making documentaries, campaign films and corporate video for NGOs, conservation organisations and brands. Get in touch to talk about your next project.