How long does it take to make a promo video?
From first enquiry to finished video, expect roughly two to four weeks for a straightforward promo film once filming is booked in, longer if diaries are busy. The stages are quote, planning, filming, editing and changes, and editing usually takes the longest, often as long as the filming itself. If you're working to a launch date, start the process a month before you need the video, more for anything complex.
The stages, in order
A typical promo project moves through these steps:
- Quote: a day or two once you've shared a brief; I aim for within 24 hours
- Planning: agreeing the shot list, locations and who's involved, from a quick call to a week of back and forth for a bigger project
- Booking: paying a deposit to secure the filming date
- Filming: usually one day for a promo film, sometimes split across two if locations are far apart
- Editing: the longest stage, often a week or two for the first cut
- Changes: one or two rounds, each adding a few days
- Delivery: final files in the formats you agreed, usually shared through a download link rather than email
Why editing takes longer than filming
A few hours of filming can produce many times that in raw footage once you count multiple takes and angles. Editing means watching all of it, picking the best moments, cutting them into a story, colour grading, adding music and sound, then exporting in every format you need. For a 60 to 90 second promo film, a careful first edit commonly takes several working days, not because the software is slow but because good editing is a lot of small decisions, made one at a time.
What causes delays
The stages above go smoothly when everyone responds quickly. The most common causes of delay aren't filming problems, they're waiting:
- Slow feedback on the quote or brief before booking
- Rescheduled filming dates because of weather, illness or a change of plan
- Changes requested late, or several rounds beyond what was agreed
- Waiting on assets from you: a logo file, a testimonial, approval from someone else in the business
- Busy seasons: many videographers, myself included, get booked further ahead around autumn and the run-up to Christmas
A worked example
Say you need a promo film ready for a launch six weeks away. Week one: send a brief, get a fixed quote back within a day or two, agree the plan and pay a deposit to book a date in week two or three. Filming takes a day. Editing then runs through weeks three and four, with a first cut usually ready inside a week or two of filming. Week five covers one or two rounds of changes, each taking a few days to turn around. That leaves week six as a buffer before the finished video needs to go live, which is exactly what a buffer is for, since something in the chain usually slips a little.
Rush jobs: what's realistic
A faster turnaround is often possible, but it usually means fewer rounds of changes and a simpler edit rather than magic. If you need something for a launch in a week, say so at the enquiry stage rather than after booking, it changes how the shoot and edit get planned from the start. Same-day or next-day turnarounds exist for events and social clips, but a considered promo film with grading and sound design needs proper editing time to look right.
Planning backwards from your launch date
Work back from the date you actually need the finished video, not the date you'd like filming to happen. Add a week for changes, a week or two for editing, and time to book filming that suits both diaries. For a launch in six weeks, that usually means getting a brief and quote sorted in the first week. My own process, a fixed quote within 24 hours, a 50% deposit to book, and two rounds of changes included, is designed to keep that timeline predictable rather than open-ended. If you're not sure what to put in the brief yet, how to brief a videographer covers it.
What you can do to keep things on schedule
The fastest way to keep a promo project moving is to reply quickly at each stage: confirming the quote, sending anything requested before filming, and returning feedback on the first cut within a few days rather than a few weeks. None of that costs anything, and it's usually what separates a video delivered on time from one that drifts.
Getting a realistic date
The only way to get an accurate timeline is to ask, since it depends on the season and what's already booked. Send your launch date with your enquiry on the promo videos page and you'll get a realistic plan back, not just a quote.
Questions people also ask
Can I get a promo video made in one week?
Sometimes, depending on availability and how simple the brief is. It usually means one round of changes instead of two and a tighter edit, so flag the deadline as early as possible.
Why does editing take longer than the filming day?
A day of filming produces far more footage than ends up in the final cut. Reviewing it, choosing the best takes, cutting the story, grading and mixing sound takes real time, usually more than the filming itself.
What's the busiest time of year for booking a videographer?
Autumn and the weeks before Christmas tend to be busy, as do spring and summer for weddings and events. Booking four to six weeks ahead gives you more choice of date.
Does adding more rounds of changes slow things down a lot?
Each round typically adds a few days, sometimes longer if the changes are substantial. Two rounds is usually enough if the brief was clear from the start.
Need a promo film?
I plan, film and edit promo films for businesses myself, from €790, with a fixed quote within 24 hours.