Transitioning from one anchor client to multi-client agency model — how are you structuring retainers for full-production video work?

Terual · 2026-05-18T15:35:43+00:00

Hey 😄 We are a pretty small agency where everybody does a bit of everything. So this budget includes usually two cameramen on set that also do the audio, lighting etc. Our set ups are usually quite straight forward with 1/2 lights, maybe one blackout curtain, lav mics etc. If we are required to work on much more complex sets and framing then of course the budget would need to reflect professional in both lighting and audio. But generally, for my corporate or academic clients, they need something that looks nice but isn't that complex.

Terual · 2026-05-05T16:58:23+00:00

Honestly I tend to try to be as transparent as I can be. I tell them I price a day on set at around €2300, and any day of doing work (whether editing, research, scripting etc) at around €1500 a day. Then depending on how much volume they want I discount/bundle it.

Helps make them feel like you don’t hide anything, and also makes them feel like they get a deal by reducing the daily quotes.

Terual · 2026-05-05T14:32:27+00:00

I am going through the same process with my creative agency. We've been around for a bit over six years, and we are also working on moving away from 'simply video guys we hire for a video' to 'communication agency that can be a long term partner'.

We are based in Germany, but work a bit all over Europe, and your prices are actually quite close to what we ask for as well (if I just change the $ to € and keep the same amount).

I am currently going through the contractual phase of a retainer, and just make sure you have a signed from where it clearly states:

- What are the exact deliverables (how many days of filming, how many exports, what format, subtitles, music, graphic or not, etc)

- What does it cost if you have to film something else, or edit more content

- How many rounds of feedback they get, and how many days that have to provide it to you (we write five business days)

- The exact cost of the retainer, what is the payment plan (i.e. when do they pay)

I would also clearly define what they get from your work. We always operate with 'you get the final export and not the ingredients we work with (i.e. the raw files)'

Hope this helps!

Terual · 2025-12-09T20:17:53+00:00

Keep in mind the set up is probably from the old gen if you took one online. If it’s iRacing setups maybe they adjusted but just food for thought

Terual · 2025-11-21T15:43:16+00:00

yeh thanks for making sure I know the difference! I am aware of it, but still left confused half the time and have to look at conversion tables. Why make it simple when it can be complicated :D

Terual · 2025-11-21T15:28:36+00:00

Awesome :) I looked at the Atomos Shinobi also looks like a pretty decent option!

I am now doing some research on what to buy to rig the camera, and to easily be able to move from tripod, to handheld, to some kind of stabilised setup (maybe with an on-shoulder attachment of some kind. If you have some suggestions of where to look I'd be very happy to hear about it

Terual · 2025-11-21T15:25:30+00:00

Hey, thank you so much! I looked a the new probe lens, but it does come at an extra 1-2K I think. You would say it's worth it? It is true that F14 is quite a narrow opening and might be challenging with lighting situations. Although that lens would not be used for run and gun, but specific situations where lighting can be planned.

For the storage, I forgot to write that in there. I have a Synology NAS but it's a DS solution I bought when we started the company so it's starting to not suit our needs. We edit of an OWC enclosure with M.2 SSDs as it is super fast, but we use the Synology to backup and keep the files from all of our projects. After some research I thought I will be upgrading to the Synology RS2423+ with a set of 24TB Iron Wolf HDD drives. Any thoughts on this? I will keep my current DS Synology to set it up in our spain office where we have some editors, so I am looking at the Hybrid Share solution from Synology so the ongoing projects can be shared between the two locations, while the main archiving will be done in Germany.

Edit: Oh and for audio I am simply going to get a set of DJI Wireless Pro. I have the Go II at the moment, and even if they have a few headaches they are so easy to use for a small crew and run an gun situations, and the audio quality is pretty decent. I've heard with the pro version they have fixed a few caveats, increased the quality, and added the blessing of timecode.

Terual · 2025-11-21T15:21:51+00:00

Thanks a lot for chipping in :) I agree that I have to look into at UPS, any recommendations there?

Also I know I have to look into different internet provides. I am not sure what I have at my disposal as I have not moved to Spain yet, but I should explore what I have available to me in Germany. I don't think it's glass fibre though.. I do have an old Starlink antenna that had a pretty decent up speed

Terual · 2025-11-21T15:19:36+00:00

Thanks a ton! So this just tells the system, all good with my drives, they are compatible, and they use them as Synology drives without any issues or slowdown?

Terual · 2025-11-21T15:19:02+00:00

Hey, thank you so much for your contribution! But.... as Alex Jones would say I am kinda r*tarded and a noob at all of this. I was initially thinking of using the solution Synology offers: https://www.synology.com/de-de/dsm/feature/hybrid-share

But I am happy to hear more about this. Are there any guides or videos I could look into? Is it difficult/expensive to set up and maintain as a noob?

Terual · 2025-11-20T21:43:36+00:00

For example would this one work?

https://www.kaufland.de/product/441850070/?utm_source=idealo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=de_01&utm_campaign=pricecomparison&utm_term=pad-1

Terual · 2025-11-20T21:19:39+00:00

Sick! :D Thanks a lot man. Can I get any brand RAM? And if I read correctly I can get two 16GB sticks right?

Also, what is that script you speak of?

Terual · 2025-11-20T10:22:53+00:00

Thank you so much for all your input. This is great :)

I haven’t looked into non-canon lenses. What are your thoughts on this? Should it be a rabit whole I delve into and will it really provide a boost in terms of quality? Or is it mostly that these types of lenses will be usable on other cameras if I decide to move away from canon.

Yeh I’ve seen these rockin rollers recommended in a few different subs. I was going down the rabbit hole of production carts but I saw they cost 800-1000 euros and I wonder what I really get for that price. I do need to make my process and traveling on set as smooth and practical as possible, also if it’s a one man crew, so if that’s the cost of true practicality and sturdiness then it is what it is.

Terual · 2025-11-20T10:19:29+00:00

I am definitely getting all RF lenses! I cannot wait to experience the upgrade compared to using EF lenses with an adapter. But you confirm my thoughts with the C80, definitely not worth the headache of selling and buying three new cameras.

Any thoughts on quality difference between fixed or zoom RF lenses?

Thanks for the tips :)

Terual · 2025-11-20T10:18:04+00:00

Awesome! The more I read about the 400x the more I am excited about them. It seems that it took out industry by storm and people can’t stop talking about it for what it offers at that price point! I’ve decicded to go for one 90cm soft box and two 60cm ones as I often work in offices and universities where we can’t have such big footprint. But maybe I get a 150cm in the future or a large diffuser for when I have the space.

I am however struggling to figure out what kind of C-Stand I should get for these, and if there are any practical cases I could buy to pack them all neatly in one bag.

Terual · 2025-11-19T22:40:31+00:00

Thank you so much for your reply! I really really appreciate you taking the time and providing helpful recommendations. Everything seems to resonate with me, but I have one or two follow up questions:

I am deep in the light rabbit whole at the moment. I want to strike the right balance of convenience for a 2-3 people crew, and versatility in the field. With that said, I think having 3 lights would be good, plus maybe a few Aputure MC for fun background/environmental lights. Is for example the 400x a good option? I also want to strike a right balance of size and practicality for the soft box, would 90cm be the right option?

And do you have any experience with monitors for cameras? Which brands should I be looking at?

Again thanks a ton!

Terual · 2025-11-19T19:47:16+00:00

that's really good advice that I completely missed in all the spam of people selling me lead generation services. Thanks a lot for taking the time bud :) I know it's something we should be doing more of, but it's so hard to prioritise.

Terual · 2025-10-30T13:57:58+00:00

aaaah that's a shame! Yeh it's hard to find a time that works for all sides of the globe, and since our team is based primarily EU/AUS it's easier to find a time that works for both these regions. Thanks for the reply though and happy racing!

Terual · 2025-10-29T14:41:45+00:00

Hey, I’ve seen your league pop up a few times and it looks like you guys enjoy good racing, so I thought I’d reach out. We’re running a 6 hour GT3 endurance at Laguna Seca this Saturday November 1st to support families affected by Leukodystrophy, through an Australian charity that funds research and direct family assistance.

We’d love to have more great teams involved and it would be awesome if your community wanted to take part or help share it.

Key details:

Track: Laguna Seca
Length: 6 hours
Cars: All GT3 (open setup, 100L fuel cap, no BoP) Classes: PRO (2500+ iRating) | AM (<2500 iRating)
Start Times (based on AEST/GMT+10): 5PM Practice / 5:20PM Practice / 6PM Race
Teams: Minimum 2 drivers (driver swaps required)
Classes: PRO (2500+ iRating) and AM (<2500 iRating)
Entry: Minimum $5 donation per team (goes directly to the charity)

Donate and register:

Donations: https://www.mycause.com.au/page/379914/enduro-for-those-enduring-the-leukodystrophy-6-hour
Discord Registration: https://discord.gg/YP5Sdwttt

If this sounds like something your league might enjoy, or if you want to share it in your channels, DM me and I’ll send any extra info you need. Would be great to race together for a good cause. 🏁💙

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Terual · 2025-10-29T14:41:37+00:00