What is a fair DVD price?

[paulpost]

Hi, from what I've seen in Cozumel if the videographer has to pay for his dive is around $150 for master copy and $10 to $ 15 for each additional if a group of divers will hire you, but in my opinion all depends of the quality that you can offer in a short period of time.
On top of the video-cam and housing you'll have to add the money for a new computer and the software that you'll need to create the DVDs, if you do not have them yet.
If you have no experience in editing and filming U/W my suggestion is to start practicing first, have a few samples to show to the potential customers.
I hope my suggestions will help you,
Good luck.

 

[mike_s]

Here's a few that I've seen from diver operators.

The DVD at Disney Epcot Dive is I think $35 bucks and it was a joke. a pure waste of money. It seems that about half the footage is "stock" and not of the current people diving and that they only "edited in" a certain part of the regular divers in the center section. I was not impressed by it.


Stuart Coves I think charged $85/video DVD. While the video was good, it was a little excessive on the cost. I don't think most people will pay that for it.
I have no clue why they charge this much.

I think you'll sell a lot more videos at $25-$35 than you will at $85.

 

[Darnold9999]

On the Cod Hole dive with Mike Ball - the 35 min video was $80 AUS (as I recall). It had shots of all the divers on the trip on it both on the surface and in the water, with their name and nationality, was probably a composite of some shots from previous dives and for sure some shots of the actual dives, was very well put together and I think most people on the boat bought a copy or at least each couple or group bought a copy. This is a four night trip with roughtly 20 people on board. Probably sold 8 maybe 10 copies, not a great living for four days work. (Considering expenses)

I am very glad I spent the $ don't regret it, don't think I got ripped off etc. Quality is important, and must at least represent what the divers saw if not actually be what the divers saw.

Was on another boat and the price was $40 AUS for three nicely mounted images of you on your day trip. Did not buy, thought that WAS a rip off.

 

[domino22]

I have paid from $40 for a single shark dive to $60 for a week long liveaboard. I am ok with a little stock footage of the boat and crew, but after that not really. This is a good way to make some $$ if you are a low paid DM on a dive boat,but you have to produce something good between 12 to 15 min max and ask a FAIR price for your work.

 

[Steve Egner]

The night before my last Oahu boat dive, the divemaster told me that a professional videographer would be on board to film our dives. It was a soft sell... no pressure, no obligation.

The film guy was cool and professional. When the dives were finished, I had to decide if I wanted the video for $75, or two more boat dives. I really wanted some more bottom time, but I also wanted to share the experience with my family in some way.
I chose the DVD, and I don't regret it. I still managed 10 dives on the trip...

Drew (film guy) took the material home, where his wife edits and composes the final product. He delivered it to our North Shore vacation rental in person, a couple of days after the dive, so my entire family and I were able to view an amazing 25 minute show before we left the island.

I think $75 for what Drew provided was quite fair. I'm now using the DVD as a scuba recruiting tool. Two of my friends are lining up classes now as a result.

You can find Scuba Drew here: http://www.scubadrewvideo.com/

Steve

 

[Scubasteve1950]

I too was glad I spent the $.. I don't regret spending the money on a video.. You spent thousands of dollars on a trip and would
like to have some memories of the trip.. for only 50 dollars or so you will have something you can look at for years... If nothing
else than to complain about the video as you remember everything you seen on the dive..

I am doing my own videos now and with the cost of camera, housing, software, PC upgrades it really would be hard to
justify the costs ..... But I like capturing the memories.... Allows me to share them with my grandkids.. I always attempt to
get pictures and address's of everyone on the boat and sent them a copy(Free).. So I say buy the videos if
someone if filming...

 

[Mo2vation]

Actually, Ken, that price is not beyond what is often considered standard given the custom work that must be done on each trip. As I said, I paid $40-50 each for videos of the Coral Sea, GBR, and Tahiti that were on VHS (poorer quality) and not custom. If as cheap SOB (Scientist on Board) without an income will pay that, why wouldn't someone earning the big bucks?

I'm trying to remember what we charged on Lindblad for our trip DVD's. They were about 30 min in length as I remember and produced custom for each trip, with relatively little stock footage used. I think they were in the $35-50 range.

I can check with dive buddy #1 (Andrea) who has worked in several locations on the Aggressor and Peter hughes fleets to see what her experience has been.

I honestly don't belive that $50 for a custom DVD is crazy money.

It simply wasn't worth the money. The value wasn't there, and they blew it by offering a full screening.

The price was bumped so the boat could get a cut. She doesn't usually sell her stuff for that much, but we all learned the price was more because the boat wanted some $$ as well for each sale.

Which was none.

Go figger....

---
Ken