Social media video production in NYC costs $400–$900 per finished short video on a package, $1,500–$3,500 for a half-day shoot with 3–5 finished clips, or $2,500–$6,000 per month on a retainer with a dedicated shoot day and weekly deliveries. Price is driven by crew size, locations and edit volume, not the camera.
New York has more social video options than any other US market — and a wider price spread. This guide gives you the actual 2026 numbers for short-form video production in NYC, what each package includes, and how to tell a fair quote from a padded one.
- Per video on a package: $400–$900. Half day + 3–5 clips: $1,500–$3,500.
- Monthly retainer with shoot day and weekly drops: $2,500–$6,000.
- Vertical 9:16 masters with 4:5 crops are the default deliverable in 2026.
- Crew size, number of locations and edit volume set the price — not gear.
- Retainers beat one-off shoots on per-video cost by 30–50%.
NYC social video pricing in 2026
| Package | Typical range (USD) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Per finished video (package of 5+) | $400 – $900 each | 15–60 sec vertical clip, captions, one revision |
| Half-day shoot package | $1,500 – $3,500 | 4 hours on site, 3–5 finished clips, stills |
| Full-day shoot package | $2,500 – $5,000 | 8 hours, 6–10 clips, stills, B-roll library |
| Monthly retainer | $2,500 – $6,000 / mo | Shoot day(s), weekly deliveries, strategy check-ins |
What pushes the price up
- Multiple locations in one day — every move costs 60–90 minutes of shoot time.
- Talent: hired creators or actors add $300–$1,500 per person per day.
- Rush turnaround — next-day edits carry a 25–50% premium.
- Motion graphics, 3D or complex captions beyond clean burned-in text.
- Permitted locations: shooting on NYC streets with stands may need a permit and insurance certificate.
What brings it down
- One location with 3–5 setups instead of a location tour.
- A written shot list — the single biggest cost saver we see.
- Retainer commitment: per-video cost drops 30–50% against one-off bookings.
- Your team on camera instead of hired talent.
One-off shoot or monthly retainer?
If you post fewer than four times a month or need content for a single campaign, a one-off package is right. If you post weekly or more, a retainer wins on price and on consistency — the same crew learns your brand, and the per-video cost drops by a third or more. Most of our NYC clients start with one shoot day and move to a retainer within two months.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 30-second promo video cost in NYC?
As part of a package, $400–$900 finished. As a standalone one-off with its own shoot, $1,500–$3,500 once crew time and the edit are counted.
Do you shoot vertical video in both NYC and NJ?
Yes. We are based in Jersey City and shoot across Manhattan, Brooklyn and all of North Jersey with no travel fee.
Are captions included?
Burned-in captions and platform-correct sizing are standard on every social clip we deliver.
How fast do we get the edits?
First cut within 3–5 business days of the shoot; retainer clients get weekly batches. Same-day is possible on event-style shoots at a premium.
Book a call or get a quote — send your channels, posting cadence and where you are in NY or NJ and we reply with an exact retainer, not a range.
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