Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often. Can't find yours? Just ask us.
What does a video production or corporate film cost?
Our video productions start at €2,500 and go up to well over €20,000. What a film or series ends up costing depends on the scope: one film or a series, one shoot day or several, with or without motion graphics, and how many rounds of revisions. We only draw up a quote once we understand what the project asks of us, so you get a realistic figure with no surprises.
How much does a video cost for a freelancer or small business?
Our films start at €2,500. For freelancers, sole traders and small businesses, that often means a short explainer video, product video or company portrait of 1 to 3 minutes. Together we look for an approach that fits your budget without compromising on quality. For smaller clients, we focus on getting you as much value for money as possible: we try to get several deliverables out of a single shoot day, for example a main film plus separate clips and social media versions. That way, one production gives you several months' worth of content.
How long does a video production take?
A video production can be ready in as little as 2 to 4 weeks, counting from the shoot. The average turnaround from the first conversation is often 1 to 3 months, depending on the number of shoot days and the complexity of the edit.
How many rounds of revisions are included?
Two rounds of revisions are included in our price as standard: one round shortly after the first cut for the overall direction, and one round for fine-tuning. If you need more rounds, that is possible at an additional cost.
What happens in a first introductory call?
It is without obligation, by phone or video call, and takes about 30 minutes. We want to understand your goal, who the viewer is, and what feeling or effect the video should have. Afterwards we usually have a fairly clear picture of the scope. If it feels right on both sides, we send you a quote within a few days, setting out our approach, schedule and costs.
How big is your team?
Mill & Mist Films is a small studio (Studio Maki & Filles VOF). For each project I put together a team from a regular network of professionals I have worked with for years: Jelle Klokman as second camera operator, Giorgio de Bruijn and Jochem de Vet as editors, Marieke Verboord for photography, Sim Kaart for graphic design. Which specialists come on board depends on what the project needs. The advantage: no agency overhead in your quote, but all the specialist skills you would normally find within an agency.
Do you also write the script, or do I need to do that myself?
Either works. Some clients supply a finished script; others only have an idea and want us to write the script or help shape the structure. With educational series, the client often supplies the content and the script, and our role is mainly to guide them from a filmmaking point of view: how the images tell the story, how to keep an explanation short, what works on camera. With corporate films and promos, it is often the other way round and we write the script and do the storyboarding. For documentaries we sketch out the broad lines in advance, but a lot is discovered during the shoot itself.
Do you also create motion graphics and animation?
Yes, motion graphics are a standard part of our services. We use them wherever they help the explanation: titles, lower thirds, infographics, diagrams, or animated illustrations that support a talking head. In educational videos, good motion graphics are often the difference between footage that comes across as a 'filmed interview' and an episode that genuinely explains something. Where needed, we do this together with graphic designers from our network.
We do not make pure animation videos (fully 2D or 3D) ourselves, but we can refer you to someone or guide the process. On projects like that, we like to work with Jochem de Vet or Erik Post.
What is the difference between a corporate film and a short documentary?
A corporate film is usually brief-driven: the company sets the message and the tone, and the film communicates that to customers or employees. A short documentary is narrative: we follow people, places or a process and let the story emerge on its own, even if it turns out differently than expected. At Mill& Mist Films we make both, and in practice the line between them is often blurred. A portrait of an artist for the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds is a documentary approach for a client; a corporate film for a craft business can include documentary elements.
Which video formats do you deliver?
We deliver in every format your platform requires: 16:9 for websites and YouTube, 9:16 for Instagram Reels, TikTok videos and LinkedIn. 4K is standard for 16:9, HD is standard for 9:16. Codecs on request (H.264, ProRes, etc.). Subtitles are available in any language you need.
Important: if you want several orientations of the same scene (for example 16:9 and 9:16), please agree this with us in advance. It affects the way we frame and shoot.
Do you also make short videos for social media?
Yes. Many of our clients want a long film and a number of shorter social versions at the same time. We recut existing footage to 9:16 for Instagram Reels, TikTok and LinkedIn, or we shoot with multiple orientations in mind from the start. Sometimes we also do vertical-only productions purely for social media, such as recruitment campaigns. Important: agree on this beforehand, not afterwards. It affects how we frame the scene and how we choose our camera positions.
Do I get the source files or raw footage?
As standard, you receive the finished films in all the formats you need. If you would also like the raw footage or the editing project files, that can be arranged by agreement, usually at an additional cost for archiving and reuse.
What if I don't know exactly what type of video I need yet?
That is the case with most of our projects, and we are happy to help you find the right format. The services page sets out our three main categories (education, culture, corporate), but many projects are a mix of these. A short introductory call (phone or video call, without obligation) is usually enough to work out together what you really need and what will work best.
Do you also work for freelancers and small organisations?
Yes. We are just as happy to work for independent course creators, freelancers and small foundations as for universities and cultural funds. What counts is the content, not the size of the organisation. The minimum budget is around €2,500 for a complete production.
Do you also work outside Eindhoven?
Our studio is in Eindhoven, but we work throughout the Netherlands. Most of our work is in Brabant and the Randstad (the western conurbation around Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht). For one series, we once travelled the length of the country for interviews, from Friesland to the Randstad. Travel costs are shown transparently in the quote.
Do you also work abroad?
Yes, international projects are possible. For example, we filmed a video in Zürich for an exhibition at the Noord Brabants Museum. For projects outside the Netherlands, travel and accommodation are charged separately.
How long do you keep project files?
We usually keep projects in full for one year, including the raw footage and the editing project files. After that, the source files are deleted, unless we agree on longer-term archiving in advance.