How Much Does an Event Videographer Cost in Dubai?

"How much is a videographer for an event?" is the first question most organisers ask, and the honest answer is that there is no single price. An event videographer can mean one person with a camera for two hours at a product launch, or a crew of five covering a three-day conference with interviews, a highlight film and clips for social media. Those are different jobs, and they are quoted differently.

This guide explains what the price is made of, what pushes it up or down, and what to send a production company so the quote you get back is accurate.

What you are paying for

An event video quote is usually built from the same blocks:

• Time on site. Half a day, a full day or several days. Setup, rehearsals and waiting between sessions count, because the crew is booked for those hours.
• Crew size. One videographer covers atmosphere and short interviews. Recording a keynote cleanly while showing the room needs a second camera. Parallel halls need parallel crews.
• Equipment. Cameras and lenses are standard; lighting for interviews, wireless audio and long lenses for big stages are added when the programme needs them.
• Editing. A highlight film, full-length recordings of talks and short vertical clips are three separate edits. Each one adds editing time.
• Speed. A film delivered a week later and a film shown on the screen before the event ends are very different amounts of work. See same-day edits.
• Extras. Event photography, subtitles, versions in English and Arabic, licensed music and motion graphics.

A useful quote lists these blocks separately, so you can see what each one costs and remove what you do not need.

What pushes the price up

• Late changes to the programme. A moved keynote or an added hall on the day often means extra hours or an extra camera.
• Many deliverables. Ten separate films cost more than one highlight film with a few cut-downs.
• Several things happening at once. Stage, exhibition area and VIP room at the same time need more than one videographer.
• Long days and night finishes. Overtime is normally charged after the agreed hours.
• Locations that need approvals. Filming in public places in Dubai needs a permit, which takes time to arrange. Read about filming permits in Dubai.
• Travel. Events in other emirates or elsewhere in the GCC add travel time and sometimes accommodation.

How to keep the cost sensible

You can lower the price without lowering the quality:

1. Decide the deliverables first. If you only need a highlight film and photos, say so. Recording every session "just in case" is the most common unnecessary cost. Our guide to planning event coverage starts with this step.
2. Share the run of show early. A crew that knows when the key moments happen needs fewer people and fewer hours.
3. Group the interviews. Four interviews in one hour in one corner cost far less than four interviews spread across the day.
4. Book photo and video together. One team that coordinates positions is usually more efficient than two suppliers. See photo and video at one event.
5. Ask for one film and cut-downs. Short clips made from the highlight edit cost less than clips edited from scratch.

Freelancer or production company?

A freelance videographer is often the right choice for a small event with one camera and a simple edit. A production company makes sense when you need several cameras, sound from the venue desk, an editor on site, photography or a backup plan if the programme changes on the day. We compare both options in freelancer vs production company.

How to compare quotes

Two quotes are only comparable if they describe the same job. Check that each one states:

• the hours on site and what happens after them;
• the number of videographers and cameras;
• the list of finished videos, with lengths and formats;
• how many rounds of changes are included;
• the delivery dates;
• whether photos, subtitles and music are included.

If one quote is much lower, it usually leaves out one of these lines. Our article on reading a video production quote goes through a quote line by line.

What to send to get an exact quote

A short message is enough:

• the date, start and end time;
• the venue and the city;
• the type of event and the number of guests;
• the programme, even a draft;
• what you want to receive and by when;
• a link to a video you like.

Questions organisers ask

Is there a standard day rate?

Most companies work with hourly or day rates for the crew and add editing separately. Ours start from AED 500 per hour for a full day of 8 hours. The total still depends on the blocks above, which is why a quote is more useful than a rate card.

Is half a day much cheaper than a full day?

Somewhat, but not by half: travel, setup and preparation are the same for a two-hour and an eight-hour event.

Do we pay for footage we do not use?

You pay for the filming time and the edits you ordered. Ask in advance whether the raw footage is kept and for how long, in case you want another film from it later.

Our rates

Fat Cat Media has filmed conferences, launches, galas and exhibitions across the UAE since 2012. Our rates for event filming:

• Videographer: from AED 500 per hour when you book a full day of 8 hours. Shorter bookings cost more per hour, and the minimum booking is 2 hours.
• Crew: we recommend at least two videographers, one for the stage and one for guests and details.
• Production coordinator for crews of three or more videographers: AED 3,500 per day.
• Sound recordist with all the equipment, for interviews and vox pops: AED 2,500 per day.
• Editor on site for same-day films: AED 3,500 per day (up to 8 hours).
• Editing: quoted separately, because it depends on how complex the edit is and how many finished videos you need.

These prices are approximate. See our event videography service for details, or send us the date and venue on WhatsApp and our project manager will reply with an itemised quote.