Producing a 30 second television commercial in Australia typically costs $25,000 to $80,000. That is production only. Media, the cost of actually buying the airtime, is separate and usually larger.
People are often surprised by that split, so it is worth being clear about it before anything else.
Production cost and media cost are two different budgets
Production is making the commercial: crew, talent, locations, direction, edit, sound, grade and delivery. That is the $25,000 to $80,000.
Media is buying the slots. It varies enormously by network, region, time of day and season, and it is not something a production company charges you for. Budget it separately and early, because it usually dwarfs production.
Where the production money goes
Talent, and the bit people forget
Casting and talent fees are one cost. Talent buyout is another, and it is the one that catches people out. Buyout is what you pay for the right to keep running the ad in particular places for a particular length of time.
Everything we produce comes with licence in perpetuity, so the work itself is yours forever. Voice over and on-screen talent are the exceptions, because those rights are not ours to give away. We quote them at the time, and it is always better to negotiate early than a week before air.
Crew and shoot days
A commercial carries a bigger crew than corporate work: director, DOP, sound, gaffer, art department, and a producer keeping it all on schedule. Extra shoot days are the fastest way to move the number.
Post-production
Grade, sound design, mix, motion graphics and delivery in the formats each network requires. Broadcast delivery has technical standards that online does not, and meeting them is real work.
Music
Music licensing is included in our pricing. We hold the subscriptions and licences, so you get good global music without a separate invoice. Commissioned original music is a different conversation.
Can you make a commercial for less?
Yes, and sometimes you should. A single-location shoot with no talent buyout and a tight edit can come in well under the range above. Our minimum project is $650 and our day rate starts at $1,150 + GST, so there is a lot of room between a social ad and a national TVC.
The honest question is what the ad has to earn. If it is running nationally behind a serious media spend, underspending on production is a false economy. If it is a regional campaign or a digital-first cutdown, spending TVC money on it makes no sense.
What is included when we quote
- Scripting and storyboarding, scoped at quote
- Music licensing
- Standard revision rounds
- Licence in perpetuity on the finished work, with talent and voice over as the exceptions
- Delivery in the formats you need, including broadcast specs
Travel is quoted up front. Rush turnarounds usually carry no premium, because most jobs in this industry are rush jobs.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 30 second commercial cost to produce?
$25,000 to $80,000 is the normal Australian range for a broadcast-quality TVC. Simpler commercials can sit well below that.
Does that include airtime?
No. Media is a separate budget and typically larger than production. Plan both from the start.
What is a talent buyout?
A fee for the right to run the ad in defined places for a defined period. It is separate from the talent’s shoot day fee, and it is the most common source of unpleasant surprises. Sort it early.
Do we own the commercial?
The work we produce is licensed to you in perpetuity. Talent and voice over rights have their own terms.
Talk to us before you lock a budget
The most useful conversation happens before the media plan is fixed, because production and media trade off against each other.
Get in touch, or read what corporate video costs if a TVC is not what you need.
