The cost of AI video production depends on what you need. Here's an honest breakdown.
DIY: AI Video Tools
The tools themselves aren't free. Kling 3.0 charges roughly $0.075 per second of generated video - that adds up fast when you're iterating on dozens of generations to get one usable clip. Midjourney V8 runs $10-60/month depending on the plan. ComfyUI with open-source models like Wan 2.2 or LTX-2.3 avoids API costs but requires a capable GPU. Across a real project, credit costs alone can run into hundreds of dollars before you have anything finished.
On top of that, you need skills in prompting, editing, color grading, and sound design. The learning curve is significant and the tools change monthly.
Freelancer: Individual Creators
Simple social clip (15-30 seconds): $500 - $1,500
Music video or visualizer: $1,000 - $3,000
Product demo: $800 - $2,500
Short brand film (60-90 seconds): $2,000 - $5,000
Affordable and fast, but quality varies widely.
Studio: Professional Production
Social media campaign (5-10 clips): $5,000 - $15,000
Brand commercial (30-60 seconds): $8,000 - $30,000
Music video: $5,000 - $25,000
Full campaign (multiple formats): $15,000 - $50,000
Premium brand film: $25,000 - $100,000+
What you're paying for: creative direction, scriptwriting, professional editing, color grading, sound design, revisions, and the studio's creative vision.
How to Budget
Start small - commission one test project ($5,000 - $10,000) to evaluate a studio. Scale what works. Use DIY tools for quick social content, studios for hero pieces.