Agency
vs
In-House

Cinema-grade production without the headcount.

Portfolio Advisors

Brand Intro Film

What we do

Film & Video

TV spots, brand films, and social content shot on cinema-grade equipment. Vetted crews across LA, the Bay Area, and California's Central Valley.

Photography

Product, lifestyle, editorial, and commercial photography for brands that want to stand out. Studio or on location — anywhere in California.

Web & Digital

Marketing sites, web apps, and e-commerce stores built to perform and convert. We design and engineer end to end, from first wireframe through launch.

Branding

Identity, creative direction, and visual systems with a clear point of view. We build brands that look right, sound right, and drive real revenue.

Strategy

Go-to-market planning, campaign strategy, and content direction that ties everything together. We make sure the work lands — and performs.

Film & Video

TV spots, brand films, and social content shot on cinema-grade equipment. Vetted crews across LA, the Bay Area, and California's Central Valley.

Photography

Product, lifestyle, editorial, and commercial photography for brands that want to stand out. Studio or on location — anywhere in California.

Web & Digital

Marketing sites, web apps, and e-commerce stores built to perform and convert. We design and engineer end to end, from first wireframe through launch.

Branding

Identity, creative direction, and visual systems with a clear point of view. We build brands that look right, sound right, and drive real revenue.

Strategy

Go-to-market planning, campaign strategy, and content direction that ties everything together. We make sure the work lands — and performs.

$220K+

Average year-one cost for in-house hire

3–5

Specialists needed for cinema-quality production

~6 mo

Time before an in-house hire reaches full productivity

The real cost of in-house

Most cost comparisons only count salary. Here's the complete picture.

Line item

In-House

Agency (WERZ)

Videographer / Video Producer

$85,000–$120,000/yr

Included

Editor

$65,000–$90,000/yr

Included

Camera package (4K cinema)

$15,000–$40,000

Included

Lighting & audio gear

$8,000–$20,000

Included

Editing software (licenses)

$600–$2,400/yr

Included

Benefits & overhead (30%)

$45,000–$63,000/yr

None

Estimated year-one total

$220,000–$335,000

$15,000–$80,000

Estimates based on California market rates. Actual costs vary.

Quality & capability

Agency

In-House

Output quality ceiling

Cinema-grade, specialized crewDirector + DP + editor + colorist

Limited by one hire's skillsOne person handling all roles

Creative range

Multiple specialistsDifferent skills per project type

One person's aestheticSingle creative perspective

Scalability

Scale up or down per projectNo fixed headcount

Fixed capacityBottleneck at busy periods

Brand knowledge

Onboarded per projectRamp time for new agencies

Deep institutional knowledgeUnderstands brand inside-out

Availability

Scheduled project-by-projectLead time required

Immediate, on-demandNo scheduling lag

Total annual cost

$15,000–$80,000/yrPay only for what you produce

$220,000–$335,000/yrSalary + gear + benefits + overhead

Risk

Low — no HR, no equipmentSwitch if fit isn't right

High — hiring, turnover, equipmentLong ramp time if person leaves

Selected Work

All projects

01Finance

Portfolio Advisors

Brand Intro Film

02Tech

Eightfold AI

30-Second Brand Spot

03Healthcare

Valley Children's

Sleep Study Campaign

04CPG

1971 Hook

The Proposal — 30s Commercial Spot

05Tech

Cosmic Robotics

Brand Video

View all

Select Clients

When does in-house actually make sense?

In-house makes sense when:

You need 40+ video deliverables per year
Content requires daily or same-day turnaround
You need constant live streaming or events coverage
Your brand is so specialized it requires deep insider knowledge
Your video volume justifies $200K+/yr in headcount

Agency is better when:

You produce 2–30 videos per year
You want cinema-grade quality without specialist hiring
You need flexibility — more content some months, less others
You want one partner for video, web, and brand
You don't want equipment ownership, maintenance, or upgrades

FAQ

How much does an in-house video team actually cost per year?

Building even a minimal in-house video capability — one videographer/editor and basic equipment — typically costs $200,000–$335,000 in year one when you account for salary, benefits (roughly 30% overhead), camera gear ($15K–$40K), lighting and audio equipment ($8K–$20K), and software licenses. This is before studio space or additional hires for specialized roles like colorist or sound designer.

When does it make sense to build an in-house video team?

In-house makes sense when you need more than 40–50 video deliverables per year, require daily or near-daily turnarounds, or when deep institutional brand knowledge justifies the overhead. For most small to mid-size businesses producing 2–20 videos per year, agency is significantly more cost-effective.

Can you start with an agency and switch to in-house later?

Yes, and many companies do this. Working with an agency first lets you build a library of brand assets, define your visual identity, and understand your actual video volume needs before committing to headcount. WERZ works with companies at all stages — from first video to ongoing multi-year content partnerships.

What does WERZ charge for ongoing video production?

Project pricing varies by scope. Short social media videos start around $3,000. Brand films and commercials range from $8,000–$25,000+. For companies needing consistent monthly content, we offer retainer arrangements. Contact us for a scoped estimate.

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