How the recommended price is calculated

No black box. Every quote is a chain of six steps you can audit, defend in a client conversation, and adjust to your own business.

1. 01

   Your time, paid properly

   Shoot hours, editing hours, and travel hours are added up and multiplied by your target hourly rate. Editing and travel are real work, and the model refuses to treat them as free.

2. 02

   Overhead at 18%

   Gear depreciation, software subscriptions, insurance, storage, and admin time are added as 18% of your labor. These costs exist whether or not a client pays for them.

3. 03

   Hard costs pass through

   Gear rentals and second shooter fees are money leaving your account for this specific job. They are added at cost, never absorbed into your rate.

4. 04

   Market adjustments

   Four multipliers shift the price toward what the work is actually worth: client type (personal through commercial), your experience level, turnaround speed, and licensing scope. Broader usage and tighter deadlines cost more because they are worth more.

5. 05

   The profit floor

   Profit is what remains after hard costs and overhead. Your default floor is 50%: if the market math lands under it, the recommendation is raised until it clears. You can change the target in your settings, but the floor is always enforced.

6. 06

   Three tiers

   The minimum is your walk-away number. Never quote below it. The recommended price is the number to lead with. The premium tier (1.4×) is the anchor for faster delivery or wider rights.