How Much Does Corporate and Commercial Video Production Cost in Los Angeles?

One studio that publishes its Los Angeles prices lists corporate video at $12,000 to $25,000 and commercial video at $60,000 to $130,000+. Those are the published figures of a single company, not an industry average, and the real number for your project depends on crew size, shoot days, locations, permits, talent, union status and how many versions you need. The sections below explain each driver, give the permit fees that FilmLA publishes, and show how to compare quotes.

What drives the price in Los Angeles

Crew. Crew is usually the largest line. It is set by how many people the shoot needs and for how many days. A founder interview in an office needs a few people. A multi-location commercial with talent, lighting, sound and art direction needs many more.

Shoot days. Each day carries crew, gear and production management. One studio’s published pricing page puts a typical shoot day at $4,000 to $8,000 and each extra day at about $3,500 to $6,000. That page uses its San Francisco base, so treat it as a structure reference, not a Los Angeles quote.

Locations and permits. A shoot on a street, in a park or on a beach needs permits and often a plan for parking and traffic. An office or private location is usually cheaper and often needs no public permit. The next section lists the fees.

Stages. A stage gives control over light, sound and weather but adds rental, and the cost depends on size, length of booking and the studio. A good producer will quote stage and location options side by side, because the cheaper choice depends on the script.

Talent. Actors, models and voice talent are priced by role, usage and whether they are union members. Many studios quote talent separately from the production line, so check how the quote treats it.

Union status. Union crews and talent follow guild agreements that set minimum rates, turnaround times between days, and staffing rules. According to the Los Angeles page of the studio cited below, union crews (IATSE) and talent (SAG-AFTRA) are typical for network broadcast and major streaming, while non-union fits digital-first brand video. The decision depends on budget and where the spot airs. Settle it early because it changes crew sourcing and the budget.

Post-production and versions. Editing, color, sound, graphics and subtitles are all work. So is every extra version: a cutdown, a vertical edit, a language variant. Decide the deliverables before you ask for prices.

Published Los Angeles ranges from one studio

LV Productions, a San Francisco-founded studio that works in Los Angeles with a local crew network, publishes these figures on its Los Angeles page:

| Type | Published Los Angeles range |
|—|—|
| Commercial video | $60,000 to $130,000+ |
| Corporate video | $12,000 to $25,000 |

The page adds that live-action commercials in Los Angeles often cost 20 to 40% more than in San Francisco, and that a line-item quote comes before work starts. The studio’s separate pricing page lists a typical corporate video in San Francisco at $18K and a typical commercial at $50K, with its own ranges. These are one company’s published numbers. Other studios will quote higher or lower, based on their crews, overhead and the scope they assume.

What a Los Angeles film permit costs

FilmLA is the film office for the City and County of Los Angeles and runs the permit process. The figures below come from FilmLA’s published fee schedule and its Low Impact Permit Pilot Program page, as checked on October 13, 2026. Fees change, so confirm them with FilmLA before you budget.

Worked out from those fee lines, a Standard permit at five locations comes to $931 plus $1,160 in notification fees plus $287, or $2,378 before other charges. A Low Impact permit at three locations is $350 plus $468, or $818. FilmLA launched the Low Impact Tier as a pilot on April 27, 2026, with funding committed through October 2026, so check whether it is still offered when you plan.

These are application fees, not all-in totals. Location fees, personnel, inspections, fire department charges and parking can apply on top. In City of Los Angeles parks, FilmLA’s fee schedule lists a separate Department of Recreation and Parks film use fee of $450 per day. Every commercial production also needs a certificate of liability insurance naming the local jurisdiction as an additional insured.

On timing, FilmLA lists a minimum of 3 business days for processing, which is a floor, not a promise. The studio’s Los Angeles page says standard permits take 3 to 5 business days under its own workflow, and that Malibu, Santa Monica, Griffith Park and beach parking lots need separate filings. Plan extra lead time for street closures and other complex requests.

For comparison, the studio’s pricing page puts permit fees for streets and parks in San Francisco, New York or Los Angeles at $300 to $2,000. That is a planning band for a typical shoot, and the five-location Standard example above sits just above it.

What is the typical cost of professional video production?

There is no single national figure, so any “typical” number should come with a source. Using only the studio figures above: its pricing page lists a typical corporate video at $18K in San Francisco, with a range of $10,000 to $80,000+, and a typical commercial at $50K, with a range of $15,000 to $150,000+. Its Los Angeles page lists $12,000 to $25,000 for corporate video and $60,000 to $130,000+ for commercial video. The pricing page also says San Francisco crews run about 15 to 20% above national averages. Read the spread as the main finding: the same type of video can differ by an order of magnitude based on scope.

An example of what a line-item quote lists

A line-item quote lets you see where the money goes and lets you remove a line without guessing what else changes. The table shows the categories a transparent quote typically contains and how that studio treats each in its published terms.

The studio states that its estimate follows a free 30-minute intake call within 48 hours and that a change order is sent before shooting begins. These are good questions to ask any vendor.

How to compare quotes

1. Send the same brief to every studio. Include goal, audience, run time, deliverables, dates, locations and your approval process. If the briefs differ, the quotes cannot be compared.
2. Compare line by line. Put the quotes in one sheet, using the same categories as the table above. A lower total often means a missing line, such as permits, talent or color.
3. Ask what is excluded. The questions that matter most are who pays for permits and insurance, whether talent is included, how many rounds of feedback are covered and what a rush costs.
4. Check union assumptions. Ask whether the quote assumes union or non-union crew and talent, and how the price changes if your distribution plans change.
5. Look at the crew, not only the company. Ask who will direct, shoot and edit, and whether they are the people on the sales call.
6. Confirm the schedule. Include permit lead time, casting, shoot days and post-production in the calendar.
7. Understand the payment terms. Studios commonly split payment into stages. The studio cited here publishes 50% before production and 50% on final delivery.

Ways to control cost without cutting quality

– Choose the right location type. Office and private locations avoid public permit fees and often simplify parking.
– Use fewer locations. The Standard permit notification fee scales per location, and moves between locations eat shoot time.
– Pick a Low Impact permit if you qualify. If your plan fits its limits (3 locations, 3 consecutive days, 30 cast and crew, City of Los Angeles only) and it is still offered, the fee is lower.
– Shoot once, deliver many. Plan vertical, square and widescreen versions at the shoot instead of reframing in post.
– Plan around weather and light. The Los Angeles page says July to September is steadiest and that coastal mornings often have a marine layer until 10 to 11AM, so schedule beach work accordingly.

FAQ

Is a corporate video cheaper than a commercial in Los Angeles?

On the published figures from the one studio cited here, yes: $12,000 to $25,000 against $60,000 to $130,000+. Commercials typically use more crew, talent, locations and versions. A corporate video built around an interview and office footage is lighter than a scripted spot.

Do I need a permit to film in Los Angeles?

Commercial on-location filming in the City of Los Angeles needs a permit on public and private property, according to FilmLA. Strictly personal filming with little public impact generally does not. If you are unsure, ask FilmLA before you schedule.

Does union status always raise the price?

It usually changes the structure of the budget: minimum rates, turnaround rules and staffing requirements. Whether the total is higher depends on the crew and the scope, so ask for both versions of the quote if you can.

Next step

Write a one-page brief with the goal, run time, deliverables, locations and dates, and send it to two or three studios with a request for a line-item quote. Add one extra question: ask each for the permit plan and who files it. The answers will show you which quotes are complete and which are guesses.