What a Studio Interview Costs and What Moves the Price

Starting with the booking, not the camera

When a producer asks me what a studio interview costs, I begin with the booking rather than the equipment. The price of a lit and framed interview is mostly made of time: the time the studio is held for you, the time Rachel spends building the lighting, and the time the finished piece takes to cut and send. Kit is part of it, but it is rarely the part that moves the figure.

That is why a single number quoted in a hurry can mislead. Two interviews that both run ten minutes on camera can cost quite different amounts, because one guest arrives ready and the other needs a longer settle-in, or because one segment needs a clean single shot and the other needs two angles and cutaways.

Our prices page lists the standing rates for each service. What follows explains the reasoning behind them, so that when you read a quotation you know which line you can change and which you cannot.

Everything here comes from the way we have run studio sessions since 2014, and from the questions producers ask us most often before they confirm a slot.

Studio time and lighting set-up

The first driver is how long the studio is yours. A short single-guest interview needs less room time than a panel or a portrait-style piece with several set-ups. We count the time from when Rachel starts lighting to when the last take is checked, not only the minutes the red light is on.

Lighting is where the care goes. Rachel designs the lighting and framing so guests look natural on screen, which means adjusting for skin tone, glasses, a bright shirt or a dark suit. A guest who wears something awkward on camera can add a few minutes, and it is cheaper to mention it beforehand than to solve it on the day.

A repeat set-up is cheaper than a new one. If you want the same backdrop and the same framing as last month, we already know the answer and the session runs tighter. A new look, a different background or an unusual shot size means more design time, and that shows in the quote.

• Number of guests and chairs in frame
• Whether the look matches a set-up we have used before
• Glasses, patterned clothing or reflective jewellery
• Extra angles or a separate portrait sequence

Crew, camera angles and how many people are in the room

A basic interview can be recorded with one camera and a small crew. Add a second angle and the work changes: two cameras need matching, more careful lighting so the cuts look even, and more attention to sound. The extra angle gives Priya more to work with in the edit, but it is a real addition rather than a free extra.

Sound deserves its own mention. Clean audio is what makes an interview usable on air, and a quiet, controlled room is one reason people book a studio at all. We treat microphone placement and a short sound check as part of every session, not an optional add-on.

If your reporter wants to sit in and ask the questions, tell us. A presenter on set may need their own lighting and an additional microphone, and a two-way conversation is framed differently from a guest speaking to camera.

Editing length, captions and delivery format

After the recording, the price follows the edit. A single clean interview trimmed to a set duration is straightforward. A piece with cutaways, lower-thirds, captions and a second language pass takes longer, and Priya plans her time against the specification you give her.

Delivery format matters too. Broadcasters ask for particular file types, frame rates and loudness levels, and getting these right the first time saves you a rejected file at the worst moment. We confirm the format in writing before we start so that nothing is guessed.

Turnaround is the other lever. A same-day cut needs Priya cleared for the afternoon, which affects what else we can take on, and that is reflected in the figure. If a story can wait until the next morning, the schedule has more room and the cost is usually lower.

• Final running time and number of versions
• Captions or subtitles supplied with the file
• Required format and loudness specification
• Same-day against next-morning delivery

What stays the same however the piece is built

Some things do not change the price because we do not treat them as extras. Checking the picture and sound before the guest leaves, labelling the files clearly and confirming what was delivered are part of every job. You should not need to ask for them or pay more to get them.

We also do not move the figure after the fact for small changes made on the day. If a guest runs a little over, we absorb a few minutes. If the session grows substantially, we say so while it is happening and agree the change before continuing, rather than surprising you on the invoice.

The arrangement is simple: an enquiry through the contact page, a written quotation, then an invoice paid by bank transfer. Cancellations and refunds follow our payment and refund policy, which sets out what applies and when.

How to get an accurate quote quickly

The fastest way to a firm number is to tell us a few things in your first message: how many people will be on camera, the length you need, the format and deadline, and whether you want one angle or more. With those four answers we can usually reply with a written quotation without a long exchange.

If you are unsure, say so. We would rather talk through the options than have you guess. A short call often shows that a simpler set-up will do the job, and a simpler set-up is a cheaper one.

Send your enquiry through the contact page and mention the segment it is for. A line about the story helps Rachel and Tom plan the framing, and it helps us tell you honestly whether the studio is the right place to record it.