What it costs
Part 3 of 7 of the free podcast and video shoots guide from The Gallery on Montana. Typical San Antonio costs for a location video podcast: gear tiers with real models, crew rates, rentals, editing and clips, and how batching episodes lowers the cost of each.
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Three ways to staff a shoot
Costs depend on how much you own and how much you hire. These are typical 2026 ranges. Your location fee is separate and depends on the hours you book.
- Self run: you own the gear and run it yourselves. Lowest cost, most work.
- Hybrid: you own mics, hire one camera or sound person for the day.
- Fully crewed: camera, sound and an editor handle everything.
- Most shows start self run and hire sound first as they grow.
Gear tiers if you buy
| Tier | What it includes | Approx total |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 2 Samson Q2U or Rode PodMic, Zoom PodTrak P4, 2 phones on tripods, 1 LED | $500 to $900 |
| Mid | 3 Shure MV7+ or PodMic USB, Zoom F6, 2 Sony ZV-E10 II, 2 softbox LEDs | $4,000 to $6,000 |
| Pro | 3 Shure SM7dB, Rodecaster Pro II, 3 Sony FX30, 3 lights, lavs | $9,000 to $13,000 |
Do not buy everything at once. A starter kit with good mic technique sounds better than a pro kit used badly. Buy in this order as the show grows: mics and a recorder, then headphones, then one good key light, then cameras. Used cameras and lenses from reputable resellers often save 20 to 30 percent.
Rent or buy
If you record once a month or less, renting pro gear for the day is usually cheaper than owning it, and you always get a current, tested kit. If you record every week, buying pays for itself within a few months.
- Rent: pro mics, a second recorder or extra lights for a one off batch day.
- Buy: anything you use every episode, like mics, headphones and cables.
- Always test rented gear the day before, not on set.
- Ask whether insurance or a deposit is required and add it to the budget.
Typical San Antonio crew and rentals
| Item | Typical San Antonio range |
|---|---|
| Camera operator, half day | $300 to $600 |
| Sound person, half day | $250 to $500 |
| Mic kit rental, 2 to 3 mics | $75 to $200 per day |
| LED light kit rental | $50 to $150 per day |
| Hair and makeup | $100 to $250 per person |
Editing is the line people forget
A multicam episode takes real hours to cut, and clips add up fast. Price them before the shoot. If you edit yourself, budget your own time the same way: a 60 minute multicam episode often takes 4 to 8 hours to sync, cut, mix and export.
| Post item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Editing, one multicam episode | $200 to $600 |
| Short vertical clips, edited | $25 to $75 per clip |
| Audio cleanup and mix only | $75 to $200 per episode |
| Thumbnail design | $25 to $100 each |
Sample budgets per episode
- Self run, own gear: mostly the location and food.
- Hybrid, one sound person plus your own edit: about $300 to $600 before the space.
- Fully crewed with editing and 5 clips: about $1,000 to $2,500 before the space.
- Add drives: a 1 TB SSD like a Samsung T7 runs about $100 and holds one or two episodes.
Hidden costs catch first time shows: parking for crew, a replacement cable bought on the way in, cloud backup storage, music licensing for your intro and the hours you spend writing outlines and booking guests. Put a line in the budget for each, even if it is small, and add about 10 percent on top for the surprise you did not see coming.
Batch a season
The setup is the expensive part. Once mics, cameras and lights are dialed in, each extra episode costs little more than the hours. Recording four episodes in one day can cut the per episode cost by half or more.
- Start planning four weeks out so guests can commit to time slots.
- Allow 1.5 to 2 hours per extra episode, including a reset.
- Change seating, lamps or rooms between episodes so each looks fresh.
- Keep the same audio settings all day so episodes sound consistent.
Tip: Batch a season. Record four to six episodes in one day and reset seating between them so each one looks fresh.
Where to spend first
Spend first on sound. A good audio person and decent mics protect the whole episode. A third camera is nice, but it never rescues a take with hum under every word. Then spend on editing, because a tight edit keeps viewers longer than any camera upgrade.
- Mics and a multitrack recorder.
- Editing and clips.
- One soft key light per person.
- Extra cameras and lenses.
Want to plan your budget against real hours? Ask about a shoot booking.
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