Pricing question & Reel feedback - at the beginning

Hey guys,

I’m planning to start taking on small filmmaking projects (Reels / short videos for restaurants or local businesses) and I’m currently trying to figure out what a realistic starting price could look like.

I understand that in the beginning you often do free or low-paid projects to build portfolio and experience. Still, I’d really appreciate some insight:

What did you charge for your first paid Reel (shooting + editing)?

What was your initial price range?

And at what point did you start increasing your rates?

I’m attaching a Reel I shot a few months ago.

It happened spontaneously - I was having dinner at a restaurant, had my camera with me, checked their Instagram quickly and asked the owner if he’d be open to a quick video for Instagram.

We filmed for about 10 minutes and I edited it right after.

The whole thing was very spontaneous - and I genuinely enjoyed the process. Shooting, editing and turning around something quickly felt really good.

In the end, he didn’t post it. I assume he wasn’t 100% happy with it, but I learned a lot from the experience.

I’d appreciate your honest feedback:

How does the Reel come across to you?

What would you improve?

And what would you consider a fair starting price for something like this?

Thanks a lot,

Marco ☀️

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