VFX Shot Pricing: Per-Shot Breakdown

VFX work is priced per shot, not per minute. A 3-second shot and a 10-second shot of the same complexity are priced similarly because the setup time (tracking, rotoscoping, element integration) is the same regardless of duration. This page breaks down VFX pricing by complexity tier with specific examples from real projects. All prices are in USD and reflect Southeast Asian production rates, which are 40-60% lower than equivalent rates in the US or Western Europe for the same quality of work.

Simple VFX shots require basic compositing techniques with minimal element integration. The source footage is clean and the task is straightforward. Typical simple shots: - Sky replacement: replacing a grey sky with a dramatic sunset or blue sky. Involves basic luminance keying, edge refinement, and color matching. Takes 30-60 minutes per shot if the horizon line is clean. - Logo/watermark removal: removing an unwanted logo, text overlay, or watermark from a static or slowly moving background. Involves clean plate creation (paint/clone) or content-aware fill. 30-90 minutes per shot. - Wire/rig removal: removing stunt wires, lighting stands, or rigging equipment visible in frame. Involves paint/clone work tracked to the camera movement. 1-2 hours per shot. - Basic cleanup: removing a stray hair on the lens, a dust spot, a boom mic dipping into frame for 1-2 seconds. 15-45 minutes per shot. - Stabilization with cleanup: stabilizing shaky footage and filling the resulting black borders with content-aware fill or edge extension. 1-2 hours per shot. What is NOT simple: any shot requiring rotoscoping of people (even basic), multiple element compositing, or significant hand-painted frame-by-frame cleanup. These move to the Medium tier regardless of how short the shot is.

Medium VFX shots require multi-step compositing, tracking, or keying. They involve 2-4 elements that must be integrated into the source footage with attention to perspective, lighting, and edge quality. Typical medium shots: - Screen replacement: tracking a phone, tablet, TV, or computer screen in a shot and replacing the on-screen content with new graphics or footage. Requires Mocha AE or 3D camera tracking, corner pin application, perspective matching, and edge integration (reflections, light wrap). 2-4 hours per shot. - Green screen keying with clean background: pulling a key from well-lit green screen footage, applying spill suppression, edge refinement, and compositing the subject onto a new background. 2-4 hours per shot for well-shot footage. - Beauty retouching: smoothing skin, removing blemishes, teeth whitening, eye brightening — applied via tracked masks on a moving subject. 2-4 hours per shot depending on movement complexity. - Compositing 2-4 VFX elements: adding a lens flare, a light leak, a muzzle flash, or a simple explosion element onto tracked footage. Multiple elements require individual tracking and blending. 2-6 hours per shot. - Split-screen/multi-screen: dividing the frame into sections with different content, requiring matched perspective and seamless edges. 2-4 hours. - Basic rotoscoping: isolating a subject with clean edges (no fine hair) for background replacement or effect isolation. 3-6 hours per shot depending on movement complexity. What is NOT medium: any shot requiring 3D camera tracking with CG element integration, complex rotoscoping with fine hair or semi-transparent elements, or more than 4 composited elements. These move to the Complex tier.

Complex VFX shots require advanced compositing, 3D integration, significant rotoscoping, or custom element creation. These shots are the VFX highlights of a project — the moments the audience notices. Typical complex shots: - CG integration: placing a 3D-rendered object (product, vehicle, building, character element) into live-action footage. Requires 3D camera tracking, match lighting (matching CG lights to the on-set lighting), shadow casting, and compositing integration (grain matching, edge blending, color matching). 8-20+ hours per shot. - Full environment replacement: replacing the entire background of a shot with a different location or environment. Requires complex rotoscoping of the foreground subject(s), plate extension, and seamless integration. 10-30+ hours per shot. - Complex rotoscoping (hair, transparency): isolating subjects with fine hair, semi-transparent fabric, or overlapping elements. Requires frame-by-frame mask adjustment or advanced Roto Brush refinement. 8-20+ hours per shot. - Particle effects (fire, smoke, magic, debris): creating custom particle simulations or compositing pre-rendered particle elements with proper lighting interaction. 6-15+ hours per shot. - Face replacement or de-aging: replacing or modifying a face in a shot using tracking and compositing. Requires high-quality source material and significant manual work. 15-40+ hours per shot. - Bullet time / time freeze effect: freezing time while the camera moves around the subject. Requires multiple camera angles, heavy compositing, and interpolation. 20-40+ hours per shot. These shots carry the highest per-shot cost because they demand specialized skills, significant time investment, and often require multiple software tools (After Effects, Nuke, Blender, Houdini).