How to Discuss a Narration Estimate Before Usage and Script Are Final

You can consult about an estimate even when narration use and copy are unsettled. However, “it is a corporate video” and “about three minutes” cannot reduce every condition to one price. Separate confirmed information, candidates, and unknowns so you can consider an estimate while understanding the difference between an approximation and a confirmed quote.

Separate four items first

Put use, duration, copy, and usage scope in separate fields. Use may be corporate video, WebCM, recruitment, or video manual; current candidates are fine. Because finished-video duration and the amount of spoken copy may differ, write both. Add character count, page count, and script status. For usage, identify destination, period, region, and advertising use, and mark undecided items as undecided.

This example is explanatory and does not state a specific project or price. Even while undecided, you can ask what change would change the conditions.

Do not treat price figures as universal

Current corporate-video guidance gives ¥50,000 and up as a reference for a 3-minute corporate video, but the amount varies by duration, number of pieces, medium, usage period, and publication region. This is not a universal price for all narration. Tell us at estimate stage if WebCM advertising use, multiple durations, or reuse is being considered.

For revisions, do not ask only “how many times?” Separate expression adjustments, misreads, copy wording changes, and duration changes. Current guidance includes one complimentary expression adjustment, but the actual scope is discussed per project. With unsettled copy, ask whether a first-draft estimate can be separated from a final-copy estimate.

Consultation template

Project / possible use:
Video purpose / audience:
Finished duration / amount of spoken copy:
Script status: not started / first draft / pre-final / final
Possible destinations:
Usage period / region: write undecided when applicable
Advertising use: yes / no / undecided
Alternate durations / series rollout:
Preferred delivery date:
Confirmed delivery / direction conditions:
Conditions to separate in the estimate:

If the file does not exist yet, send the expected amount of copy and several representative lines. Sharing technical terms and proper names early is also useful. Delivery is usually 24–48 hours after copy approval, but depends on content, number of pieces, and schedule; include the requested date when consulting.

See corporate-video narration costs. Check the scope for corporate video or WebCM and video ads and consult with undecided conditions included.

Not hiding “undecided” does not delay an estimate; it makes visible where conditions may change. You can begin with the use candidate, copy volume, and desired timing that are already known.

When comparing estimates, put recording scope, delivery format, revisions, usage conditions, and treatment of additional duration in one table. Do not treat a blank as a cheaper condition; leave the assumption that it will be reconfirmed after final copy and use are decided.

At the inquiry stage, also write who decides each condition. If script approval, usage scope, and schedule belong to different people, assign a contact for each undecided item. Once decisions align, update one inquiry message and do not place an order under old assumptions.