Even documentary shorts are expensive if you consider hiring a camera operator, interviewer, director, producer, and then the editing process. HD technology has reduced these costs tremendously. Yet $1000-$2000 per minute is not an unreasonable estimate.

There are many worthwhile nonprofit groups and organizations can’t afford the cost of getting their story out in a world–a world that increasingly relies on visuals. I believe in supporting the nonprofit sector and have done so with films and other artifacts pro bono or at cost. I usually don’t include my time or studio rental in cost expenses.

So many of these groups and organizations give so unselfishly to others, often working with little or no compensation. It is almost imperative that all of us in the arts step up in our support.