A product commercial used to mean a crew, a studio and a long edit. Today many of the product ads you see are partly or entirely CGI. Brands choose it for control, speed and cost, but it is not automatically cheaper. This guide compares the two honestly.
What a live-action product commercial costs
A live-action budget is built from days: pre-production, crew, studio or location, equipment, talent, props, art direction, post-production and music. Even a small product shoot needs several people for a full day, and you need finished, flawless samples. Reshooting for a new colour or a design change means paying for another day.
Live action wins when the story is about people: hands, faces, emotion, a real environment. If your ad is mostly a person using the product, shoot it.
What a CGI product commercial costs
A CGI budget is built from the model and the shots:
- The model. Building your product accurately in 3D. From CAD this is fast; from photos or a sample it takes longer.
- Look development. Materials, textures and lighting that make the product photoreal.
- Shots and camera. Each shot is designed, animated and rendered.
- Edit, grade and sound.
- Versions. 16:9, 9:16 and 1:1 cutdowns from the same scenes.
Our cinematic hero film (30 to 60 seconds) is $2,900 for the first film of a product, including a one-time model build, and $2,610 for each film after. A full technical film of 45 to 90 seconds is $4,700. See product animation and pricing.
Where CGI wins
- Products that are not made yet. Launch the ad before production.
- Shots a camera cannot do. Inside the product, through materials, impossible camera paths.
- Perfect products. No dust, scratches or sample defects.
- Variants. A new colour or version is a re-render, not a reshoot.
- Reuse. The same model gives you listing images, an exploded view and next year's ad.
Where live action wins
- People are the story
- Real-world texture matters, such as food, cooking or outdoor scenes
- The product is already on shelves and will not change
The hybrid many brands use
Shoot the people, render the product. Many ads cut between live-action lifestyle shots and CGI close-ups of the product, its materials and its internals. That gives you human warmth and product precision in one edit.
How to budget
Ask any studio for:
- A storyboard or shot list before production starts
- What the model costs, and whether it is reused later
- How many cutdowns and formats are included
- Music licensing and sound design
- What a second film of the same product costs
For a broader view of animation pricing, read 3D product animation cost and is 3D product animation worth it.
Frequently asked questions
Is CGI cheaper than a live-action commercial?
For product-focused ads, usually yes, especially once you count reshoots and variants. For people-focused ads, live action is often simpler.
How much does a CGI product ad cost?
Our cinematic 3D product film is $2,900 for the first film of a product and $2,610 after. Short loops start at $690.
How long does it take?
A cinematic film takes about 7 working days after the storyboard is approved. Technical films take 3 to 4 weeks.
Can CGI be combined with our existing footage?
Yes. We can deliver product shots designed to cut into your live-action edit, matched to its colour grade.
See this quality on your own product
First-time clients get a complete, high-resolution 3D render of their product for $130. Judge the quality before committing to a full package.
