Why we talk about price before the session
Newsroom editors ask about cost early, and that is sensible. A training session takes people away from the desk or the rota, so you need to know what you are committing before you speak to anyone. I have run these sessions since we started in 2014, and the questions about price have barely changed: how long, how many people, and where.
Camera technique training at dupyra means short sessions for staff on framing, lighting and sound for fast-moving news stories. It is not a long course with a certificate at the end. It is practical time with a camera in hand, aimed at getting usable pictures and clean audio when a story breaks and nobody has time to fuss.
This article sets out what shapes the price. For exact figures, the Prices page lists what each service costs and what is included, and a written quotation follows any enquiry.
The first driver: length and number of sessions
Time is the largest part of any quotation. A single half-day session on framing and sound costs less than a full day that also covers lighting a small interview space. Because the material is short and practical, many newsrooms start with one session and book another once staff have used the new habits on real stories.
We do not pad sessions to make them look bigger. If your reporters need two hours on handheld framing and nothing more, we say so and price it that way. Longer days only make sense when there is enough useful content to fill them, and Callum, who leads the camera work, will tell you honestly if a shorter booking would serve you better.
A repeat visit is priced as its own booking, so you can space sessions around your schedule.
- Half-day or full-day length
- One session or a short series
- Topics covered in each session
Group size and how hands-on it needs to be
Small groups cost more per head and teach more per head. With four or five people, everyone gets time on the camera, gets corrected on the spot, and leaves having repeated the exercise several times. With a larger group, people share equipment and watch each other, which spreads the cost but gives each person fewer turns.
We will suggest a sensible group size when you tell us who is attending and what they already do. A group of experienced camera operators needs a different session from reporters who have only filmed on a phone. Mixed groups are fine, though it helps to tell us the range of experience beforehand so the pace suits the room.
Where a group is large, we may recommend splitting it across two sessions rather than losing the practical element.
Location, travel and equipment
We are based in Stirling and travel across Scotland and the north of England. Training at your own premises keeps staff close to their desks and lets us work in the spaces they actually film in, such as your corridor, car park or small studio. The price then includes our travel time and any overnight stay a distant booking needs.
Alternatively, groups can come to us, which removes travel from the quotation. Either way, we bring the equipment we teach with, including cameras, tripods, lights and microphones, unless you would rather train on your own kit. Using your own gear is often more useful, as staff learn the settings of the camera they will pick up on the day.
Tell us which option you prefer and we will quote accordingly.
- Training at your premises or in Stirling
- Our equipment or yours
- Distance travelled and any overnight stay
What the quoted price includes, and what changes it
A written quotation states the length of the session, the topics, the number of attendees we have planned for and the location. It covers preparation, delivery and a short set of notes for staff to keep afterwards. Nothing is hidden in the margins, and the quotation is confirmed in writing before anything is booked.
Changes after confirmation can alter the figure. Adding a topic, extending the day, moving to a different site or increasing the group size all affect the cost, and we will tell you before going ahead rather than adjust it afterwards. Cancellations and refunds follow the payment and refund policy, which you can read on its own page.
Payment is by invoice and bank transfer, once the work is agreed. Nothing is paid on the website itself.
- Included: preparation, delivery and written notes
- Changes: topics, hours, site, group size
Getting a figure for your newsroom
The simplest route is to use the contact page and describe what you want: who will attend, what kind of stories they film, and roughly when. Duncan, who handles quotations and scheduling, will reply with questions if anything is unclear and then send a written quotation.
It helps to mention any particular weakness you have noticed, such as shaky handheld footage, flat lighting in a small room or wind noise on location. We can then direct the time to those problems rather than covering everything lightly. You are under no obligation once you have the quotation, and it is fine to compare it with other options.
If you are unsure whether training or hands-on crew support suits you better, say so and we will talk through both.
The cost of camera technique training comes down to a few plain things: how long we are with your staff, how many of them there are, where we meet and whose equipment we use. None of it is complicated, and a written quotation sets it out before you commit. If you are weighing it up this autumn, send us a few details through the contact page and we will put a figure on it.