What Belfast and Dublin video production rates and rules for both markets mean for your brief

What to take away

Belfast day rates undercut Dublin on direction, camera, edit and studio, so a Belfast quote usually buys more shooting time per pound.
One cross-border-capable agency is cheaper below about £35,000 of production spend (illustrative threshold). Two local agencies start to pay above that.
Every cut needs two clearances: the ASA CAP Code for UK audiences and the ASAI code for Irish audiences.
Fix the contract currency at signature, because sterling and euro movement over six months can beat the day-rate gap.

Day rates in Belfast and Dublin compared

The money question comes down to four lines: direction, camera, edit and studio day. The ranges below are illustrative planning figures, not published rate cards.

Day rates compared

Belfast, GBP a day

Director, senior: 700 to 1,100
Camera operator: 450 to 650
Offline editor: 400 to 600
Studio day, small dry hire: 600 to 900

Dublin, EUR a day

Director, senior: 900 to 1,500
Camera operator: 550 to 850
Offline editor: 500 to 750
Studio day, small dry hire: 800 to 1,200

All figures exclude VAT.

Named examples for video marketing work: Whitenoise Studios (Belfast) is production-led, while Piranha Bar (Dublin) is animation and live action. Windmill Lane (Dublin) covers post and VFX. Waddell Media (Holywood, near Belfast) is a TV and video production base. Pair a Belfast production company with a Dublin post house for the Irish cut.

Belfast vs Dublin cost lines

Belfast

Director / senior editor: lower day rate
Camera operator: cheaper
Studio space: cheaper per day
Post-production suite: same gap
Rate spikes when: crew flies in

Dublin

Director / senior editor: higher day rate
Camera operator: costlier
Studio space: pricier per day
Post-production suite: same gap
Rate spikes when: top Irish talent

Dublin sits higher because the city competes with London and international hubs for crew. Belfast sits lower because the regional cost base is lower. Northern Ireland output per head trails the UK average, and the Regional accounts set out that gap.

That gap is not fixed. Dublin rates jump when a campaign books top-tier Irish talent or a city centre location. Belfast rates jump when specialist crew travel in from London or Manchester. For how a quote is built up, see this guide to costs and pricing.

Example: one 60-second brief, two quotes

A brand wants one 60-second hero film, three 15-second cutdowns and subtitles for both markets. Two agencies quote the same scope.

One 60-second brief, two quotes

Belfast quote, illustrative, in sterlingthree direction days, two shoot days, four edit days, colour, sound and subtitles, £26,500.
Dublin quote, illustrative, in eurosame scope plus Irish casting contacts, €38,000.
Convert at a fixed £1 = €1.17 (illustrative), which puts the Dublin quote near £32,500.
The gap is roughly £6,000, close to two days of travel and accommodation in Dublin for a Belfast crew.

Ask both agencies for four numbers: pre-production, shoot, post and delivery. A single package price hides where the £6,000 sits.

Where two quotes still will not line up, the checks in this supplier comparison explain how to compare scope rather than headline price.

One agency or two: the budget threshold

Below about £35,000 of production spend (illustrative), use one agency that can clear both rulebooks. One contract, one currency and one compliance review cost less than two retainers.

One agency or two

Under £35,000one agency, with local voice and casting pickups bought in.
£35,000 to £80,000one lead agency plus a casting partner in the other market.
Above £80,000two agencies, each owning its own market and its own shoot days.

For example, below £35,000 a Belfast lead such as Whitenoise Studios or Waddell Media can buy Dublin animation or live action from Piranha Bar. Above £80,000, pair a Belfast production agency such as Whitenoise Studios with a Dublin post house such as Windmill Lane.

One agency or two?

Does the creative idea change by market?

Yes

use two agencies

use one agency

ASA, CAP Code and ASAI on the same script

UK ads, including online video, follow the ASA and CAP Code. CAP Code rule 3.1 bans misleading claims. Rule 3.7 requires documentary evidence for claims before publication, and rule 3.33 covers comparisons with identifiable competitors. The advertising codes hub holds the full text.

Irish ads fall under the ASAI Code of Standards for Advertising and Marketing Communications in Ireland. Its general principles turn on legality, decency, honesty and truthfulness, judged by the ASAI Complaints Committee.

One clearance is not enough. A comparative claim that passes in Belfast can need stronger substantiation in Dublin. This guide to advertising rules covers where comparative claims tend to fail.

Currency, VAT and the clauses to fix

Agree the invoicing currency before creative development starts.
Fix the exchange rate at signature, or name who carries later movement.
Confirm where VAT is due; business-to-business services are usually taxed where the customer is established.
Set payment terms in days, with instalments tied to delivery stages.
Cover reshoot costs triggered by a script change after clearance.

HMRC sets UK VAT and Revenue sets Irish VAT. GOV.UK tax is the starting point for the UK side.

Common questions

Is a Belfast agency cheaper than a Dublin agency?

Yes on day rates, studio days and local crew. A Dublin quote can still win when it includes Irish casting, locations and voices you would otherwise buy in.

Which rules apply to a video shown in both markets?

The ASA and CAP Code cover the UK version. The ASAI code covers the Irish version. Clear each cut separately.

Do I need one agency or two?

One below about £35,000 of spend (illustrative). Above £80,000, or where each market needs its own shoot days, two agencies usually cost less.

How does VAT work across the border?

For most business-to-business services, VAT follows the customer's location rather than the shoot address. Confirm the place of supply for each line before signing.