A great shoot day is mostly decided before the cameras arrive. Use this checklist to keep your video on time, on budget and on message.
Two to four weeks before
- Agree on the goal and the audience. One job, one viewer. The free Story Starter helps.
- Choose who will be on camera. People who light up when they talk about the work, not just the most senior titles.
- List who approves the final video, and get them involved now rather than at the end.
- Confirm locations and permission to film, including any property owners or managers.
- Plan releases. Everyone on camera should sign one. Minors need a parent or guardian's consent.
- Gather brand assets: logos, fonts, colors and any product or customer names to get right.
- Make a wish list of moments to capture: the real work, the people, the places that make you different.
- Flag any aerial shots so the pilot can check airspace and request authorization if needed.
The week before
- Share the schedule with everyone involved, with a little buffer between interviews.
- Send interview topics, not scripts. People sound most natural when they know the subject but not the lines.
- Share wardrobe guidance: solid colors, no thin stripes or tiny patterns, nothing with other brands' logos, and a backup option.
- Tidy the spaces we will film, and check that signage and screens show what you want seen.
- Tell your team a crew will be on site, and sort out parking and where to load in gear.
On the day
- Find a quiet room for interviews. Air handlers, ice machines, paging systems and phones all show up on audio.
- Name one point of contact who can make quick decisions.
- Give people a warm up. The first few minutes on camera are rarely the best. Have water and breaks ready.
- Let the work happen. The best footage is real work, not a reenactment of it.
After the shoot
- Review each cut against the goal, not personal taste.
- Send one set of notes per round, gathered by one person, so feedback does not conflict.
- Plan distribution before launch: homepage, social, email, sales decks and events.
- Ask for captions and cutdowns so the video works everywhere it will live.
Planning a project now? Start with the free Story Starter, see our process, or get a quote.