You’ve been working away with a video company and planning your video production for your charity or business, and you’re excited; the shoot day is finally here, and the film crew are arriving. It’s essential to be prepared, as good preparation leads to better results and efficient use of filming time.
Here are the key stages where you can help prepare for a video shoot and what to expect. A professional studio will manage much of this process and should keep you informed as the production goes along, but you can help keep the project moving at a good pace. Being aware of these points will help you avoid costly reshoots and capture all the content you need with less stress.
We’ve written about the complete Video production workflow for corporate video productions before, which you can read about; today, we’re just concentrating on the corporate video shoot day logistics. This preparation is helpful for most any kind of corporate or live action video production
Before the Shoot (1-2 Weeks Prior)
You and the video production studio should confirm the filming schedule, shoot list, and timeline. This document should include any location/rooms you’ll be filming in, what shots are needed, who needs to be there and the timings of the day(s). If it takes a long time to get between areas of the site, then allow for this time in the schedule.
We’ve been to sites filming corporate video where we needed to do a full PPE change between and needed to allow a full 15 mins between areas.
The crew will need about 1 hour to set up for a typical interview-based video, get familiar with the location, find the right space, set up lights and get the first person mic’d up. So, this will be added to the start of the day.
Designate a single point of contact from your team for the day. This will help the film crew on the day so they know who to ask questions to or make suggestions to. This usually helps if this person has been involved with the project planning, but it’s okay if not.
If there are any unusual situations, such as parking information or building access codes, please share this with the crew well in advance and let them know exactly where to meet.
If any training information, such as a video or a safety quiz, is required to get onto the site, then allow this time before the shoot too.
The video production company should also provide a quick document with a summary of the day, everyone’s contact details, and the location details so that you can refer to it beforehand and on the day if required.
Location Preparation
Clear the filming area of unnecessary items; you’d be surprised how many dangly cables, bits of old paper, etc, there are. You need to ensure all areas are clean and presentable.
In our experience, if you’re filming in a factory, you’ll need to walk around and have managers check each area carefully. The professional camera crew will also pick your location’s best angles and are very used to being resourceful when it comes to showcasing your best light, but it helps to make sure.
For filming interviews or people, a large bright room is often a good choice and will add depth. The crew may also use lighting. If no large rooms are available, the camera operator may use lighting gels, black-out stands, and other equipment to create a different feel so that it looks professional and does not look like a cramped tiny office. Or even film outside if it’s relevant.
Sound quality is important. If possible, turn off noisy HVAC systems during filming or anything else, like noisy water systems.
Reserve a separate room for crew equipment storage so the crew can lock items away when not in use.
Team Preparation
Select and brief team members who will appear on camera – if they have questions to answer on film, let them review them, but don’t try to rehearse any answers too much, as it can become too much pressure and stifled. Usually, the crew and director are experienced in making anyone feel comfortable and at ease in front of the camera and will do retakes or find different ways to make it work.
For anyone appearing prominently on camera, share wardrobe guidelines provided by the production company; for example, avoid small patterns, and bright red. Though this isn’t always necessary
For staff that may appear in the final video production but not necessarily central – such as in the B-roll, check over any uniform and ensure it’s clean, proper, matching, not ripped, etc. This is the same for any PPE, for example, if filming on a construction site – especially if it’s for training purposes. If the crew spend time filming a shot that then has to be thrown out, it is disappointing for all.
Clean, matching uniforms make a big difference to the professionalism of the final video, so make sure spares are available just in case anyone has forgotten or it looks subpar.
If many staff are talking to the camera, schedule team members in blocks to avoid waiting time. It can waste a lot of time if people need to be found before going on camera each time. This leaves less time for creativity and visual variety in shots.
Brief non-participating staff about noise levels and any access restrictions. If there are noisy corridors and many interviews to film, you may need an extra person outside to stop slamming doors and keep people quieter.
Setting up 2 camera set up in an office with lighting
Content Preparation
Take the time to review and approve the final script/talking points. You don’t want to pay for a reshoot, so make sure the script and video story really align with your vision before it’s recorded. Hopefully you and the production studio have been very thorough in this, as the script or questionnaire will drive the whole story.
If you’re doing interviews, you can do a small practice of responses, but avoid repeating very complex or corporate-sounding responses; they will feel unnatural. If you’re talking on teleprompt, practice is less important, but it will help you feel less nervous if you’re more prepared.
If you’re doing a product promo shoot, gather any props or products needed in the shoot so they’re readily available.
Prepare any computer screens/presentations that will be filmed. Even if screens are in the background, a company or organisation website will look better than a black screen, so check you can log onto the computers to do this.
On the Day Logistics
If you regularly have a full car park, reserve parking spaces for production vehicles – close to the entrance if at all possible, as the gear can be quite heavy. You’ve often got multiple cameras, gimbals, batteries, tripods, lighting and mics in large hardcases.
Have refreshments available or a plan for where everyone can have lunch and access to water.
Have your point person available at all times
Keep contact numbers handy for everyone, including building maintenance.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid choosing a filming day when there are construction or cleaning services.
Make sure every person who is due to be on camera can attend the day.
Don’t try to do anything else during the day; stay focused and present if you can.
Don’t change the shoot plan drastically unless something goes wrong; always keep the crew informed of changes.
Don’t assume the crew can “workaround” normal office activities – unless that’s what you need to capture.
Now that the filming day has ended, the professional crew will let you know how they think it went, and the footage will be transformed into a great video for your organisation. If you’re thinking about filming for your brand or organisation, please let us know. We’d be happy to help.
