What to expect on a video shoot day

Before the shoot

A good shoot day is mostly decided before the camera comes out. We start with a free call about what you want the video to do, then put a plan on paper:

• The story. What the video is about, in a sentence or two.
• The shot list. Every shot we need, so nothing gets forgotten.
• The schedule. Where we will be, when, and who needs to be there.

You see the plan and the quote before anything is booked.

Getting ready

A little prep the day before makes a big difference on screen:

• Tidy what the camera will see. Counters, the shop floor, the truck. You do not need to remodel, just clear the clutter.
• Tell your team and your customers. Nobody likes a surprise camera. Let anyone who would rather not be filmed say so.
• Decide who is on camera. Pick the people who know the work and are comfortable talking about it.
• Wear what you wear to work. Branded shirts are great. Solid colors film better than tiny stripes or checks.
• Have the work ready. If we are filming a job, a product or a process, line it up so we can catch it happening.
• Plan for quiet. For interviews we will ask to pause the radio, the compressor or the phones for a few minutes.

On the day

1. We arrive and set up. We look at the light, pick the spots and get the gear ready while you keep working.
2. Interviews come first. People are freshest early, so anything where someone talks to the camera happens at the start.
3. Then the work itself. We film you and your team doing what you do. This is the footage that makes a video feel real.
4. Extras. Drone shots, the building, the sign, products. If the plan calls for aerials, the weather has the final say.

If you are nervous about being on camera

Almost everyone is. A few things help:

• You talk to a person standing next to the camera, not to the lens.
• Short answers are better than speeches. We ask, you answer the way you would to a customer.
• Doing it again is normal. Nobody sees the takes we do not use.

After the shoot

Then the editing starts: cutting the story together, color, sound and music, captions. From one shoot we also cut shorter versions for social media, so the day keeps paying off.

You see the video before anyone else does, and nothing goes out until you approve it.