Preparing your workspace for a video production shoot

Being prepared for the day of filming is a crucial part of maximising the value of a video shoot and making your budget go further.

Leading up to a shoot, a producer will work with you to decide when people, spaces, and items will need to be available for filming. Making sure you and your team are prepared properly for what will happen on shoot day will help the day run extra smoothly.

Prepared People

Do the people who appear on camera know who the audience is, where the video will be seen, what the key messaging is? Do they know what time they’ll be required, what they should be wearing and how long they’ll be needed for?

Prepared Spaces

Are the spaces clean and tidy? Are they blocked out in booking systems? Does everyone know that’s where you’ll be filming on that day and that there may be some small disruptions?

Prepared Items

Are your products or props you want to show in the video sparkling clean and looking sensational? Are they in the updated packaging or the latest model of that product?

These may seem like odd questions, but if you’re all over this stuff, you’ll save yourself a bucketload of time and hassle, and make sure you’re making the most of your crew’s time. Our shoots are often held up by one or more of these things not being ready.

Broadcast Tips:

Keep you team in the loop.

TV shows often go in a few days or weeks in advance and put up signs declaring that they’ll be filming on particular days. Putting up signs in the break room, on the fridge, in the meeting rooms, etc, letting your colleagues know that filming will take place on particular days, will help remind everyone what is going on and will help make the day run more smoothly.

Be prepared for everything and anything.

A production schedule can help specify times and locations for different aspects to be captured. But beware, if something changes slightly, it can throw a whole schedule out the window, so it’s important to be flexible.