Preparing for a video shoot

If you have not been involved with creating a video before then the process can seem a little daunting. Here are a few tips to consider when preparing for your shoot that may help you be a little more prepared.

1. Make a list of objectives. Listing the primary objectives can help you ensure everything included is relevant and will help you decide what can be left out.
2. Consider your target audience. When creating any new type of communication it is critical that the content and delivery is suitable for the intended viewers. Bullet point your content. A short list of 5-20 bullet points (depending on the project size) will help you to outline the video content and provide a structure on which to create a script and select required shots.
3. Write a draft script (if applicable). Using your bullet points above, draft out a rough script assuming approx. 150 words per minute. Remember that you need to allow time to show important shots (or collections of shots) therefore the script needs to allow time to show everything in sequence. Practise reading the script, improve where necessary checking timings as you go. Also consider the title for your video as this will be required during the editing process.
4. Make a list of important shots that need to be featured in the video as mentioned in your draft script above. There is no need to make this an extensive or detailed shot list, it just needs to feature the important images to show in your video. Extra shots will normally be obtained on the day offering some alternatives/extras if needed.
5. Consider a shooting schedule. Lighting, noise, availability of  people/equipment and the British weather will all effect the shooting schedule. A rough plan of what can be shot when, will help efficiency on the day and can help prevent potential problems. Bright sunny conditions are not ideal for filming as deep shadows and bright highlights can make obtaining a good shot rather tricky. Slightly overcast days are much better and it is always best to shoot in the mid morning or mid/late afternoon. Consider the position of the sun in the sky for exterior shots as deep shadows tend to look black on video footage.
6. Obtain permission where needed. People, places and brand names are all copyrighted and will normally need advanced permission before they can be included in your video. You can download our model release form for any featured people, and we recommend obtaining written/email permission for any locations and products that are not owned by you.
7. Wardrobe and make-up. Avoid wearing white, black or very bright colours, instead consider subtle colours preferably without fine stripes or checks as these can cause interesting patterns. Garments that feature obvious logos or branding ideally should not be worn as technically you would need permission! Most interior interview set-ups will use additional lighting which can be rather warm and therefore you should apply the above suggestions to both t-shirts/shirts/blouses and above layers. Make-up is not essential, we recommend sticking with whatever you normally wear (if any).
8. Avoid interruptions. Where possible schedule deliveries for outside of the shooting schedule, switch on your answerphone, switch off your mobile and discourage an audience. Most video shoots are tight for time and interruptions may cause the schedule to drift and effect the concentration of participants.
9. Consider a dry run. Without the film crew present, walk the schedule and attempt to find problems and improvements that can be made. Ideally this should be done at the same time of day to ensure any lighting issues are also discovered. Amend the schedule and take notes as appropriate. Tidying up filming areas will help your video look less cluttered as well as creating a safer working environment.
10. Conduct a Risk Assessment. When shooting a video on your premises there is a joint Health and Safety responsibility to consider. The video crew will prepare a risk assessment based on normal filming risks, this needs to be amended to include any additional risks that you identify based on the location and activities planned. Please note that animals and children will require additional supervision or exclusion from areas where lights, camera cranes or other specialist equipment is operated.

If you have any questions about any of the points above please contact us and we will be happy to help. We would appreciate seeing the shot list, draft script and risk assessment before the day so that we can check through and assist where needed. The permission forms can be completed on the day although we suggest that this is completed before filming starts as retrospective permission is rather risky!

If you are using our voice-over and script writing services then points 3, 4 and 5 may not apply in quite the same way.

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