1. Enquiry and brief
The first stage establishes objective, audience, use, locations, contributors, deliverables, deadline and budget context. An open request for “some video content” needs more development before resources can be estimated responsibly.
If a film needs compliance approval, customer contributors, animation or vertical versions, those facts should shape the timeline from the beginning. Our brief guide helps make them visible.
2. Pre-production
Pre-production can include creative development, scripts, interview questions, shot lists, schedules, location checks, contributor coordination, permissions and brand preparation.
A simple interview may need only a focused version. A campaign with controlled scenes or several sites needs more. Script approval is a common dependency: filming cannot efficiently begin while essential wording remains disputed.
3. Scheduling people and places
Availability can take longer than the creative work. Directors, customers, employees, venues and specialist locations may all need to align. Operational businesses also have inductions or processes that can be filmed only at particular times.
Weather adds uncertainty to exterior and drone work. Distinguish essential outdoor footage from material that can move or be replaced.
4. Filming
Filming time includes arrival, unloading, access, setup, sound and lighting checks, contributor briefing, camera repositioning and pack-down. A three-hour booking does not create three uninterrupted hours of finished performance.
A one-day shoot describes the production stage only. The footage still needs secure handling, review, editing, approval and delivery.
5. Footage management and first edit
After filming, media is copied, checked, backed up and organised. Multi-camera recordings and separate sound may need synchronising; interviews must be reviewed before the strongest material can be shaped.
The first edit may also involve music, audio cleanup, colour, titles, logos, graphics, captions and placeholders for missing assets. Source volume and deliverable count matter more than finished runtime alone.
6. Client review
Review is often the least predictable stage. Give stakeholders a viewing deadline and ask one person to consolidate feedback. Bring senior, legal, brand and technical reviewers in at the appropriate point rather than after other approvals are complete.
Delayed or contradictory comments pause the project. The production company cannot complete revisions against feedback it has not received.
7. Revisions and delivery
Focused corrections can be completed efficiently. Structural, message or deliverable changes take longer, particularly when they reverse decisions approved before filming.
Final delivery may include several aspect ratios, captions, clean masters or files for a display system. Each needs export and checking; event playback or advertising platforms may need a technical test.
What commonly delays production?
- Unconfirmed contributors, access, inductions or permissions.
- Scripts waiting for several approvers.
- Weather-dependent exterior footage.
- Missing products, logos or presentation material.
- Large footage volumes, animation or complex sound work.
- New deliverables requested after filming.
- Slow, contradictory or newly escalated feedback.
- Substantial changes to the agreed message.
Work backwards from a fixed launch
Start with the date approved files must be available, not the day they will first be discussed. Reserve time for publishing and final checks, then the agreed revision and review periods, first edit, footage handling and filming.
Continue backwards through contributor confirmation, script or question approval, access and creative development. This exposes which decisions have no remaining flexibility.
How to keep the schedule moving
Confirm people and access early, approve claims before filming, supply usable brand assets, reserve stakeholder review time and plan platform versions in advance. Speed should come from removing waiting and uncertainty, not skipping sound checks, backups or meaningful review.
See what happens on the shoot day and how the scope affects production cost. Explore The Camera Guys’ videography, or discuss a fixed deadline.
