Confirm who is appearing
Create a final contributor list with arrival times, contact details and the part each person will cover. Make sure managers allow realistic time away from normal duties. An interview slot includes briefing, microphone fitting, framing and repeat answers—not only the words used in the edit.
Tell contributors where the video will appear and what the discussion will cover. Arrange the permissions or releases your organisation requires, particularly for customers, members of the public and anyone whose participation is not part of their usual role.
Nominate substitutes only where they can credibly provide the same perspective. Replacing a technical expert with somebody unfamiliar with the subject rarely saves time.
Help interviewees prepare without sounding memorised
Share themes and likely questions instead of asking people to learn paragraphs word for word. They should understand the facts, examples and terminology that matter. Exact scripts suit wording that must remain legally or operationally precise, but conversational interviews usually benefit from natural phrasing.
- Listen to the full question before answering.
- Use complete thoughts where possible.
- Speak to the interviewer rather than watching the camera unless directed otherwise.
- Pause and begin again when needed.
- Expect questions to be rephrased.
- Remember that hesitations and repeated takes are normal and editable.
A short, calm briefing on the day is often more useful than rehearsing until every answer sounds performed.
Choose clothing that suits the role and location
There is no universal rule that everybody must wear plain dark colours. Consider how contributors will look together and whether uniforms or branded clothing need to be consistent.
Very fine stripes, tight checks and tiny repeating patterns can create distracting interference on some cameras. Reflective accessories, noisy jewellery or prominent unrelated branding can also draw attention. Bring an alternative top or jacket when practical, especially when the background is not yet confirmed.
Check uniforms for the correct logos and role-specific PPE. People should still feel comfortable and recognisable; the goal is not to disguise the workplace.
Prepare interview rooms and working locations
Reserve rooms for longer than the interview slots. The crew needs setup and adjustment time, and contributors may run late. Remove avoidable clutter, confidential papers and temporary notices without stripping the room of all character.
Look behind the intended seat. Check bins, cables, whiteboards, bright windows, screens and distracting objects. Listen for air conditioning, refrigerators, traffic, building work and conversations next door. Do not disable essential systems without permission; identify controllable noise and explain operational constraints.
Confirm enough working space and access to power. A small room filled by a boardroom table can restrict camera and lighting positions even when it looks spacious in a photograph.
Coordinate reception, security and access
Tell reception and security who is arriving, when and with what equipment. Arrange parking or loading near the working area where possible. Confirm lifts, stairs, access cards, escorts and time restrictions.
Share visitor registration, induction, permit, method-statement and PPE requirements early enough for the crew to comply. On construction or industrial sites, identify the responsible safety contact and any area where filming cannot interrupt operations.
Nominate one client contact who can make practical decisions. The crew should not have to search the building for somebody authorised to open a room or approve a schedule change.
Gather brand assets, products and demonstration material
Provide approved logos, fonts, colours and brand guidance in usable formats before editing begins. Prepare realistic, non-confidential content for screens, software or presentations, and test the required accounts.
Products should be complete, clean and in the correct packaging. Uniforms, props, printed material and signage should reflect what the audience is meant to see. Label the correct version when several products are available.
Check whether claims, prices, statistics or customer names need internal approval. Capturing accurate material is easier than replacing it after filming.
Prepare useful B-roll and demonstrations
Interviews may explain the message; B-roll should show the organisation, people and work. List processes and interactions that provide useful evidence. Confirm that the right employees, equipment, products and spaces will be active at the scheduled time.
A demonstration should be safe, accurate and visually understandable. Brief the operator on what can be repeated, paused or filmed from another angle. For software, use an account populated with realistic but invented data.
It is reasonable to repeat a real action for coverage. Do not stage an impressive-looking process that customers or employees would never encounter.
Protect confidential and personal information
Inspect monitors, paperwork, whiteboards, visitor boards and wall displays. Remove names, financial data, passwords, medical information and commercially sensitive plans from view. Use demonstration accounts instead of real customer records.
Tell staff where filming will happen and identify people who should not appear. Consider customer-facing areas, reflective surfaces and background movement. If a process is confidential, agree another angle or a safe demonstration rather than hoping it can be hidden later.
The production team can frame and edit carefully, but the organisation knows which people, information and areas are sensitive and must set its own privacy and consent requirements.
Build contingency into the schedule
Do not book contributors back-to-back with no allowance for setup, overrunning meetings or repeat answers. Group people and shots by location to reduce equipment moves. Separate fixed operational moments from flexible material.
Avoid placing every critical scene late in the schedule. Include meal breaks, room changes and travel between sites. A timetable coordinates the work; it does not prove that every minute can be filled.
Day-before checklist
- Reconfirm crew arrival, parking, loading and access.
- Send the final schedule and contributor contacts.
- Confirm rooms and operational filming windows.
- Check products, uniforms, props and presentation material.
- Prepare logos and approved brand assets.
- Remove confidential paperwork and screen data.
- Confirm inductions, permits, PPE and the safety contact.
- Tell reception, security and affected teams.
- Prepare client-owned demonstration devices.
- Review weather and exterior alternatives where relevant.
If something changes
Business operations move, contributors become unavailable and weather changes. Tell the crew early and explain which outcome matters most. A different room, order or demonstration may still work when the objective is clear.
For the crew’s sequence after arrival, read what happens on a professional shoot. Start earlier in the process with the video brief guide, explore The Camera Guys’ professional videography, or discuss your shoot.
