Pre-production tips for smooth video shoots

By SouthWorks

Your video shoots are where the magic happens — the place and time your locations, models, and props come together and inspire you to capture unique footage that appeals to stock buyers everywhere. But in order to ensure that every shoot is as creative, productive, and cost-effective as possible, you’ve got to do your pre-production homework.

To make the most of your shoots, check out some production planning best practices that have helped our team be successful. 

Your location will set the tone for your shoot, so it’s important to get it right. Here are a few tips to keep in mind while on the lookout for the perfect setting:

• Consider all your contacts. Ask friends, family members, and even local business owners if they’re willing to let you use their property for your shoot. You can always offer to provide them with family footage, professional headshots, or marketing videos in return for their help. 

• Understand the lighting conditions. As we mentioned in a previous post, make sure your location is bright enough that you can film without needing numerous artificial lights. That way, you’ll have a simpler setup and more space to move around and film multiple scenarios.

If you need to use the location’s built-in lights, make sure they don't cause camera flicker. Also, if they’re directly overhead, avoid using them if they create unattractive shadows. 

• Get property releases signed in advance. When your footage depicts recognizable places, objects, and/or property owned by someone else, you’ll need to get the owners’ permission in writing prior to submitting your content to Adobe Stock. We recommend getting your property releases signed before you invest time, energy, and money in a shoot. If owners change their minds after the fact, you could end up with a lot of unusable footage.

• Scout for recognizable content and trademarks. With photography, it’s easy to use Adobe Photoshop to remove small logos and trademarked material after a shoot. With video, the process is much more time-consuming. And since Adobe Stock can’t accept content that includes trademarks or trade dress, it’s best to avoid capturing any recognizable or trademarked content during your shoots. 

Beforehand, make sure your set is clean and de-cluttered, with no recognizable logos or content on shelves, desks, walls, clothing, or other places. And for trademarks that aren’t easy to remove from the set, always carry a bag of stickers in a variety of colors and sizes so you can cover things up.

Your models can make or break your footage, so dedicate some time to the search. Here are our tips:

• Start casting early. Choose your models well before the shoot. In our experience at Southworks, two to three weeks is ideal. This will give you time to reach out to prospective models and get on their calendars. Also, if your first choices aren’t available or models have to cancel at the last minute, you’ll have enough time to find suitable backups. 

• Find the right talent. When scouting professional talent, check their social media platforms and portfolios, and ask them for up-to-date “talking to camera” videos. Cast actors whenever possible, as they’ll be used to acting out scenes in front of the camera rather than just posing.

When scouting non-professionals, keep in mind that real families or groups of friends are great to cast as they’ll have natural chemistry that comes across on camera. 

• Keep costs in check. Talent can dramatically increase production costs, so we often ask friends and family first. Or, if we’re after a specific look, we’ll put out a casting call on social media or a platform like Craigslist. We always offer models copies of all the video we shoot in exchange for a lower rate, and many take us up on the offer as they appreciate having a fresh set of portfolio videos.

• Keep diversity top of mind. Today’s brands and marketers want to work with stock video that represents the diversity of our world. Aim for inclusive casting that showcases people across all types of identities, ages, communities, and abilities. 

Once you’ve hired models, it’s time to think about their clothing and style. Here are a few ideas to help ensure that your models have the right look:

• Go for timeless fashions. To appeal to a wide range of buyers, you need your content to have universal appeal. So while it’s a good idea to look at current advertising and think about modern colors and upcoming seasons and holidays, try to choose clothing that looks modern but isn’t too edgy or out of the mainstream.

Create a basic mood board, and then share it with your models and ask if they own any similar outfits, or see if you have anything in your own wardrobe that they can wear to keep costs down.

• Avoid brand names and trademarks. Ask your models to stay away from branded clothing and footwear, and cover up small logos, recognizable patterns, and more with stickers and tape. Also, because tattoos are considered owned artwork, ask models if they have any visible tattoos so you can either cover them up or get a signed property release before the shoot.

• Switch it up. Make sure each model has two to four different outfits to wear so you can capture different looks on set.

When planning shot lists, always think through the lists of props you’ll need for each and every shot. For example, if you’re doing an office shoot, you may need laptops, tablets, desktop computers, mobile phones, paperwork, coffee cups, picture frames, potted plants, and more. Here are a few additional tips:

• Find props at home. Bring as many items as you can from your personal belongings so you don’t rack up additional expenses. 

• Keep technology current. Try to use the latest tech so your videos don't feel outdated. Stock buyers will identify a five-year-old mobile phone!

• Again, look out for trademarks. Be sure to mask any logos or trademarks with stickers, cheap phone or tablet cases, or other creative coverings. 

We can’t emphasize it enough — preparation is the key to any successful video shoot. When you put effort into planning, you’ll save time and money. Best of all, your productions will run smoothly, giving you more time to focus on your ideas and create footage stock buyers will love.