Ready, Set, Shoot: How to Prepare for Your Video Production Day

A Few Days Before the Shoot: Plan and Practice

• Review the Game Plan: By this point, in pre-production, we’ve likely worked with you to develop a script or at least a list of talking points if you’ll be speaking on camera. A few days before the shoot, take time to familiarise yourself with this material. You don’t need to memorise lines word-for-word (unless you’re doing a specific script and you feel comfortable doing so), but you should know the gist of what you want to say. If it’s an interview style, review the questions and think about how you’d answer in a natural way. The more comfortable you are with the content, the easier it will flow on camera. Maybe practice out loud a couple of times. Not to sound rehearsed, just to get over the initial awkwardness of hearing yourself say it. This will also reveal if there are any words you trip over or points that aren’t clear, so we can adjust before filming.

• Take Care of Any “Props” or Visuals: If you’re demoing a product, make sure you have it handy and it looks its best (clean it, etc.). If you want certain items in the background (say, your branded mug on your desk, or an award plaque on the wall), have those set up. Essentially, prepare your environment. We’ll of course adjust things on shoot day as needed, but it helps if you’ve given some thought to what you want visible. If filming at your location, do a quick tidy-up: remove clutter that doesn’t look great on camera, clear personal or sensitive info from view (like that whiteboard with your sales figures or passwords – hide that!). A clean, uncluttered space looks more professional.

• Wardrobe Considerations: Plan what you’ll wear on camera a day or two in advance. Pick something that makes you feel confident and is appropriate to your brand image. Generally, solid colours are a safe bet. Avoid super busy patterns, stripes, or any clothing with tiny intricate designs – these can cause weird effects on camera (the camera sometimes “buzzes” with tight patterns). Also avoid pure white or pure black if possible; off-whites, blues, greens, etc., tend to look better on video. If you have a company branded shirt or something that fits the context, that’s great. Most importantly, wear something comfortable that you can move in and that feels like you. If you’re not a suit-and-tie kinda person, you don’t have to suddenly dress up like one (unless the video’s tone really calls for formal). For many small biz videos, business-casual or whatever you’d normally meet a client in is perfect. Pro tip: Have a backup outfit handy, just in case you spill coffee on the first choice that morning (hey, it happens!).

• Personal Prep: Get your rest and stay hydrated! It might sound trivial, but a good night’s sleep will help you look fresh and have more energy on camera Being on camera can surprisingly tire you out (all those lights and nerves), so starting well-rested is key. Drinking plenty of water the day before and morning of helps too (hydrated skin looks better, and it keeps your voice clear). If you consume caffeine, maybe have a little less than usual if you’re jittery, but do what keeps you in your normal zone. Also, if you’re due for a haircut or routine grooming, do that a few days before so you’re comfortable with how it looks. And, yes, if you’re thinking of getting that brand new experimental haircut or dramatically different look – maybe save that for after the shoot, so you still look like the same person as in your other materials.

• Relaxation Techniques: If the thought of being filmed is tying your stomach in knots, try a little practice of relaxation. Whether it’s deep breathing exercises, a short meditation, or jamming out to your favourite pump-up song, do what works for you to manage stress. Remind yourself: you’re going to do fine. It’s literally our job to make you look and sound good. We will guide you through it, and any mistakes can be fixed in editing. We’ve got your back!

The Day of the Shoot: Ready to Roll

• Eat Breakfast (and Bring Snacks): On the morning of the shoot, have a decent breakfast/lunch (depending on time). You don’t want to be starving or lightheaded under the lights. But also avoid heavy, greasy foods right before filming; they can make you sluggish. And watch the dairy if it sometimes affects your throat/phlegm (some people avoid lots of milk because it can thicken saliva – minor detail, but hey, we’re being thorough!). We’ll have water on set; staying hydrated helps keep your voice clear. Having a few light snacks can keep energy up if it’s a long session. Nuts, fruit, granola bars, whatever you like.

• Dress and Groom for Camera: Put on that outfit you picked. Give it a once-over in good light, no stains or wrinkles sneaked in? If you have makeup you normally wear and you feel you look a bit shiny, a light powder can cut down shine (we can also provide basic translucent powder if you’re okay with that. It’s common even for men to wear a dab of powder on camera to not look sweaty). If you don’t normally wear makeup, don’t worry; you don’t have to. Just make sure you feel presentable as you’d want customers to see you. If you tend to get shiny, having a clean handkerchief or oil blotting sheet to dab your face between takes can help.

• Arrive (or Be Home) On-Time and Relaxed: If we’re shooting at your location, we’ll arrive at the agreed time (or you at our studio, if that’s the case). We’ll handle setup; you don’t need to do heavy lifting. Just ensure the area is roughly as we planned (quiet, no unexpected construction noise or interruptions scheduled). We’ll adjust any furniture or background items as needed for best composition. This setup time is also your time to settle in. We’ll test lighting and you can see how it looks, etc.

• During the Shoot – Our Tips as We Go: Now, when it’s go-time, here’s what to keep in mind:

  • Follow Our Lead: We’ll guide you on where to stand or sit, where to look (often at the interviewer or just off-camera, unless you’re addressing the audience directly, which we’ll clarify), and what to do with your hands. If you’re not sure what to do with those hands, holding a prop (like your product, a pen, or just clasping them) can help. Or use natural gestures as you talk – that’s totally fine, it often looks more engaging.

  • Speak Clearly, Be Yourself: Talk to the interviewer or camera like you’re talking to a friendly client. If you stumble on a word, no worries – pause, take a breath, start the sentence over. We will edit out the stumbles later. It’s completely normal to do multiple takes. Even pros fluff their lines. We might ask you to do a second take of something even if you nailed it, just for safety. Sometimes we might say, “That was great, can you do it one more time with a bit more enthusiasm on the product name?” – think of it as small adjustments, not that you did it wrong.

  • Facial Expressions and Energy: The camera tends to “flatten” things a bit, so slightly more energy than your normal conversational tone can come across well on video. That means if you can muster a smile (where appropriate) and an upbeat tone, it’ll make you seem warm and confident. If it’s a serious topic, you don’t need to grin, but still, let your passion show. It’s okay to be animated. If you feel your face is getting tense, we might crack a joke to loosen you up. It’s our job to help you relax. Some people find it helps to do a little practice line or even a silly face before the real take, just to shake out the nerves.

  • Trust the Crew: Remember, we’re on your side. We’re watching for all those things you might worry about. Hair out of place? Collar sticking up? We’ll notice and adjust it for you. Not sure if that sentence sounded right? We probably have an idea to tweak it. Take comfort that you’re in good hands – we’ve done this many times. As one pro tip from our experience: we will always do multiple takes and we can edit, so there’s literally no such thing as failure here. Worst case, we just do another take. So you can’t fail – you can only improve with each try. This mindset helps take the pressure off.

• Little Things: We’ll remind you of these on set, but here’s a heads up:

  • Try to avoid a lot of filler words like “um, uh, like, you know.” Everyone uses them (heck, we do too!), and it’s fine – we can trim them out – but being mindful can reduce them. A tip is to pause instead of saying “um” when thinking. Pauses actually look fine on video.

  • Posture: Sit or stand up straight, but in a relaxed way. Good posture helps you breathe and project your voice better. If on a chair, sit toward the edge a bit to avoid slouching.

  • Eye contact: If we direct you to look at the interviewer (off camera), maintain that as much as possible, as if having a normal chat. If we say look at the camera (for a direct address), imagine you’re talking to one specific customer and maintain a friendly gaze. If your eyes dart around because you’re thinking – that’s okay, you’re allowed to think! – but generally try to focus either on the person or the camera lens as instructed.

  • Take Breaks: If you need a minute, or your mouth is dry, or you want to redo a line, just tell us. We can pause. Shoots aren’t live broadcasts (unless it actually is a live stream) so we can always pause recording. We often break up the session anyway to adjust lights or camera angles. Use those moments to take a sip of water and breathe.

After the Shoot: That’s a Wrap!

Once we’ve captured everything, congratulations! The hard part (for you) is over! We’ll likely take care of packing up gear. You can finally exhale and treat yourself to something nice (you’ve earned that fancy latte or a nice lunch!). We’ll handle the footage from here through the editing process.

One thing we encourage: reflect on the experience. You’ll probably realise it wasn’t as bad as you imagined. In fact, many clients tell us it was even kind of fun. Being on camera gets easier each time, and you might start feeling like a mini-celebrity in your own circles (“hey, I was on camera and survived!”).

If you think of something you forgot to say, let us know ASAP. Depending on what it is, we might be able to cover it with voice-over or graphics in post-production, or we might say don’t worry about it. We aim to get everything needed during the shoot, but we understand that “Oh, I wish I mentioned XYZ” feeling can happen. Communicate with us and we’ll see what’s possible.

Finally, give yourself a pat on the back. Being in front of a camera with lights and crew – that’s not an everyday thing for most people. You stepped out of your comfort zone to promote your business, and that’s huge. We truly believe authentic representation (you as the face and voice of your brand) is powerful, and you just did that.

Our goal is not just to make a great video, but to make the process enjoyable for you. We want you to look back and think, “That wasn’t so hard – I might even do it again for the next video.” And who knows, maybe we have a future star in the making!

Remember, whether it’s your first video shoot or your fiftieth, preparation and a positive mindset go a long way. We’re here to guide you every step of the way, from the initial concept to shouting “that’s a wrap!” on a successful shoot day. Lights, camera, confidence – you’ve got this!