The best way to prepare for a brand video shoot is to settle your message, your on-camera people and your location a week or two before the cameras arrive. When those decisions are made early, shoot day stays on schedule and the footage shows your business at its best.
We have filmed brand videos for companies across St. Louis, St. Charles County and Wentzville, and the smoothest shoots share the same habits. Here is what we ask clients to handle ahead of time.
Lock in your message before shoot day
Know the one thing you want a viewer to remember after watching. Write it down in a single sentence and share it with us. We build the script and interview questions around that sentence, so every answer we capture points in the same direction.
Get approval from anyone who needs to sign off at least a week before filming. Changing the core message on the morning of the shoot usually means reshooting later, which costs time and money.
Choose the right people for your brand video
The best on-camera people are the ones who know the work and genuinely like talking about it. Titles matter less than comfort and honesty.
- Give each person at least a week of notice
- Send interview questions in advance so they can think through their answers
- Let them speak in their own words rather than memorizing a script
- Schedule interviews in blocks so nobody waits around for hours
- Have a backup person in mind in case someone gets sick
If nobody on your team wants to be on camera, our spokesperson video service gives you access to a cast of six professional actors and actresses.
Get your location ready
We bring our own lighting and audio gear, but the space itself still needs some attention. A little prep here saves a lot of time in the edit.
- Clear clutter from desks, shelves and backgrounds
- Identify noise sources like phones, music, loud HVAC units and equipment
- Reserve the rooms we will use for the full shoot window
- Let your front desk and staff know filming is happening
- Confirm where we can park and load gear
If you have a room with good natural window light, tell us. It often becomes our favorite interview spot.
Decide what everyone will wear
Solid colors look best on camera. Thin stripes and small patterns can shimmer on screen, and bright white or pure black can lose detail. Branded shirts work well if they fit your look.
Ask everyone to bring a second outfit option. It takes thirty seconds to pack and can save a shot.
Plan your B-roll moments
B-roll is the footage of your business in action that plays over interviews. It is what makes a brand video feel real. Make a list of five to ten moments you want captured, such as a product being built, a team member helping a customer or a truck pulling out of the lot.
Then schedule real activity during the shoot so those moments actually happen while we are there. Staged scenes work, but genuine work almost always looks better.
What a typical shoot day looks like
We usually arrive early to set up lighting and audio before the first interview. From there we move through interviews, capture B-roll around the building and wrap with any final shots on the list. Many brand video shoots fit into a half day or full day depending on the number of people and locations.
If you also need fresh headshots or team photos, our photography services can often be added to the same day so you only clear the calendar once. You can learn more about how we plan and produce these projects on our brand video production page.
Ready to plan your shoot?
A little preparation turns shoot day into an easy, productive morning for your team. MEM Films walks every client through these steps before filming, so nothing catches you off guard. Contact Us or call (636) 385-8225 to talk through your next brand video.
