How to make a corporate film shoot memorable and positive

In client and stakeholder management, sometimes it’s the little things that count to make an experience memorable and positive.

One situation that can cause stress is the filming of a hype reel, usually used to promote a company, new brand or announcement, such as a partnership.  

We find shooting hype reels fun, but for the people on the other side of the camera, in front, it could be stressful due to either inexperience or they have a million other things on that day and in that very moment, this reel seems the least of their priorities.

So, how do you make the shoot as stress-free as possible. It’s simple, you plan it down to the minute and bring a few tricks to charm those involved. Here’s a few tips to think about:  

Videographer: Engage a flexible videographer who rolls with the punches. Often filming days or hours are scheduled around when important people are available, such as CEOs or case studies. Our videographer must be a magical bundle of being creative, kind, not-precious, realistic with time, diplomatic and respectful. 

Be prepared: We make sure we’re prepared with a video brief circulated to our client and videographer before-hand. This includes a run sheet (down to the minute), contact details of everyone involved, outfit and prop requirements, questions for interviews, key messages, expectations and key outcomes, including a deadline for the finished product. Make sure you bring a print out of this document so everyone can refer to it throughout the shoot.  

Bring a ‘kit’: Besides any of the technical items for a shoot, such as a camera, lighting, sound equipment and more, I suggest also taking a kit with a few helpful items. This could include:

-       Water and juice

-       Some clean snacks (avoid anything seedy that get stuck in teeth or messy that could end up on clothes)

-       A comb (perfect for windy days)

-       Compact powder (to get rid of any shine on faces), with disposable sponges

-       A towel (I’ve been at a shoot where it started pouring with rain!)

-       A small umbrella – for sun or wet weather protection

Your journalist or ‘stage-hand’ hat: If you’re not the one filming you’ll often be ‘playing journalist’, asking questions and giving an eye-level for the talent. Listen carefully to the answers to make sure the key messages are being used. Don’t be afraid to give direction to anyone, no matter their rank. Everyone wants to look good on TV! If you’re not asking questions, you could be doing anything else to assist the videographer – be prepared to hold lights, reflectors, microphones and more. 

At Elevate, we can take care of a film shoot from start to end, including the management, filming, editing and delivering of the final product. Our goal is to make the process as easy as possible and produce a great hype reel.

Get in touch with us today to discuss how we can help with your next filming project.