Now that all the important decisions have been made in pre-production for the shoot, it's time to get down to business. To help you memorize the preparations for the shoot, you can rely on the technical breakdown and the schedule. These provide useful details.
Preparing and adapting
Shooting locations must be prepared as agreed. Some rearranging or cleaning may be necessary.
Access to certain locations may require special permissions, such as the use of permits for drone filming. In this case, permissions must be applied for in time to obtain the permit before filming so that you can shoot at the agreed time. The same applies if you plan to rent a location.
Shooting in commercial locations requires special attention, as customers continue to flock there. However, if it is decided to close the premises for the duration of the shoot, this can greatly simplify the task. This way, it's much easier to keep control of everything that happens on set without being interrupted. It's as if the location becomes a studio in itself.
Factory shooting is similar in that the location itself also becomes a studio, this time with multiple sets. On the contrary, there's no need to keep employees apart. They - the volunteers - are filmed in their own departments. In this way, the rest of the factory remains functional and nothing disrupts the filming, since everything has been planned.
Preparing speakers
You'll need to inform company staff that filming will be taking place. And if their participation is required, everyone needs to prepare accordingly (appropriate dress, hairstyle, etc.), even if it's only for short appearances as extras.
Speakers who have to go in front of the camera to recite a text or give a testimonial also need to be prepared (see our text: How to prepare for going in front of the camera). Testimonials should be filmed in a quiet location, large enough to allow the necessary distance between the speaker and the camera, and for the placement of lighting. Recording testimonials in an outdoor location or in the heart of a factory is more complicated and, ideally, should be avoided, as it is impossible to control the sound environment.
Speaking of outdoor shoots, these are subject to the risk of schedule shifts due to weather changes. When an outdoor shoot is required, several floating dates need to be scheduled.
Employing a make-up artist is highly recommended, as she has the knowledge and professional skills to benefit anyone who steps in front of the camera. She takes care of details that others might not see, thus avoiding unnecessary retakes. A make-up artist contributes to the smooth running of the shoot by intervening at all times when touch-ups are required.