The pre-production checklist

The short answer

Video pre-production is everything decided before the shoot: the brief, script and storyboard, the shot list and schedule, casting, crew, locations, product and styling, equipment, logistics, and the rights and approvals that let you use the footage. A good checklist locks each of these in the right order, so the shoot day is spent capturing, not deciding.

It is the least visible stage of a production and the one with the greatest effect on the result. Money spent on set is spent by the hour, with a full crew waiting. Money spent in pre-production is spent by a few people with a pen. That is why experienced producers push every possible decision earlier.

The complete checklist

Each group is explained below, with what to watch for.

Creative: brief, script and shot list

Everything starts with a brief that says what the content must achieve, who it is for, where it will run and how success will be judged. If you do not have one, our guide on how to write a video brief walks through each part. From the brief comes the script or talking points, then the storyboard or references, then the shot list.

• Script. Locked before casting, because it tells you who you need and what they must do.
• Storyboard or references. Enough visual direction for everyone to picture the same film: framing, light, pace, colour.
• Shot list. Every shot, grouped by set-up and location, with the deliverable it serves. Our shot list guide shows how to build one.
• Deliverables list. Every final piece, its length and its aspect ratio. This shapes framing on set.

People: crew, talent and approvers

Confirm the director, director of photography and key heads of department first, because they will shape the rest of the plan. Casting follows the script: professional talent, real customers, staff or the founder. Each needs a different approach. Professional talent needs contracts and usage terms; non-professionals need more direction time in the schedule.

Share the mood board and references with every head of department at this stage: the stylist, hair and make-up, art department and camera team should all be working towards the same picture. A short creative call with the key crew often saves hours of discussion on the day.

Just as important is naming the approver: one person on the client side who can make decisions on the day. Shoots slow to a crawl when every choice needs a call to someone who is not there.

Places: locations and permissions

Scout every location, in person or by detailed photos and video, at the time of day you intend to shoot. Light, noise and access change through the day. Confirm in writing what you are allowed to film, where crew can set up, where power comes from and when you must be out. Public locations may need permits; private ones need a location agreement and release. Always have a plan for bad weather or a lost location.

Product, styling and logistics

Product is the most common last-minute problem on brand shoots. Final samples arrive late, have marks, or are the wrong colour. Send products early, with spares for anything that scuffs, wilts or melts. Products can be shipped to our studio ahead of the shoot, where they are checked and prepped. Agree wardrobe and props against the mood board, and fit talent in advance where possible.

Logistics tie everything together. The schedule sets the order of the day, usually by set-up and by the slowest thing to change, such as lighting or hair and make-up. The call sheet tells every person where to be, when, and who to call. Equipment, transport, catering and insurance follow. When our core crew travels to shoot on location, travel and permits for crew and equipment are planned in this stage.

Rights and approvals

Footage you cannot legally use is worthless, however beautiful. Before the shoot, prepare talent releases for everyone who appears, location releases for private property, and a clear approach to music. Write down where the content will run and for how long, because usage terms affect talent fees and music licences. We handle usage rights and talent releases as part of every production; our guide to usage rights and releases explains the detail.

When to lock each decision

Decisions depend on each other, so the order matters. A script change after casting can mean recasting; a location change after the schedule means rescheduling. The timeline below shows a typical order for a single brand shoot.

The final production meeting

A few days before the shoot, bring together everyone with a stake in the result: the director, producer, key crew and the client approver. Walk through the shot list and schedule, confirm the deliverables, check that products, wardrobe and releases are ready, and agree who decides what on the day. Anything unresolved after this meeting becomes a risk on set.

Common pre-production mistakes

• Starting without a signed-off brief. Every later decision rests on it.
• Changing the script late. It ripples through casting, locations and schedule.
• Too many shots for the time. An overfull schedule means rushing the shots that matter most.
• No approver on the day. Decisions stall, and the crew waits.
• Forgetting the small formats. Cut-downs, stills and vertical versions are cheap to capture on set and expensive to recreate later.

For the full picture of how a production runs after this stage, see the content production process or how we produce.