Table of contents
First-time owners of a corporate video shooting project tend to focus on comparing quotes. Then shoot day arrives and the workshop is uncleared, the manager is away, and machine noise drowns the audio. Seven tenths of a corporate film's quality is settled before the camera rolls.
1. Prep: Purpose First, Length Second
Purpose defines structure. A sales film for clients covers capacity and quality control; a recruitment film covers people and growth; a loop for an exhibition stand must be understandable with sound off. Three purposes, three scripts — deciding this first saves a rewrite.
Length follows the venue: under 90 seconds for an exhibition loop, two minutes for a website hero, up to three minutes in chapters for a salesperson's tablet.
2. Shoot Day: Six Items on the Call Sheet
| Item | What to specify | Who confirms |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Workshop, floor, camera direction | Site manager |
| Timing | Start and end per group, transit time | Producer |
| People | On-camera staff and arrival times | Admin |
| Equipment | Machines to stop or clear | Production lead |
| Power | Available outlets and capacity | Facilities |
| Backup | Alternative shots if weather or failure | Director |
Send the sheet three days ahead and get each line signed. Delays on corporate video shooting days usually trace back to one unsigned item.
Assign one coordinator who stays on site to call people and open doors. A director who cannot find the responsible person loses half a morning.
3. Three Details During the Shoot
Consistent workwear matters more than expensive gear; mismatched colours make the frame look loose. Clear the floor and benches a day ahead — oil stains and clutter cannot be fixed in post. Record audio separately; once machine noise sits on top of speech, only narration can save it.
If the corporate video production schedule includes a night shift, shoot a short night sequence. Two or three seconds of it makes a better transition than daylight cut against daylight.
4. Post: What to Review in Three Passes
First pass is structure: is there information in the opening three seconds, does the sequence flow, are there dead transitions. Second pass is detail: subtitle typos, correct units and model numbers, logo duration within brand rules. Third pass is adaptation: does the subject stay centred when cropped to vertical, and is volume consistent across devices.
Put notes in writing with timecodes — "at 1:12 the spec board stays too long". Saying "this part feels off" turns into three rounds of guessing.
5. Acceptance List
Confirm six items: resolution and frame rate as contracted, a clean version without watermarks, a vertical crop version, subtitles that can be switched off, raw footage delivered, and the licensed usage scope for music.
If the corporate film company only hands over one finished file, every future text change becomes a new invoice. Agree on this in the contract.
6. FAQ
On a tight budget, what do we cut first? Effects and 3D. Keep live footage and audio. Plain but clear beats polished but unintelligible.
How long until delivery? A one-day shoot typically delivers in two to four weeks including two revision rounds.
Do we need professional actors? Employees read as more authentic, but they need line prep and a rehearsal or the shoot drags.
Related
- See also: a five-part script for company intro films
- See also: vertical versus horizontal corporate clips
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