A video shoot can feel like a mystery if you’re not familiar with the production process. What happens once the lights, camera, and action start? While a lot of planning goes into pre-production, the day of filming is where it all comes together. Here’s what you can expect during a professional video shoot.

Meet the Team: Who Does What?

During a video shoot, the crew operates like a well-oiled machine, with each team member having a distinct role. The director oversees the creative vision, ensuring that the script translates perfectly to the screen. Camera operators and assistants handle filming, adjusting camera angles and ensuring shots are framed correctly. Sound technicians monitor and capture audio, while lighting techs ensure each scene is illuminated perfectly.

It’s not uncommon for clients to be on set during a shoot, and the production team will often seek your input to ensure everything aligns with your vision.

Lighting and Sound: More Than Meets the Eye

You might be surprised at the level of attention given to lighting and sound. These elements are critical to the quality of the final product. For instance, even minor lighting adjustments can dramatically alter the mood of a scene. The crew will also work to minimize background noise, ensuring the highest possible audio quality.

Sound checks and lighting tests are common before any major filming begins, giving the crew time to make adjustments for the best results.

Scheduling the Day

A typical shoot day follows a pre-planned schedule. Depending on the project’s scope, shooting can last several hours or stretch over multiple days. The crew will capture each scene based on the shot list created in pre-production. Often, the same scene will be filmed from different angles to give editors more material to work with during post-production.

Throughout the shoot, the director and team will work closely to ensure that everything goes smoothly, solving problems on the fly, such as adjusting for weather or last-minute changes to the script.