Every dollar you spend on a corporate video is protected — or wasted — before the camera ever rolls. A rushed shoot produces bad footage that no editor can fix. A well-planned shoot gives your editor the raw material to create something that genuinely works for your business. Whether you're producing a brand film, a staff profile, or a series of training videos, the same planning principles apply.
This guide walks you through exactly what to do in the four weeks before your shoot day, so your corporate video production runs smoothly from first briefing to final handoff.
Four Weeks Before: Nail the Brief
Everything starts with a clear brief. Before you book a crew or scout a single location, you need to answer four questions: Who is this video for? What do you want them to do after watching it? Where will it be published? And what is your budget?
Get these answers in writing — even if you're the decision-maker yourself. Vague briefs are the single most common cause of expensive reshoots. A clear brief lets your production team make smart decisions on location, equipment, and crew size without coming back to you at every turn.
Set your timeline at this stage too. A standard corporate video needs four weeks of pre-production minimum: two weeks for scripting and approvals, one week for logistics, and a buffer for unexpected changes.
Three Weeks Before: Script and Approvals
The script is the foundation of your video. Write it before you think about locations or equipment. A tight script tells you how long your shoot day will be, how many setups you need, and whether you require on-camera talent or voiceover.
Write for the ear, not the eye. Read it aloud and time it. A minute of video is roughly 150 words of spoken script — it's always shorter than you think. Keep sentences short. Remove jargon. If your spokesperson stumbles over a phrase in rehearsal, rewrite it.
Get stakeholder sign-off on the script before the shoot. Script changes on shoot day are costly and demoralising. Most productions that go over budget do so because the script wasn't locked before the crew arrived.
If your on-camera talent is nervous about memorising lines, plan for an autocue. A basic teleprompter app on a tablet works well for shorter pieces. For longer or more formal productions, hire a dedicated autocue operator — it pays for itself in time saved on set.
Two Weeks Before: Location Scouting
Perth offers a strong variety of corporate shooting locations. The CBD provides modern glass-and-steel boardrooms and office atriums that read as professional and authoritative. Fremantle delivers historic brick and character-rich warehouse spaces that suit creative, architecture, or hospitality brands. Subiaco and West Perth have polished suburban offices that feel approachable without sacrificing credibility.
When you scout a location, assess four things: natural light (is there enough, and can you control it?), background noise (air conditioning, nearby traffic, open-plan offices), background clutter (remove anything that distracts from your subject), and power access (do you have enough outlets for lighting and camera equipment?).
Visit your location at the same time of day as your planned shoot. Light changes dramatically throughout the day in Perth — a morning scout at 9am tells you nothing about what the room looks like at 2pm.
Get written permission to film from the building manager and, if relevant, any individuals who will appear in background shots. In WA, filming people without consent in a private space carries real legal risk.
One Week Before: Equipment and Crew Confirmed
A professional corporate shoot requires more than a good camera. Here's a practical equipment checklist:
- Camera: A cinema-grade or mirrorless camera capable of 4K capture — this future-proofs your footage for repurposing.
- Audio: A lavalier (lapel) mic for your on-camera speaker, plus a boom mic as backup. Bad audio ruins good footage. It cannot be fixed in post.
- Lighting: At minimum, a three-point setup (key light, fill light, backlight). A portable LED panel kit gives you flexibility in any location.
- Stabilisation: A tripod for interviews, a gimbal for any walking or movement shots.
- Memory and power: Double the cards and batteries you think you'll need. Running out mid-shoot is an amateur mistake.
- B-roll equipment: A slider or drone adds production value to cutaway shots. Perth's skyline, waterfront, and streetscapes are worth capturing if they're relevant to your brand.
Confirm your crew roster in writing: who is the director, the camera operator, the audio engineer, and who is responsible for talent wrangling. Clear roles prevent on-set confusion.
Shoot Day: Run a Schedule
A shoot day without a schedule is a shoot day that runs over time and over budget. Build a shot-by-shot schedule with buffers: if a setup should take 20 minutes, schedule 30. Start with the most critical shots — if time runs short, you want the non-negotiable footage already captured.
Brief your talent the night before. Send them the script, the call time, the dress code, and a reminder to get a good night's sleep. On the day, give them a quiet space to warm up before rolling. Nervous talent takes twice as long to get through their lines.
Capture plenty of B-roll. It's the footage that covers edit cuts, adds visual interest, and allows your editor to pace the final piece properly. The most common complaint from editors is not enough B-roll. Plan for at least three times more B-roll than you think you need.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Bad audio. Viewers will forgive slightly soft focus. They will not forgive distorted or hollow audio. Invest in your sound setup.
Cluttered backgrounds. A busy bookshelf, stacked boxes, or a whiteboard full of notes pulls focus from your subject. Clear the background before you roll.
No B-roll plan. Talking head footage alone makes for a flat, static video. Script your B-roll just as carefully as your interviews.
Script changes on the day. If stakeholders want to rewrite on set, the shoot stops. Approve the script in writing beforehand.
Ignoring the sun. Perth's sun is intense. If you're shooting outdoors, plan for shade or overcast periods. Direct midday sun creates unflattering shadows and can blow out your exposure entirely.
Handing Off to Your Editor
At the end of shoot day, your job isn't finished — it's handed over. Give your post-production team a clear brief that includes: the final approved script, a list of all footage files and which takes were best, any graphics, logos, or music preferences, and your deadline for the first cut.
The more organised your handoff, the faster and cheaper your edit will be. A well-labelled drive of footage with clear notes reduces your editor's turnaround time significantly and reduces the chance of a costly revision round.
Ready to plan your corporate video shoot with a team that handles the whole process? Contact Perth Content for a free consultation — we'll help you plan, shoot, and edit a video that actually delivers results for your business.