Water. Sunscreen. Hat. Sunglasses. Extra cell battery. Sneakers. There are the essential items our team recommends for a video shoot, after recently completing one in Ventura County Coast with Red Canary Productions.
At the beginning of April, our VP/Client Services, Art Director and Marketing Specialist packed up and headed south for a three-day shoot to cover and capture four diverse cities: Ventura, Camarillo, Oxnard and Port Hueneme.
However, the adventure really started weeks before we ever ventured out to the gorgeous Ventura County Coast. Any successful shoot depends on the details. Hours of research and outreach led to a concise schedule for our team to follow. Spreadsheets, meetings, phone calls and emails later…
Day one started with a sunrise gondola ride at Gondola Paradiso. The day quickly unfolded into a jam-packed adventure. From beaches to breweries, our team took every opportunity to capture the unique qualities of Venture County Coast. Days two and three took our team all over the coastal county, and thankfully the weather was on our side. The entire project was a success, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Upon their return, our team put together this list of eight pro tips:
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Plan as much as you can in advance. There’s no such thing as over-planning a shoot.
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Be prepared to move! There are a lot of moving parts: the photographer/videographer, the shoot locations, your talent lighting, and weather.
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Make sure your team gets along. It’s so important that your crew and your models are all having fun and are on the same page. It really makes the work shine and those great vibes come through!
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Look for opportunities. We plan for months, consult the mood board often, and expect the best. Then, we get there and the lighting isn’t what we expected or there aren’t as many people as we planned. In those cases, look for new opportunities instead of focusing on what cannot be done. Often those on-the-fly changes end up being highlights in the end result.
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Plan for delays. If you’re scheduling a shoot with multiple locations, make sure you have some buffer time between shots. You never know what will arise.
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Also, be flexible!
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Stay on brand. Make sure what you’re shooting fits within the end goals. It’s easy to veer off-course and be overwhelmed with details.
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Enjoy the area. During off time and during the shoot, it’s great to get as much experience in with the destination as you can. There is always something new to check out and a better understanding of the local scene to be had that will make the shoot more meaningful and interesting, which generally makes for a better product.
