The Importance of Planning
In the world of video production, it is vital that you create a solid plan before doing anything else. There are a lot of elements that go into creating a successful video and developing a plan will ensure that you are well prepared and get all of the shots you need. This list provides you with questions that will help develop your production plan.
Creating a Shot List or Storyboard
Once you have developed your production plan, your next step will be to create a shot list or storyboard. The goal of a shot list or storyboard is to help you thoroughly plan out your shots so that they can be executed the way you want them. Since there are so many elements you must consider while shooting - lighting, actors, composition, audio, time, etc. - it's almost necessary to have a shot list or storyboard to successfully shoot a video.
A shot list is a detailed list of all of the shots that will be in your video. A shot list may include a description of a shot, time, location, actors, props, crew, equipment, or any other important or relevant information. A storyboard is very similar to a shot list, however, the storyboard contains sketches or images of each shot and how it should be composed. Storyboards include a lot of the same information that a shot list may include, but storyboards often provide more direction.
Getting Consent to Shoot
Wherever you shoot video, each location may have specific rules and policies about photography and video recording, so please be aware of these policies before shooting. It is extremely important to scout your shooting locations beforehand and contact any property managers about any recording policies or restrictions.
You have a right to film in public spaces and objects that are in plain view, but please be respectful of people's privacy. We recommend getting consent from people in public spaces whenever you can. Just let them know who you are, what you're doing, and how the footage will be used. Additionally, you can also provide them with your contact info and let them know about your shooting schedule in that location.