Turning Your Location into an Ideal Environment for Video

We’ve been producing video for more than a decade, so you can believe that we’ve seen it all when it comes to filming locations. We have set up to film interviews in everything from wide open, expansive fields all the way down to 80 square-foot personal offices. Want to know how to turn your space into an ideal filming location? Check out the “dos and don’ts” we’ve picked up over our many years in production.

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DO: Choose your largest, most open space.
You don’t have to be in a studio, and not every business is going to have as much space to spread out as a museum, or a baseball field. But keep in mind, your video production partner will be bringing in a good amount of equipment to make your subjects look their best. Even using common spaces like a foyer or a break room may be a good solution.

DON’T: Assume a conference room is best.
It’s often the most quiet place in the office that can be reserved for the entire day, which is great. But a conference room has limits. Sometimes the table can’t be moved, which reduces the amount of space to work with. A conference room also limits how many different “looks” you can achieve. So if you have multiple interviews to film, they may end up all looking the same, which will make for a less dynamic video.

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DO: Pick an area with dynamic backgrounds.
The content of your on-camera performance is most important, but almost equally as important are your surroundings. You should aim to be in a physical setting that is representative of who you are as a subject. If you’re an architect, film inside a home you designed. An artist? Shoot in a studio. Talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion? Place yourself in front of a mural depicting many cultures. Backgrounds shouldn’t distract, but they can help tell part of a story.

DON’T: Film in an empty room with plain-colored walls.
We’ve often seen videos where the subject is trying to energize, influence, or persuade the viewer to make some kind of decision, but they’re positioned in a boring, uninspiring space. Remember, the medium is the message. If you’re in a space that doesn’t inspire, you’re much more likely to lose the interest of the viewer. So what can you do?

Grab some props! Plants, books, lamps, even wall art - anything that will help to pump a little color and life into the image.

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OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

ELECTRIC:
Depending on the complexity of your project, we may be bringing a considerable amount of equipment that requires outlets. The more places to plug in that we have in the room, the better.

OFFICE MATES:
Let people know in advance that a production team is coming. That will give everyone the proper forewarning just in case they want to spend extra time getting ready that morning, or they can opt out in advance in case they’re camera shy. That planning helps the day go more efficiently.

RELEASE FORMS:
If your project requires the participants to sign release forms, gather those ahead of time. We could send our standard release form in advance, or you can find and download sample forms online.

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