A practical guide to briefing your team, easing nerves and helping staff feel prepared for filming
Filming day is approaching. Your production crew will handle the cameras, lighting, sound and creative direction. But for your team, appearing in a company video may be unfamiliar territory. They might be wondering what to say, what’s expected of them and how filming will fit around their work.
A little preparation can help your team feel more at ease and keep the day running smoothly. They don’t need to become polished presenters, just understand their role and feel comfortable taking part.
Here’s how to help your team get ready for the shoot.
Explain Each Person’s Role
Start by explaining why you’d like each person involved and what they can bring to the video. Choose people who know the subject first-hand, rather than automatically choosing the most senior person. Knowing the subject inside-out doesn’t necessarily mean feeling confident on camera.
Share a short briefing covering:
- What the video needs to achieve and who will watch it
- Where the finished content will appear
- Whether they’ll be interviewed, demonstrate a task or appear in workplace footage
- The subjects or activities they’ll be asked to cover.
You don’t need to send everyone the full video production brief, just the details that help them understand their part.
Explain how permission to film and use the footage will be obtained and recorded, and give people a private way to ask questions. If taking part is optional, make clear that saying no won’t count against them.
Prepare Examples, Not Memorised Answers
For an interview-led video, agree with your production team which questions or themes to share beforehand. Give people time to think about what they’d like to say, rather than a script to learn. The aim is to help them explain what they know in their own words, not worry about getting every sentence perfect.
Help them find a specific example. Rather than asking how helpful the team is, for example, try:
‘Think of a customer problem you helped resolve. What did you do and what happened next?’
Suggest jotting down a few notes about the situation, what they did and the outcome. There’s no need to write a polished answer – the interviewer can help draw out the story. Check figures or claims beforehand so people can speak confidently and accurately.
Some content, such as safety instructions or regulated statements, may need approved wording. Let your production team know early so they can prepare the right approach, including a script or teleprompter if needed.
Give Clear Clothing Guidance
Send your team a few clothing pointers several days before filming, so nobody is left guessing on the morning of the shoot. Ask people to dress comfortably and appropriately for their role, including any required uniform or PPE.
Plain colours are usually a good starting point. Busy patterns such as fine stripes and small checks can shimmer on camera, while jewellery that knocks or rubs against a microphone can spoil the sound. Check any colour or branding requirements with your production team, and suggest bringing a spare top if anyone is unsure.
Make Room for Nerves
Knowing what to expect can make filming feel less daunting. Explain that the crew will fit microphones and guide people through the recording. Interviewees can pause, ask a question or try an answer again.
Before the day, ask privately what would help them feel comfortable, whether that’s extra breaks or accessible seating. With their agreement, let the crew know. During interviews, keep the room quiet and limit onlookers so people can focus on the conversation.
Give People Time to Take Part
Agree filming windows with your team and their managers, allowing for setup, retakes and breaks. Clear that time in their diaries so they’re not trying to squeeze filming between calls. Send everyone their start and finish times, where to go and who to contact.
Let the wider team know where filming will happen and how it might affect their work. Anyone appearing in supporting workplace footage should also know what they’ll be doing and when they’re needed.
A Quick Checklist Before Filming Day
A little preparation can make all the difference. Before your corporate video shoot, run through this checklist to make sure everyone knows what to expect:
Corporate Video Shoot: Staff Preparation Checklist
Before filming day, make sure you have:
- Explained the purpose of the video and each person’s role.
- Shared interview questions or discussion topics in advance.
- Checked clothing, uniform and any PPE requirements.
- Confirmed how filming permissions and consent will be handled.
- Asked whether anyone has concerns or needs additional support.
- Confirmed filming times, locations and individual schedules.
- Briefed the wider team about filming arrangements and any disruption to normal working activities.
- Allowed sufficient time for setup, interviews, retakes and breaks.
Planning a shoot with your team? At BRICKOVEN Media, we’ll help organise your corporate video production and create a relaxed filming environment. Get in touch to discuss your project.