Makerz / Journal
Most shoots are won or lost before the camera turns on. A good plan answers five questions: what should viewers feel, what should it look like, what colors will carry it, which shots do you need, and how fast should it move. This checklist walks through them in order.
Why pre-production matters
The shoot day is the most expensive day of a project. Every decision you make on paper costs nothing. The same decision made on set costs crew time. Planning also keeps everyone, from the director to the client, looking at the same video.
Step 1: Start with one feeling
Choose one feeling for the whole video and write it as a single line. "However different we are, summer joy brings us together" is a feeling. "Our coffee is the best" is a slogan, and nobody feels a slogan. When you are unsure whether a shot belongs, ask if it supports that line.
Step 2: Define the mood
Decide three things: the mood, the light and the camera. For example, warm, social and tactile; golden and vivid light; wide lenses and handheld movement. Also decide what you will avoid, such as cold blue light or a locked-off tripod. Naming what to avoid saves long arguments later.
Step 3: Pick the palette
Choose five or six colors and decide how they move through the video. A palette can start cool and end hot, so the final shot feels like the peak. Share it with the wardrobe, props and location teams so everything on screen agrees.
Step 4: Write the shot list
List every shot you need, and for each one note the lens, the movement and its job in the story. Every shot should earn its place. If a shot has no job, cut it before the shoot. A shot list also tells you how long the shoot will take.
Step 5: Set the rhythm
Decide how the video moves from start to end. Most short ads have four beats: the hook in the first seconds, the build, the peak and the end card. Write the timing of each beat. It guides both the shoot and the edit.
The pre-production checklist
- The goal of the video and where it will be shown
- One-line feeling
- Mood, light and camera notes
- Color palette
- Script or voice-over
- Shot list with lenses and movements
- Locations booked and permits arranged
- Talent cast and releases signed
- Props and wardrobe sourced
- Crew and equipment confirmed
- Shoot-day schedule shared with everyone
- Approvals and revision rounds agreed
Common planning mistakes
- Starting with the tools instead of the idea.
- Leaving the shot list until the morning of the shoot.
- Forgetting that wardrobe and props change the palette.
- Planning only the filming day and not the edit.
How Makerz plans a shoot
We write the plan before we film: the feeling, the mood, the palette, the shot list and the rhythm. You approve it, then we shoot to it. Learn more about our strategy and planning and video production services.
FAQ
How long does pre-production take? It depends on the size of the project. A simple social video needs far less than a multi-location ad, and a good company gives you a dated schedule.
Do I need a script for every video? Not always. Some videos work with a shot list and a few key lines. But you always need a clear idea of the feeling and the structure.
Who approves the plan? The client approves the idea, the look and the shot list before shoot day, in writing.
Planning a shoot?
Send us your idea and we will help you turn it into a plan. Email support@makerz.pro or start at makerz.pro.
YOUR NEXT / MAKERZ
FROM THE IDEA TO THE NEXT STEP
Connect the plan to the shoot
Your shot list should specify the product, action, framing and delivery format for each scene. Explore Makerz Studios for filming spaces and the Coffee Fellows project for a practical example of campaign treatment and production.
