Your Guide to Preparing for Your Industrial Video Shoot
In a business environment designed primarily for digital use, industrial video production has become one of the most powerful means of presenting a company’s capabilities, space, and branding in a compelling way. If you are a factory owner, manufacturer, or engineering company, an industrial video produced with intention and forethought can help you generate new clients, build credibility, and present your operation in a visually engaging manner.
However, producing a well-made industrial video does not simply mean showing up and turning on the camera. The key is in the planning and preparation before the shoot day arrives. The more work you have done beforehand, the better the end result.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to think about in preparation for your industrial video shoot so that your brand has the highest quality professional video produced that produces the desired effect.
1. Identify the Purpose of the Video—What is the message you want to communicate in the video?
Before any camera is set up, you need to identify why you are creating the video. There is always a purpose for the video, and to acknowledge it early will affect the flow of the entire video shoot.
Ask yourself:
Are you looking to tell a story of the factory, infrastructure, or production capabilities?
Are you looking to demonstrate or illustrate a specific product line or process?
Are you attempting to present and create trust with your clients by showcasing your team’s industry expertise and conformity to safety standards?
Once you’ve determined your goal, you can determine the production team can develop what is the correct script, the correct shot list, and the correct visual approach, e.g., a recruitment video will focus on culture and people, while a product demonstration video will focus on close-ups, features, and precision shots.
Tip: Share your business goals with the production team during the briefing; it helps them form a story that focuses directly on your target audience.
2. Prepare the Factory or Shooting Location
A clean, organized, and well-lit environment you can make a marked difference on how professional your video looks like. So prior to the day of shooting:
Clean and organize the workspace: Be sure to remove unused or unnecessary clutter, dust, or other materials to avoid distracting your viewer from the main subject.
Check your lighting: Industrial setups often rely on overhead lights that can cast shadows that can be harsh. Ask your lighting team to share their expectations; they may have additional lights to maximize clarity and visual appeal.
Ensure that your machinery is operational: If you are going to present processes of production, it is necessary to make sure that the machinery is clean, serviced, and ready to operate as normal when you begin shooting.
Plan for power and space: Filming equipment requires electricity and space for movement. Make sure these spaces are accessible and safe for your crew to walk through.
The factory is the representation of your brand when filmed! A well-thought-out factory looks good on film and adds to your commitment to quality and efficiency.
3. Co-ordinate with your team and schedule
There are quite a few moving parts—literally and figuratively—in an industrial video shoot! Coordination is key to a productive filming day.
Give your employees prior notice: Let your employees know the date and time (or range of time), as well as which area the video will be filmed in to reduce confusion and interruptions in filming.
Identify individuals to be on camera: Decide who you would like to have on-camera — managers, engineers, workers—and brief them on what you would like to say or do on camera.
Dress code and safety gear: Make sure the individuals required to be on camera are in clean uniforms, appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment), and branded safety helmets where applicable. A clean and uniform appearance adds a polished look to the video.
Prepare a shooting schedule: Work with your video team to decide what time to film each area or process of production. Do this during the least busy time in production shifting to avoid filming during peak production times.
A well-structured schedule makes sure every department knows what to expect and the crew is able to execute the shots efficiently with very little downtime.
4. Arrange for Permissions and Safety Protocols
Industrial environments can involve restricted areas, hazardous areas, or confidential processes. Therefore, prior to the shoot:
Get all the internal permissions: Let your safety and operations department know the intent to shoot.
Notify the crew of safety protocols: Make sure everyone on the video team is aware of your safety procedures.
Plan safe camera positions: The crew may wish to capture footage using drones, cranes, or gimbals — check to see this equipment can be operated safely within your facility.
Protect sensitive information: If there are proprietary machines or information about clients, designate areas where shooting cannot take place.
Safety deserves to come first. Following safety procedures protects everyone and demonstrates professionalism to clients and partners.
5. Provide Branding and Visual Guidelines
In order for your industrial video to look related to your brand identity, it’s helpful to provide your brand assets and visual preferences ahead of time.
Provide your video producer with:
A high-res logo file
Brand colors and font choices
Any past videos or photos that represent your preferred visual style
Company slogans or taglines for inclusion
Having a congruent video visually relates to your website, presentations, and marketing material, as a cohesive visual identity develops brand recall and builds trust with potential clients.
6. Prepare Supporting Materials
If your video contains interviews, product features, or technical elements, prepare the supporting material beforehand:
Scripts or talking points for company representatives.
Product samples or prototypes, with an eye toward ensuring they are in good shape.
Charts, statistics, or graphics depicting flow processes will become overlays
Company profile or tagline to include in the closing frames.
The more you prepare this content the smoother your final video will look in post-production.
7. Work With the Production Team
An industrial video will always be a collaboration between the client and the production house, so make sure you communicate clearly and openly.
Before the shoot:
– Schedule a pre-production meeting to finalize a plan for the shoot.
– Review the storyboard or shot list and clarify that all key sites and processes are covered.
– Discuss the duration of the shoot, the number of crew on set and the intended equipment.
– Note any special requirements, such as aerial drone shots, time-lapse, or slow motion.
For example, Mania Studio always has a pre- on-site meeting with a client, to discuss the technical environment, lighting concerns, and the brand value proposition, so that the video ultimately encapsulates the business vision.
8. Prepare Interview Subjects for On-Camera Interviews
For video interviews or voiceovers, we usually provide guidance for interview subjects, as preparation often can help them to appear more confident, and more at ease during a video interview.
– Practice components and key points of the interview subject to reiterate the points, rather than recite them by memory.
– Limit the use of jargon and industry-specific language that the general viewing audience will not understand.
– Maintain natural expressions and body language that can be perceived positively.
– Interview subjects should feel comfortable in a quiet and preferably anechoic space to ensure accommodating audio.
Authenticity matters. Allow the love for your work to come through.
9. Conduct Visual Story-Telling Plan
Every industrial video should not just be showing machines working– It should be telling a story! Make a plan for how you want the story to unfold:
An introduction or moment to setup the piece– The factory exterior, company name, tagline
The process in action– Efficiency, precision, teamwork
Human stories– Employees, teamwork, leadership, innovation
Brand message or call to action for clients or customer applications
The story-based approach keeps the viewer’s attention and enables the audience to build an emotional connection to your brand.
10. Final Check Before Shoot Day
Before the crew arrives, double-check:
All machines are working properly and in a clean condition
All power and back-up power is prepared
All staff are informed and will be available
All permissions from staff and clients are in place
Safety officer has been briefed
Having a pre-shoot 30 minute walk through of the location with the video director is a great way to spot any last minute discrepancies or issues that may need to be fixed.
Conclusion: Better Preparation = Better Deliverable
A professional industrial video can lead to new clients, partnerships, and growth in your business, but the real value comes from the planning and preparation stages. When you define what you want your video to achieve, prepare the location, your staff planning the shoot, and communicate with the production house — that ultimately leaves you with one great piece of long-term, ton of value deliverable for your investment.
Mania Studio specializes in creating industrial, corporate, and factory video production, and assisting you in promoting your capabilities and achievements in a professional, cinematography-assisted video format. Our background in the industry allows us to enhance your operational capabilities and promote quality visuals while maintaining operational safety and efficiency, at the forefront.
Going to plan your next industrial video project?
Make your factory the video star!
Contact Mania Studio now
to book your professional video production.