How to Prepare for a Brand Shoot

Agree what the shoot is for

A brand shoot can feed a website, a campaign, a season of social posts, a product launch or a recruitment drive, and each needs different shots. Before anything else, agree what the content is for and where it will appear, then make sure everyone involved, from the owner to the marketing team, has seen the same list. It also helps to agree, in a few words, how the content should feel, and to collect a handful of reference images. A shared mood board settles questions about colour, light and styling long before the day.

If the shoot is part of a regular rhythm of content, it may be one session of a production retainer. If it is a one-off, it will be quoted as a project.

Build the shot list together

The shot list is the plan for the day. It names every photo and clip you need, where it will be shot, who or what is in it, and which format it is for. A good list is organised by location so the crew is not moving back and forth, and it marks the must-have shots so they are captured first.

Include the small things that are easy to forget: product details, hands at work, the outside of the building, the team together, and a few wide shots with space to carry text.

People on camera

Confirm early who will appear. Staff and founders should know the date, what to wear and roughly when they are needed, so they can plan their work around it. Anyone nervous about the camera will do better with a short conversation beforehand and a copy of how to look natural on camera.

If customers or members of the public may appear, plan for consent. Put up signs, choose quieter times, or keep recognisable faces out of frame unless people have agreed.

Wardrobe and styling

Clothes show up on camera differently from how they look in a mirror. A few rules of thumb:

Solid colours that suit the brand usually work better than fine stripes or small checks, which can shimmer on video
Bring a second option for each person
Avoid large logos that are not your own
Iron or steam everything the day before
Check hair, makeup and hands if close-ups are planned
Keep uniforms clean and matching across the team

Products, props and spaces

Products should be clean, labelled the right way round and in enough quantity for several takes; food and drink especially need spares. Clear clutter from the spaces you will use, from paperwork on desks to cables and bins, and think about what is visible in the background of every shot, including screens with private information.

Tell the crew about anything they cannot move, touch or film, and about times when the space is busy, noisy or closed.

Locations, access and light

Confirm access times, parking, power and who will unlock the doors. For outdoor locations, check whether permission is needed, because public spaces and council land can have their own rules for commercial filming. Light changes through the day, so the crew may suggest shooting exteriors at a particular time. Have a wet weather plan for anything outside.

If aerial shots are part of the plan, mention them early. Drone flights depend on airspace and permissions; the drone rules guide explains the basics.

On the day

A shoot runs best when the crew can focus on the work and your side can focus on decisions. Billie plans commercial shoots, photography and social content together, so one day can produce stills, longer pieces and short edits from the same setups. Get in touch with a brief to start planning. On the day itself, have:

One person on your side who can make decisions quickly
Phones on silent, and the space as quiet as it can be during takes
Water and food for your team and the crew if the day is long
The shot list printed or shared, with the must-haves marked
A short check at the end to confirm nothing on the list was missed

After the shoot

Before the crew leaves, agree how files will be shared, who reviews the selects and edits, and who gives final approval. Photos usually go through a selection round before retouching; video goes through rough cuts before colour and finishing. Knowing that order helps you plan when your team needs to be available.

Keep a note of what worked: the shots that got used most, the setups that took longest, the people who were most at ease on camera. It makes the next shoot faster to plan, and if shoots will happen regularly, it is the start of a content plan. The social content planning guide picks up from there.

Questions

How far ahead should I plan a brand shoot?

Leave enough time to agree the shot list, confirm people and locations, and sort wardrobe and products. Shoots with permits, casting or several locations need more lead time than a single-location session.

Can photos and video be shot on the same day?

Yes, when it is planned that way. Billie shoots stills and video and can build one schedule that covers both, as long as the shot list allows time for each.

Is this a paid service?

Yes. Billie is a paid production company. Production Retainers are $1,500 NZD a month for Essential and $3,000 NZD a month for Creative, and Studio Partner is priced on enquiry. Projects outside a retainer are quoted per project as Bespoke Production, and Billie Private events are quoted per project.

Work with Billie

Every vision begins somewhere.

Tell Billie about the project, the timeline and which retainer suits, or ask for a Bespoke Production quote.

How to prepare for a brand shoot