The oversight that turned me into an obsessive planner

We once attended a site shoot for a new state-of-the-art truck. Imported from Europe, it was one of the first of its kind in Australia. The client had put lots of preparation into planning the location, talent and the vehicle.

Come shoot day, the truck had been polished within an inch of its life and the site looked amazing.

But there was one hitch.

No one could find the keys.

So we couldn’t move the thing.

Waiting for them to turn up wasn’t an option. Plus, the morning light (and our talent) was fading fast.

In the end, we improvised by filming a tight shot where the vehicle was parked. The footage was great, but I always think about how much better it could’ve been if we’d been able to shoot in our preferred location and do the planned on-the-road shots.

Since then, I’ve been a Grade A Pest when it comes to ensuring there’s a comprehensive pre-production schedule in place.

When filming at sites, there are many moving parts and many more things that can go wrong.

So, here’s my tried-and-true Site Shoot Pre-production Checklist.

While some clients love to take on preproduction, Lift also offers full pre-production planning services. Contact us for a quote.