The Importance of Developing Pre-Production Checklists before Filming 

Pre-production is one of the most critical stages of filmmaking, yet it’s often rushed or even ignored altogether. It can be extremely challenging when the production company or agency fails to ask the right questions. 

When heading into production, it is important to ensure everything is in order before filming begins. This includes ensuring that the crew, the equipment, and the cast are ready.

One way to ensure everything is in order is to create a pre-production checklist. The list contains everything the production crew needs to succeed in the project.

While developing a checklist may seem like a lot of work, keeping everything in order before filming begins is worth it. It is the best way to avoid or minimize the chances of something going wrong during filming. Although the specific questions will vary depending on the type of production, this blog post covers some of the basics. Let’s dive in!

What Is a Pre-Production Checklist?

A pre-production checklist lists the necessary tasks required to happen before production commences. For a film shoot to be successful, everyone involved, such as the directors and producers, must agree on what will happen in the production.

The checklist is also valuable for managing the budget, scheduling filming, and avoiding surprises during the project. 

What is Included in The Pre-Production Checklist?

The content of the checklist differs according to the type of production and what you want to achieve. Generally, the basics you need to include are:

1. Who is this video for? Who is the target audience?
2. What time are we filming?
3. Where do we load in? How long do we have to load in?
4. When is talent scheduled to arrive on set?
5. Have we identified any special needs of the talent?
6. How many clients will be on set, and do they have special needs?
7. Are there any time limitations for filming? Is there a specific time we need to arrive or be wrapped?
8. Have we scouted the location where we will be filming?
9. Have all department heads been briefed?
10. Is there a plan to prep camera equipment and gear the day before the shoot?
11. Have post-production and edit deliverables been discussed?

Importance of Pre-Production Checklist

As aforementioned, the pre-production checklist serves as a guide for the film shoot and is a crucial aspect of the overall production process. Here are the top reasons you need to have a checklist in the pre-production phase.

Be Clear on your Video Production Vision

The overall mood and vision for each specific film vary. With a checklist, you understand the film tools and resources available to give your vision life. You will not delve into the production blindly, which may lead to production lag. 

Define your Branding and Design

The overall vision of your projects affects the branding of your product, organization, and company. The video should match the unique aspects that define your company, such as text, logo, tone, and color scheme. A checklist presents these to the production team, enabling them to create a final product related to your brand.

Budget for Video Production

Creating a realistic budget without a checklist is impossible. There are various moving parts to consider that you need to have in writing to determine an exact figure for the film production.

Organize Your Filming Process

The pre-production checklist details the steps you will take during filming. You require a script, actor casting, location scouting, custom shopping lists, music selection, and props. An organized checklist ensures you don’t miss out on vital requirements or stages during filming.

Wrapping Up

A pre-production checklist gives you a perfect idea of what to expect and prepare to make a film production successful. Whether it’s determining a budget, drawing storyboards, selecting talent, choosing locations, writing scripts, or getting a screw, all the elements in video production are essential.

At Chosen Few Media, we believe pre-production checklists allow you to make quicker and better decisions, smoothen the set, and avoid time wastage during filming. Our dedicated production team will uncover innovative ways to enhance your video production. Contact us today to learn more about our production process.