You have the script written. You hired the talent. You’re almost ready to film your latest marketing video. What’s left? Choosing a filming location, of course!
If you haven’t read our previous blog post about how to find a great filming location, you can check it out here. You’ll want to check that out as well as this post in order to be as well-informed about choosing a great filming location as possible!
It might sound like one of the easiest steps to video production, but a lot can actually go wrong in this step. As filming locations are extremely important in marketing videos, be sure to do your homework before choosing one!
1. Choosing the wrong filming location for the video’s theme or aesthetic
Filming in the wrong place will only lead to more problems than you can imagine. If you’re filming a video with “home” as its theme, for example, filming outside might not be the best idea as it won’t convey the same warmth as filming inside would.
You also want to consider your current brand aesthetic. Is all of your current and past marketing more on the industrial side? Exposed pipes and brick and cement floors? If so, you probably don’t want to film a video in a cozy home that you might find Martha Stewart in. That is, unless you want to completely re-brand your company, but that’s a discussion for another day.
It’s important to consider all of this because otherwise your videos won’t be recognizable to your brand. Viewers won’t make the connection as easily and you might lose followers if they followed you for a certain aesthetic and you’ve now flip-flopped on them.
2. Choosing a filming location without considering filming conditions
Each filming location has its own set of circumstances and you need to know about them all before making your decision on how and where to film:
- Is filming restricted? (no filming on Sundays, no filming in front of the city hall, etc.)
- Is filming allowed outside of certain hours?
- Is filming allowed only with a permit?
- Can you bring the equipment you need?
- Are there any filming restrictions (no filming with an iPhone, filming is not allowed in this area at all, filming after 10 pm is restricted to videographers with insurance)?
It’s important to consider all of these questions or else you may find yourself running into metaphorical brick walls and red tape when you’re actually trying to film or posting your finished video. You might also face legal trouble if you don’t make sure everything is in order ahead of time, and nobody wants that!
3. Choosing filming locations that are too expensive
It would be great if filming was free, but unfortunately, it’s not. Sometimes you have to rent out a studio or pay for a permit in order to film in certain locations, and you need to make sure that’s within your budget. You should also make sure that you’re not blowing your entire budget on a filming location, or else you won’t be able to afford the rest of the video.
Look for filming locations near you (a lot of them will actually film for free) and only consider filming locations that will fit within your budget. It is better to be filming inside a typical home rather than filming in an expensive house or filming outside and getting fined for filming without a permit.
4. Forgetting to include other elements in filming location research
When choosing filming locations, don’t forget about other elements (such as the filming equipment and filming permits) that you might need in order to film in a specific location. Before filming, find out whether the filming location provides any equipment (tripod, etc.) and what filming permits are required.
If your location is outside, make sure you have the proper lights for outside shoots. If you need to travel, make sure you have a vehicle that fits all of your equipment. There are ways to work around everything that comes up, but only if you’re prepared ahead of time.
5. Not taking into consideration filming limitations
As mentioned before, each filming location has its own filming conditions such as restrictions for filming with an iPhone or filming only outside during the day. So, make sure that you find out about filming limitations and choose filming locations accordingly!
Limitations can be anything that makes it difficult to film.
How easy is it to get to the filming location? Can you easily get your equipment there? How long can you stay and film? Are there any time constraints? How easy or difficult is it to set up? Is there electricity available for your crew to use? Is weather a factor? Does the location already have set pieces or props available for you to use?
There’s even more to consider. These questions are just a starting point. Make a list of important limitations you might come across with the locations you’re considering. Even if you use a location that has limitations, knowing them beforehand can help you plan accordingly so that they don’t affect your filming too much.
6. Not taking into consideration filming restrictions
Restrictions for filming locations can mean anything. Public places might restrict filming to require permits, or restrict you from filming at all. Renting a studio restricts you only to one place.
The point is, filming restrictions could affect filming in a number of ways. If you’re filming in a public place, filming restrictions might be more lenient than renting out a studio. The same goes for filming equipment – it can often mean less if you’re filming outside or inside the home versus filming inside a studio location.
While there isn’t anything you can do about filming restrictions, it’s important to consider them when choosing filming locations.
7. Forgetting to do filming location research!
Since filming locations are so important, many overlook this element when filming videos for their marketing campaigns. But keep in mind that filming locations can also be researched online – and this is how filming locations should be chosen! All filming locations should be researched and then ranked according to factors such as filming conditions, filming restrictions and filming cost.
This way not only the perfect filming location will be found for marketing videos but also all filming mistakes can actually be avoided!
8. Not considering the safety of others
Making sure a filming location is safe for everyone involved should be your top priority when scouting out locations. In an unsafe location, people could get hurt, which could hurt your business.
An example: filming in a public place like a parking lot can cause danger to everyone. Not only could filming equipment get damaged, but people and vehicles on the road could be affected during filming.
Make sure you also have the proper insurance in case the location has some unexpected safety issues, too. You never know when an accident will happen, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to make sure you can take care of business if the worst happens while filming is happening.
9. Choosing filming locations that are too messy
This kind of goes without saying, but it’s worth mentioning. Make sure your filming location is clean!
Unless you’re making a commercial for cleaning products, showing dirty dishes, grody floors, or stained furniture is going to turn potential customers away. No one wants to look at a dirty setting, so don’t show it off unless you’re going to be cleaning it up during the video.
10. Choosing filming locations that are too dark
It can be difficult for video marketing to film in a filming location that is too dark, especially if you don’t have the right lighting equipment or can’t bring it with you. You want to make sure you can get the right lighting for the subject of your video from your location before you bring in extra equipment.
Without the right lighting, your time spent filming might go to waste. This will make it harder to capture the important elements and the quality of the filming will go down. You can’t always fix lighting issues in post-production, and even if you can it will come with a hefty price. Make sure filming locations aren’t too dark and use filming equipment such as lighting or filming lights if necessary.
11. Not being able to bring the right equipment
Many filming locations are poorly lit which is why filming with the iPhone camera can lead to filming mistakes such as filming in too dark a location and filming only while capturing certain elements (for example, while filming a video advertising an apartment). Make sure that filming equipment such as lighting and filming lights is brought with filming locations.
You also want to make sure you can bring in the right cameras, sound equipment, and anything that will enhance your video before post-production gets their hands on it. You want to be able to film the best video possible before taking it for editing! It will save you money!
12. Not hiring a professional video production company to do it for you!
We get it. You’re busy running your company and can’t take away the time to research filming locations and make sure everything is in order before your company films any videos. That’s why you should consider hiring a company to do it all for you. It’s worth the investment!
By hiring a company that can take care of every step of video production for you, you’re delegating some of the hardest work out to people who are well-equipped for it, not only in actual equipment but also in knowledge of how to go about video production. C&I Studios has the means to make your video marketing efforts shine! We do it all from writing scripts, to finding the right location, to the actual filming, and everything post-production!
If you’re curious to see what exactly it is that C&I Studios offers, you can take a look at our available services. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have, too! We want your marketing efforts to be successful!
In Conclusion
You want to make sure that your filming experience goes as smoothly as possible, and by making sure you’re avoiding these mistakes, you won’t run into any snags!
Be kind, professional, and informed. Remember this is marketing for your company, not against it! Be prepared to be able to answer any questions -for filming locations AND filming mistakes!
You want filming locations that fit the tone of your video marketing campaign (which is why filming locations should always be researched beforehand). You also want filming locations that are accessible, filming locations where filming can take place at any time of day or night (which is why filming restriction times should be considered when choosing filming locations).
You also want filming locations that are tidy. Make sure filming locations are clean and ready to present in your videos without being too messy! You also want filming locations that are well-lit filming locations where filming is allowed with filming equipment such as cameras, filming lights and filming permits – which is why the perfect filming location should be researched online.
Make sure filming isn’t restricted by a filming permit before you go ahead with your video marketing campaign, and make sure that the best filming locations are chosen for video marketing campaigns!
So, go ahead and shoot us here at C&I Studios a message to get started on your latest video marketing campaigns!