Corporate Video Pre-Production Checklist (37 Items, 2026)

Photo by Henri Mathieu-Saint-Laurent on Pexels

Corporate video pre-production checklist: before a single frame is filmed, every professional corporate video production requires a structured planning phase covering brief approval, scripting, location scouting, talent confirmation, permits, insurance, and technical prep. This 37-item checklist is drawn from 200+ corporate productions delivered across London since 2015 by the Airframe team and process. Skip pre-production and you pay for it twice — once in delays on set, once in the edit suite.

This guide walks through each phase with practical London-specific detail: permit lead times by borough, insurance certificate requirements for different venue types, and a call-sheet walkthrough using a real Airframe production as a worked example.

Why Pre-Production Makes or Breaks a Corporate Video

The maths is straightforward. Every hour spent in pre-production saves three on set and in the edit suite. Here's why:

• Budget control: Most cost overruns stem from poor planning, not production issues. Unclear briefs lead to reshoots. Missing permits cause delays. Unconfirmed locations add travel and rescheduling costs.
• Creative quality: When logistics are resolved before filming day, your crew focuses on capturing great footage rather than solving problems under time pressure.
• Stakeholder alignment: Pre-production forces decisions upfront — fewer surprises in the edit, fewer revision rounds.
• Timeline certainty: A thorough pre-production plan gives everyone realistic milestones.

Phase 1: The Creative Brief

Every successful production starts with a solid brief. This document aligns your team, your stakeholders, and your production company around a shared vision.

Your brief should answer:

• Objective: What should viewers do after watching? (Buy, enquire, sign up, understand a process?)
• Audience: Who exactly are you speaking to? Role, industry, and pain points.
• Key messages: What are the 2–3 things viewers must take away?
• Tone and style: Corporate and formal? Warm and personal? Energetic and fast-paced?
• Distribution: Where will the video live? Website, social media, presentations, broadcast?
• Budget range: Even a rough range helps scope the production appropriately.
• Timeline: When do you need the final video? Work backwards from delivery.

If you haven't written a brief before, our complete video production brief guide walks through each section with a downloadable template.

Phase 2: Scripting and Storyboarding

Script Formats

Not every corporate video needs a word-for-word script. Choose the right format:

• Full script: Every word written. Best for voice-overs, explainer videos, and presenters on autocue.
• Outline script: Key points and interview questions. Best for testimonials, documentary-style, and case studies.
• Shot list: Scene-by-scene description of captures needed. Essential for all productions regardless of format.

Storyboarding

For complex productions, storyboards translate the script into visual frames. They don't need to be artistic — stick figures and rough sketches work. What matters is that everyone understands:

• Camera angle and framing for each shot
• Camera movement (pans, dolly moves, drone shots)
• On-screen text or graphic overlays
• Transitions between scenes

Review Checkpoint

Get script and storyboard sign-off from all decision-makers before proceeding. Changes at script stage cost nothing. Changes on set cost everything — and mid-edit rewrites cost more than that.

Phase 3: Location Scouting and London Permits

The Recce

A location recce (reconnaissance visit) is non-negotiable for professional production. During the visit, assess:

• Lighting: Natural light direction at the planned shoot time, window positions, and artificial lighting needs
• Sound: Background noise levels, HVAC systems, traffic, construction activity
• Power: Socket locations and capacity for lighting rigs and equipment
• Space: Room for cameras, lights, and crew movement; usable backgrounds
• Access: Loading bay for equipment, lift access, parking for production vehicles

London Permit Lead Times by Borough

Filming in London adds specific permit planning requirements. Lead times vary significantly by borough and filming location. Based on our experience with 200+ London productions:

City of London Film Office The City of London Film Office processes permits within 10 working days for standard commercial filming on public land. Complex shoots (large crews, major streets, heritage locations) may require additional time. Apply via the City of London Film Office website. Note: roads around the Stock Exchange and Bank junction require liaison with Transport for London (TfL) as well as City of London.

Westminster City Council Westminster Film Office typically processes filming permits in 7 working days. The busiest central London borough, Westminster covers Parliament Square, Trafalgar Square, Oxford Street, and most of the South Bank. ULEZ and congestion charge zone compliance must be confirmed for equipment vehicle access.

Tower Hamlets Tower Hamlets (covering Canary Wharf, Brick Lane, Bethnal Green, Wapping) typically processes permits in 5 working days. Canary Wharf estate filming is handled separately by the Canary Wharf Group estate management team — lead times vary and direct liaison is required.

Additional Boroughs: Most inner London boroughs (Southwark, Lambeth, Islington, Hackney) operate 5–7 working day permit windows. Always apply at least 10 working days ahead to allow for follow-up queries. For a comprehensive planning overview covering permit applications, see our guide to event filming in London which covers public-space permit logistics in detail.

Sample Call Sheet: The Tower Bridge Corporate (Anonymised)

To illustrate how pre-production documentation works in practice, here's how a recent Airframe production was structured. The client was a financial services firm filming an executive thought-leadership piece in and around the Tower Bridge area. Details are anonymised.

Project: 2-minute corporate thought-leadership film (client anonymised) Location: London Bridge area office + Tower Bridge exterior Crew: Director/Producer (our director Liam Mead), DOP/Camera Op, Sound Recordist, Production Assistant Shoot date: Tuesday, 9am–6pm

Call Sheet (key fields):

• General call: 7:30am — crew load-in, parking on Tooley Street (pre-booked)
• Client arrival: 9:00am — on-camera talent briefed on wardrobe and autocue
• Interior interview setup: 9:00–10:30am — 2-point interview lighting, lapel + boom audio
• First setup filming: 10:30am–12:30pm — 3 interview takes, 2 angles
• Lunch: 12:30–13:15pm
• External filming block: 13:30–16:00pm — Tower Bridge permit window 13:00–17:00 (Southwark permit, applied 8 working days prior)
• Coverage/cutaways: 16:00–17:30pm — walking shots, building exteriors, B-roll
• Wrap + data backup: 17:30–18:00pm — two copies of all footage to separate drives before leaving location

Notes from that shoot:

• ULEZ charges confirmed for equipment van (diesel, pre-2016 Euro 5 engine): £12.50 per day
• Congestion charge: £15 per day (shooting days only)
• Tower Bridge exterior: no permit required for a 4-person crew with handheld cameras — only required for larger setups with tripods in public footway

Phase 4: Insurance Certificate Requirements

Insurance requirements vary significantly by London venue type. Getting this wrong has caused productions to be stopped at the venue door — a situation we have seen happen to other crews. Here is what to have ready:

5-Star Hotels (e.g., Claridges, The Shard, Corinthia)

Most London 5-star hotels that host filming require:

• £5 million public liability minimum (some require £10 million — confirm with venue)
• Equipment insurance covering the full replacement value of all gear on site
• Employer's Liability insurance (required for any crew member not a sole trader)
• Certificate of Insurance naming the hotel as an additional interest
• Often required: RAMS (Risk Assessment and Method Statement) submitted 48–72 hours in advance

Corporate Office Blocks

Standard requirements for filming in corporate office environments:

• £2–5 million public liability (typically £5 million for City of London premises)
• Certificate of Insurance from the production company's insurer, not a broker note
• Building owner's filming permission form (separate from the individual company's permission)
• Data protection consideration: if other employees may appear in background footage, a filming notice to building residents may be required

Public Realm (Streets, Parks, Public Squares)

For public-realm filming with local authority permits:

• £5–10 million public liability — most London boroughs require £5 million minimum, Tower Hamlets and the City of London require £10 million for street shoots
• Certificate must be current (not expired at the time of filming) and must match the name on the permit application
• Some boroughs require the insurer to be FCA-regulated and UK-domiciled

Practical note: Your production company should carry public liability insurance as standard. If they don't carry at least £5 million, ask why. Airframe Media carries £10 million public liability for all productions.

For more detail on our production approach and team qualifications, explore our full service range.

Phase 5: Casting and Talent

Who Appears On Camera?

Decide early who features in your video:

• Company employees: Authentic but may need coaching. Allow extra time on shoot day for nerves and autocue rehearsal.
• Professional presenters: Polished delivery, can read from autocue. Budget £500–£2,000+ per day.
• Real customers: Excellent for testimonials. Coordinate schedules well in advance.
• Actors: For scripted scenarios. Source through casting agencies (UK Casting or equivalent).

Talent Preparation

Whoever is on camera, prepare them:

• Send scripts or talking points at least one week in advance
• Brief them on wardrobe: avoid thin stripes, small patterns, all-white or all-black
• Explain the process so they know what to expect on the day
• Schedule a brief rehearsal or pre-interview call for nervous on-camera performers

Phase 6: Technical and Crew Planning

The right equipment and crew depend on production scale. A typical corporate video in London requires four core roles — to see a behind-the-scenes walkthrough of a corporate shoot, our production-day guide shows how these roles interact in practice.

Core Crew

• Director/Producer: Manages creative vision, timeline, and stakeholder communication
• Camera operator: Operates the primary camera, frames and executes shots
• Sound recordist: Captures clean audio (critical for interview and dialogue work)
• Lighting technician: Sets up and manages lighting rigs and practicals

Equipment Checklist

• Cinema cameras (typically 2 for corporate work — main and cutaway)
• Lens kit (wide, standard, telephoto)
• Professional lighting kit (LED panels, softboxes, practicals)
• Wireless lapel microphones + boom mic
• Tripods, sliders, or gimbal stabilisers
• Monitors for director and client review
• Batteries, memory cards (redundant copies), and drives for on-set backup

Working with a professional video production company means you don't need to source any of this. It's included in the production package with no equipment rental markup.

The 37-Item Pre-Production Checklist

Use this in the two weeks before your shoot. This checklist is adapted from the standard Airframe pre-production template used across 200+ London productions.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels

Creative (1–9)

1. Creative brief approved by all decision-makers
2. Script/talking points finalised and approved
3. Shot list complete with all scenes and setups covered
4. Storyboard or visual reference approved
5. Brand guidelines shared with production team
6. Graphics and on-screen text reviewed for brand compliance
7. Any logo or product clearances confirmed
8. Competitor restrictions checked (no competitor logos in B-roll)
9. Music brief confirmed (genre, mood, licensing type)

Locations (10–17) 10. [ ] Location confirmed and booking confirmed in writing 11. [ ] Filming permit applied for (borough-specific lead times above) 12. [ ] Insurance certificate obtained and shared with venue 13. [ ] RAMS submitted to venue if required (5-star hotels, corporate buildings) 14. [ ] Parking and load-in time confirmed with venue 15. [ ] Power supply tested at location (socket count, trip switch locations) 16. [ ] Noise assessment done (HVAC schedule, street noise patterns) 17. [ ] Emergency exit routes confirmed for crew safety

Talent (18–24) 18. [ ] All on-camera participants confirmed and call times sent 19. [ ] Wardrobe guidance sent with specific do's and don'ts 20. [ ] Autocue/teleprompter booked if required 21. [ ] Consent/release forms prepared and sent in advance 22. [ ] Hair and makeup arranged if needed 23. [ ] Rehearsal or pre-interview call scheduled 24. [ ] GDPR/ICO consent form prepared for filmed employee data

Technical (25–30) 25. [ ] Equipment list finalised and all kit tested 26. [ ] All batteries charged, memory cards formatted and checked 27. [ ] Backup equipment confirmed (second camera body, spare audio kit) 28. [ ] Data storage plan confirmed (on-set backup protocol) 29. [ ] Technical spec confirmed with edit suite (codec, frame rate, delivery format) 30. [ ] LMS/SCORM spec confirmed if training video output

Administrative (31–37) 31. [ ] Insurance certificates ready (public liability, equipment, employers' liability) 32. [ ] Risk assessment completed for all locations 33. [ ] Emergency contacts list for all crew and talent 34. [ ] ULEZ and congestion charge confirmed for production vehicles 35. [ ] Weather forecast checked (outdoor shoots — contingency plan in place) 36. [ ] Post-production schedule agreed with editor 37. [ ] Final call sheet distributed to all crew and talent

Common Pre-Production Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the recce. Turning up on shoot day to discover the room has fluorescent strip lighting, a noisy air-conditioning unit, and no power sockets near the interview position is avoidable with a single 30-minute site visit.

Vague briefs. "We want something like Apple" is not a brief. The more specific you can be about objectives, audience, and messages, the better the result — and the faster the edit.

Not allowing enough time. Rushing pre-production almost always backfires. You spend more time and money fixing problems than you saved by cutting corners.

Ignoring audio. Beautiful footage with poor audio is unwatchable. Sound planning — location noise assessment, microphone selection, and quiet recording windows — needs to be in the pre-production plan. For a detailed look at audio in the pre-production checklist, our audio in the pre-production checklist guide covers mic selection and location noise assessment.

Too many stakeholders in the edit. Agree on who has final sign-off before production starts. Six people providing conflicting feedback turns a two-week edit into two months. Document it in your brief.

When to Bring in a Professional Production Company

You can handle simple pre-production internally, but consider commissioning professionals when:

• You need broadcast or cinema-quality output
• The project involves multiple London locations or complex logistics
• You don't have in-house production experience
• The project is high-stakes (investor presentations, product launches, recruitment campaigns)
• You need drone footage, advanced lighting, or specialist equipment

A good production company brings production management expertise that makes the entire process smoother and the final product stronger. Ready to start planning? Get in touch with our London team for a free consultation.

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Need help with your video production brief? Our free video production brief template covers every section. For wider production costs and service options, see our full service range.