Pre-shoot checklist

Get the most out of shoot day.

What you do before we arrive shows up in every frame of the edit. Start with the list every shoot needs, then pick what you do. Your ticks save on this device, so you can work through it over a few days.

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Part one

Every shoot

Whatever we're filming, this is what makes the day run.

The week before

About 7 days out

Confirm the date, call time and exact meeting point — including any unit, gate, slip, hangar or yard we should head for.
Tell us who will be on site, and who can make decisions on the day: moving a vehicle, opening a room, pausing work.
Send your logo files, brand colors, and any offer, tagline or disclaimer that has to appear in the edit.
Share two or three videos you like — yours or anyone's. It's the fastest way to agree on pace, music and tone.
Tell us where the finished video will run — Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, a listing site, ads — so we frame every shot for the right shapes on the day.
Make sure anyone who will appear on camera knows it, and is happy to be filmed.

If we're flying a drone

As early as possible

Send the exact location as early as you can. We fly under an FAA Part 107 certificate, and sites near airports or in controlled airspace can need an authorization that takes time to come through.
Get the property owner's or site manager's go-ahead for a drone, and agree a clear spot to take off and land.
Give neighbors or other tenants a heads-up that a drone will be overhead.
Know that wind, rain or low cloud can ground the drone on the day, even when the rest of the shoot goes ahead.

The day before

Charge or power anything that should look switched on — screens, displays, lighting, dashboards.
Check the forecast with us. Exteriors and aerials depend on it, and moving a shoot beats filming a gray sky.
Keep a space clear close by where we can park and unload equipment.

On the day

Keep the areas we're filming clear of anyone who isn't meant to be in the shot.
Have your on-site contact reachable by phone for the whole shoot window.
Silence phones, radios, music and any equipment that isn't part of the shot. We record sound on location.
Switch off ceiling fans and anything else spinning in frame — on video it reads as flicker.
Give us a quick walkthrough when we arrive: anything off-limits, and anything you especially want captured.

Part two

What you do

Pick the one closest to your business.

Prepared for: Agents & Brokerages

A listing is judged on a phone, in seconds, by someone deciding whether to book a showing. Most of what follows takes an afternoon.

Inside

Turn on every light — lamps, under-cabinet, closets, exterior — and replace dead bulbs so the colors match from room to room.
Open blinds and curtains, and set them to the same height throughout.
Clear kitchen and bathroom counters down to one or two deliberate pieces.
Put away family photos, mail, medication, keys and anything showing a name or address.
Hide trash cans, pet bowls, litter boxes, cords and chargers.
Make every bed, and straighten throws and cushions.
Close toilet lids, pull back shower curtains, and hang one matching set of towels.

Outside

Move cars off the driveway and away from the front of the house.
Mow, edge, and clear leaves, hoses and toys from the yard.
Put trash cans out of sight, and take down seasonal decorations that would date the listing.
Uncover and clean the pool or hot tub, and switch on any water features.
Plan for pets to be out of the house while we shoot.

Shooting a rental usually means working around tenants and turnovers. Most of this is about access and timing.

Access and tenants

If a unit is occupied, give tenants the notice your lease and local rules require, and confirm they're comfortable with us shooting.
Arrange keys, lockbox codes or someone on site for every unit and common area on the list.
Book time in amenities like the gym, pool or lounge for when they'll be empty.
In occupied units, ask tenants to put away personal items, photos and anything showing a name.

Units and building

Have vacant units cleaned after turnover and before we arrive. Paint touch-ups and fresh caulk show up on camera.
Replace dead bulbs so every room, hallway and common area is fully lit.
Tidy lobbies, mailrooms, hallways and parking areas, and take old notices off the walls.
Mow, sweep, and move trash and recycling bins out of sight.

On an active site the shoot works around the build. Safety and timing matter more than staging.

On site

Tell us your site's PPE and sign-in requirements before we arrive, and we'll come equipped for them.
Have someone from your team available to walk us through and keep us clear of active work.
Tell us which stage of the build you want captured, so the shoot is timed to show real progress.
Flag cranes, nearby airports or restricted airspace early, so drone flights can be planned or authorized in time.

Model homes and amenities

Have model homes staged and cleaned, with every light working.
Finish landscaping, signage and amenity areas you want featured, or tell us what to frame around.
Send site plans or renderings, so the footage can be matched to what buyers are being shown.
Confirm we're clear to shoot any neighboring lots or phases that will appear in frame.

The finished job is the proof, so the aim is for it to look as finished on camera as it does to your client seeing it for the first time.

The finished job

Book the shoot for after final cleanup, not before. Dust, sand, tape and protective film read as unfinished on camera.
Clear tools, drop cloths, scraps and packaging from every area we'll shoot.
Switch on under-cabinet lighting, fixtures and any water features, and water new plantings before we arrive.
Confirm your client has agreed to the shoot, and to the footage being used in your marketing.
Tell us anything that shouldn't appear — house numbers, family photos, security cameras, neighboring homes.

Showing the work

Dig out any before photos or phone clips. A before-and-after is often the strongest piece we can make.
Point out the details you're proudest of — tile lines, cabinetry, hardware, stonework, lighting.
If your crew will be on camera, have them in branded shirts, and tell us who's comfortable speaking.
Park clean, branded trucks and trailers where they can be featured.

Everything in part one applies to your shoot. For anything particular to your location — access, safety, what should stay out of frame — tell us when you book and we'll talk it through before the day.

Not sure about something on the list?

Every location is a little different. Ask us before the day rather than finding out on it.

hello@adreachstudios.com 973-327-3772