Keira’s First Shoot Day Out: Behind the Scenes of a Shoot Day

Want to know what it’s like on one of our shoots? Hear from Keira as she recounts her first shoot day with the team.

As a beginner in the world of film and photography, I knew my first shoot day would be a memorable, challenging and exciting experience. From prepping the equipment to packing down the set at the end of the day, every step was crucial to ensuring the shoot went smoothly. Here’s a behind the scenes look at how I navigated the first shoot of my career with the team.

A successful shoot starts long before the cameras roll. The first task to tackle was prepping the kit. Going through each bag and ensuring everything we needed was there as well as charging batteries fully just in case. Clearing any cards, cleaning camera lenses and sourcing any other miscellaneous equipment. With everything in place, the equipment was carefully packed into the car ready for the long journey to Rochdale.

While the journey itself was smooth, we were mindful of any traffic delays and made sure to leave early enough to account for any unforeseen delays. Once we arrived at the hotel I had booked two weeks prior, we unloaded the equipment in our rooms and had an early night!

We woke up early for the long day of shooting in front of us. I reviewed the call sheet I had also made, to refer to throughout the day ensuring a smooth order of the day. We began rigging the set, setting up lighting, cameras and shuffling around objects to achieve the shot we wanted. As we set up each shot we all adjusted according to lighting and tight spacing.

Referring to the call sheet helped us to stay on track and organised within a fast-paced day. Shoot days have many moving parts but using the call sheet we were all able to tick off scenes as they went by.

As the day wound down, it was time to begin packing down. Packing down is almost as important as setting up, I made sure to handle all equipment properly to avoid any damage. Double checking every space we had filmed in for any rouge bits and bobs that may have been overlooked.

Once everything had been packed away, the team and I began our journey home, reflecting on my day, what went well and what needed improvement. The day had been an intense mix of creativity, technical challenges, and teamwork. It was a great learning experience. Knowing now that every shoot from here on out will get smoother and more efficient.

My first shoot was a reminder that preparation, teamwork, and adaptability are essential on set. By staying organised and sticking to schedule, we were able to pull off a successful day.

But the work doesn’t stop after the shoot is finished. Once I returned to the office, I had to dive into the post-production process. This involved ingesting the rushes, preparing the project for editing, and organising the footage. I also began the sync pull for the B-roll and working on the transcript of the interview for easy but essential reference during the edit. It’s a crucial part of the workflow that sets the stage for the final product. We even made a short dreamy behind the scenes reel to showcase the autumn shoot day, which you can check out below!