What to Expect When You Book a Video Production Agency to Film at Your London Office

What to Expect When a Video Production Agency Films at Your London Office

As a full service video production agency specialising in corporate content, we've had the privilege of filming in offices across London—from Shoreditch and Holborn to Canary Wharf, Westminster, and Peckham. We’ve set up in WeWorks, skyscrapers, boardrooms, and breakout areas of all sizes. With years of experience, we know the drill, so we’ve put together this guide to help new clients understand what to expect when we arrive to capture your brand story on film.

Pre-Production: The Key to a Smooth Shoot Day

The success of any shoot hinges on pre-production. This is the phase where we plan every detail to ensure the filming day runs smoothly and meets your goals.

• Initial Consultation: We start by discussing the purpose of the video, your key messages, and the target audience. This helps us craft a shot list, develop interview questions, and determine the best approach to highlight your brand authentically. During this phase, we’ll also discuss how many people need to be filmed, which influences the number of days we’ll need on-site.

• Site Visit: To ensure everything is tailored to your workspace, we may do a quick site visit to assess lighting, sound, and camera positioning. London offices come in all shapes and sizes, and we like to plan ahead—especially if we need to manage reflections from glass walls, minimize external noise, or navigate confined spaces. By visiting in advance, we can pre-emptively address any environmental challenges.

• Scheduling and Logistics: This phase is all about alignment and efficiency. We work closely with you to finalize a shoot schedule that minimizes disruption to your team’s workflow. The number of people being interviewed and their availability can impact the shoot length, so we coordinate with you to agree on dates that suit everyone involved. We’ll schedule time for interviews, B-roll capture, and the final wrap-up, ensuring our time on-site is productive and seamless.

With everything prepared, our team arrives fully equipped to bring your brand’s story to life while making the process as smooth and efficient as possible.

What to Expect on Shoot Day

Our crew typically arrives early, around 8.00am, to begin setting up. Here’s what happens as we prepare for a day of filming at your office.

1. Setup and Creating the Set Environment

   • Setting up is meticulous work, from moving furniture to adjusting lighting to make sure there are no reflections or shadows on screen. We work to create a comfortable environment that captures your office vibe and brand essence. Setting up often takes around two hours, so we’re ready to roll with interviews by 10.00am.

2. Interview Structure and Timing

   • Depending on how many people are being interviewed, we’ll either film the interviews first and capture B-roll afterward, or we’ll work with two crews—one focused on interviews and the other on B-roll.
   • Interview Timing: We allow about 45 minutes to an hour for each interview. Speaking on camera can feel very different from giving a presentation or chatting with colleagues, so we like to take our time, asking each question a few times to get natural, authentic responses.
   • Our goal is for interviewees to feel relaxed and enjoy the process. We know that comfortable, happy people make for engaging videos—no one wants a “hostage video” look! We guide each person to make sure they feel at ease, resulting in confident, genuine responses.

3. To Script or Not to Script?

   • We typically recommend avoiding a script unless the person is a seasoned presenter. Reading from a script can make interviewees look stiff, with wandering eyes that feel detached from the message. Instead, we prefer a conversational, interview-style approach where we ask carefully crafted questions designed to draw out the key points naturally. This approach allows us to capture authentic energy, making the content more relatable and credible.

Understanding B-Roll: Adding Depth to Your Story

B-roll is the unsung hero of a great video. It’s the supplementary footage that adds depth, context, and storytelling elements to your primary interview footage. Here’s how B-roll works and why it’s a valuable asset:

• Covering Cuts: B-roll helps “cover” cuts in the interview footage, where we’re piecing together different parts of the conversation. Rather than a jumpy edit, the video flows seamlessly, with shots of your office space or team interactions enhancing the story.
• Culture in Action: B-roll gives viewers a sense of your workplace culture. Whether it’s shots of team meetings, casual interactions, or your office’s unique design, this footage shows the human side of your business, bringing your brand to life in a way that simple words can’t.
• Visual Context: B-roll also provides visual context, helping the viewer feel grounded in your location and environment. A few well-chosen shots can add layers to the storytelling, turning a basic video into a visually engaging experience that represents your brand.

The Final Wrap-Up

Once we’ve captured all the interviews and B-roll, we’ll conduct a quick review to confirm that every essential shot is covered. If needed, we’ll do last-minute touch-ups or re-takes to make sure we’ve got exactly what’s required. Then, it’s time to start wrapping up.

Our team carefully takes down all equipment, transferring files securely and making backups on-site to ensure everything is safe and accounted for. We pride ourselves on leaving your office just as we found it, so we’ll return any moved furniture or fixtures to their original positions, restoring the space to how it was when we arrived.

Our goal as your video production agency is to make the entire process hassle-free and enjoyable for you and your team. We handle the details so you can relax and enjoy the experience of seeing your brand come to life on camera.