Managing a production schedule for a video project or photo shoot can sometimes feel like planning a trip to an unfamiliar place. There’s excitement, anticipation, and, of course, the inevitable challenges that pop up along the way.
While photography and video production might seem worlds away from planning a trip, it’s not really all that different. From research to putting together a map, the steps to plan a travel adventure are similar to the process your producer uses to arrange a production schedule. Before traveling to Miami, I carefully set up a Google Map, calendar, and document outlining dates and locations for my trip.
The next time you’re working with a producer to figure out how to keep production schedules on track and (mostly) stress-free consider these steps you might use to plan your travels:
Know where you want to go before making plans
When I tell people I’m visiting Miami, the first question everyone asks is, “What’s in Miami?” My desire to visit this destination came after studying Miami for graduate school class. Because of my research, I knew there were places I didn’t want to miss including Miami Beach, Little Havana, Wynwood Walls, and Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. Before I book any flights, hotels, or Airbnbs, I make sure I know what I want to get out of my visit.
Once I know where I want to go in Miami, setting up a Google Map with pins for key locations provides me with a visual reference for distances and when to visit a specific area. With a map, I’m ready to figure out when and where I want to stay. My map also helps me determine places to eat and how long it might take me to get to different sites.
Understanding of the end goal of a video or photography project and what you want to accomplish with the content is necessary for a successful production schedule. What do you want to achieve by producing a video? How does the content further your company’s mission, vision, and values? Does it contribute to your company’s story or does it distract your audiences? What value do audiences get from watching a video or looking at a photo of your company’s product? Answering these questions helps you look at the situation objectively, view the bigger picture, and save time for everyone.
Screenshots of a partial filming calendar and map for Bay Area Now 9.
A production schedule is a lot like a travel map. Each due date and milestone provides a destination for where you want to go and how you’ll get there. Many people jump to conclusions that content creation is easy and quick. Producing content is not an easy lift and requires many different pieces and people coming together to make it. The next time you ask the studio you’ve hired to create content, look at the production schedule as a roadmap for where you want your brand to go, how many people you need to make it happen, and how much time the production team will need to accomplish what you want.
Plan, but be flexible
After mapping out destinations in Miami, my next step is to research all of the details. When traveling, there are certain things beyond my control. I can’t change when a tourist site is open, how much admission costs, and transportation options to get there. Knowing a particular place’s restrictions helps me figure out when I can visit and how I’ll get there.
Even though I plan as much as possible ahead of time, I’ve learned to keep wiggle room for the unexpected. On my flight home to Miami, the pilot braces us for an upcoming storm. In anticipation of motion sickness, I pull out acupressure bracelets and pop a mint in my mouth. I close my eyes, reminding myself to breathe. Luckily, the turbulence doesn’t last nearly as long as expected. Instead of an hour, it’s only ten minutes but it never hurts to be prepared and flexible in case things don’t go as planned.
Knowing the limits and having a healthy balance in your plans is also necessary for a successful production schedule. If you’re filming in a venue with union regulations, you have to be aware of what you can and cannot do and if you’ll be required to hire additional union staff. Expecting the production team you’ve hired to adjust their entire plan might not be possible because of legal regulations or budget restrictions. Understanding what restrictions your production team is working under can help you find better ways to support them.
As with travel, having a healthy balance between planning and flexibility is also important for a production schedule. In production, things rarely go exactly as planned. Equipment fails, weather changes, or an interviewee for a video project shows up late.
While filming interviews for videos to promote The Healing Project, the videographer and I quickly found that the location was great for lighting, but not sound. Add unexpected maintenance going on to fix plumbing issues and artwork getting installed in a gallery, and we found ourselves in a complicated situation trying to figure out where to film. The videographer and I decided to wait until the installation team and facilities crew went to lunch to capture interviews. Although it was difficult making the arrangements and ensuring we had everything ready at just the right time, it was worth it to get the video we wanted.
It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of deadlines and the pressure to get everything perfect. Working with others who understand last-minute changes may happen and their willingness to support me with those adjustments is reflected not only in our collaboration but the content that gets produced. Expecting the unexpected, staying calm under pressure, and being open to last-minute changes helps navigate these bumps in the road without derailing the entire project.
Communicate early and often
When navigating a new city or country, communicating in a timely manner can be the difference between a great experience and a frustrating one. As both a solo and group traveler, making sure everyone is on the same page is crucial. Whether you’re asking for directions or clarifying a restaurant order, it’s always better to ask questions if you don’t understand and communicate your thoughts in different ways if you need to.
When arriving at the Miami International Airport, I stood outside the pick-up area, phone in hand with an Uber request on my screen. Before I could book anything, Uber asked me which gate I was at. I frantically looked around but couldn’t find any letters, numbers, or markers of any kind.
I saw a couple waiting for transportation and asked if they could help me. They replied and shook their heads explaining that they didn’t speak English. I told them I would figure it out and started walking around for answers. Eventually, the couple tapped my shoulder and pointed to a glass door with the letter “H” on it. I nodded and thanked them with a smile. We may not be able to speak each other’s language, but through patience and a shared effort to help each other out, we were able to communicate.
The same goes for your production team. Regular check-ins, clear directives, and a shared understanding of the schedule ensure that everyone knows their role and what’s happening next. This keeps the production moving smoothly and helps prevent misunderstandings.
While working on videos for Brett Cook & Liz Lerman: Reflection & Action, a project that required multiple advertising, commercial, and short docs, I found it useful to have check-ins with the internal team followed by meetings with the freelance videography team. Regularly communicating plus documentation such as a statement of work, agendas, and schedules helped everyone understand when and where we were filming, everyone’s roles and responsibilities, and when videos need to be completed. If there was something I didn’t know or a term I didn’t understand, I asked early and frequently. Asking questions, tracking conversations, and clarifying details on a regular basis leads to a more efficient process and the final results everyone seeks.
Reflect and learn
Every trip leaves you with stories, lasting memories, and lessons for next time. When I get home, I start making mental notes for the next trip. Coming back home from Miami, I added an insulated rain coat to my shopping list and told myself to spend more time at Miami Beach during a return visit.
After each production, it’s a good idea to do the same thing. As each project wraps, I take time to reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Just like you might journal about a travel experience or revisit your favorite photos, reviewing a project after it wraps helps you grow and prepares you for the next adventure.
When completing projects, I go through documentation, agendas, and review notes to evaluate where paperwork can be updated and what I can do to make processes smoother. No experience is perfect, which is what I enjoy most as a producer. There’s always something new to see and do, which could be said of travel. Managing a production schedule is a lot like planning a trip—it requires preparation, flexibility, and a positive attitude.
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Cover image by Alexandra_Koch on Pixabay