What Goes Into a Commercial Video Shoot: A Guide for Brands Hiring a Production Company

A polished 30-second commercial can take weeks to make and involve a dozen people you never see on screen. If you're about to hire a video production company for the first time, understanding the commercial video production process upfront will save you from surprises and help you prepare better on your end. This guide walks through exactly what happens between your first brief and final delivery.

Pre-Production: The 80% That Determines Success

Most of the labour that goes into making an extraordinary advertisement happens before any actual video recording.

Creative Brief and Concept Development

Everything begins with a strong brief: the video's goals, its audience, and the essential concept and knowledge. The production team then develops a creative concept.

Scriptwriting and Storyboarding

Once the concept is approved, it's translated into a script and storyboard, giving both the brand and the crew a shared visual reference before filming begins.

Location Scouting and Permits

Finding the right location and securing permits often takes longer than brands expect, especially for public spaces or specific architectural settings.

Casting Talent

Whether it's professional actors or real customers, casting must match the commercial's tone and audience.

Crew and Equipment Planning

The production group outlines exactly what personnel and equipment are required on set, from camera operators to lighting setups.

Budgeting and Timelines

A detailed budget and shooting timetable synchronise all elements, so there are no unexpected expenditure issues as filming begins.

Production Day(s)

This is the part most people picture when they think of a video shoot, but it's built entirely on the planning that came before it.

Crew Jobs

A typical filming process includes a director, a DOP (director of photography), a gaffer, a sound recorder, and production assistants who make sure everything runs smoothly.

Equipment

The team sets up and adjusts cameras, lights, and grips throughout the day as needed for every shot.

On-Set Client Involvement

As an agent of your company, you will watch the shoot live on a monitor and give the green light for the best scenes; from a technical perspective, you will do nothing.

Shoot-Day Schedule

Filming one commercial usually takes eight to twelve hours, depending on how many setups, locations, and talent the team works with.

Post-Production

Once filming wraps, the real shaping of the story begins.

• Editing and rough cuts: The original footage is edited into a first version for review. 
• Colour grading: Tones and contrasts are improved to give the video a similar, professional look. 
• Sound design and music licensing: Music, sound effects, and mixing create a complete audio layer with correct licensing for commercial purposes.
• Revision rounds: Feedback is taken into account during one or several revision phases.
• Final delivery formats: The finished video is exported in the required format, depending on the intended use (e.g., TV broadcast).

How Long Does a Commercial Shoot Take End-to-End?

From initial brief to final delivery, most commercial shoots take four to eight weeks, depending on script complexity, number of locations, and how many revision rounds are built into the timeline. Multi-location or multi-market commercials naturally run longer.

What Brands Should Prepare Before Reaching Out

Coming prepared speeds up the entire process. Before reaching out to a production company, it helps to have a rough budget range in mind, any reference videos or mood boards that reflect the look you want, a clear key message, and an idea of which platforms the video will run on.

Choosing the Right Production Partner

When you're ready to hire a video production company, look for a relevant portfolio in your industry, a transparent process from brief to delivery, and a single point of contact who keeps communication simple throughout the project, rather than juggling multiple departments yourself.

Ready to Plan Your Shoot?

At Filmbaker, we manage the entire process end to end, from first brief to final cut, for brands shooting commercials and corporate films across India. Download our Shoot-Ready Checklist or book a discovery call to start planning your next commercial.

FAQs

1. How much do commercial videos cost? 

Costs vary widely based on location, number of actors, crew size, and post-production complexity. The best is to talk about it in reference to the request and the budget range in question.

2. Can you shoot for several platforms on the same shooting day? 

Yes, if you plan properly beforehand, you can shoot for TV, social, and web formats in one day and avoid the double cost of shooting.

3. Will you manage the casting and the locations? 

Yes, most full-service video production companies, such as Filmbaker, provide casting and location scouting services and issue all the necessary permits.

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