How to Plan a Music Video Shoot: Complete Checklist

After directing over 300 music videos, I've learned that the difference between a good music video and a great one almost always comes down to preparation. Every minute spent in pre-production saves ten minutes on set — and ten minutes on set saves money, stress, and creative compromise. This complete guide covers every stage of planning a music video shoot, from initial concept to your first shot of the day.

Phase 1: Pre-Production Planning

Pre-production is where the real work happens. This phase typically starts 4–6 weeks before your shoot date and covers everything from creative development to final logistics. Skimping here is the most expensive mistake you can make in music video production.

Step 1: Concept Development

Every great music video starts with a strong, clear concept. Here's how to develop yours:

• Song analysis: Listen to the track 20+ times. What emotions does it evoke? What story do the lyrics tell? What visual metaphors could represent the song's themes?
• Define your format: Choose between performance-based (artist performing the song), narrative (a story connecting to the lyrics), conceptual/abstract, or a hybrid approach.
• Reference videos: Collect 5–10 music videos capturing visual elements you want to incorporate. Share these with your director and DP early in the process.
• Write a treatment: Document your vision in a 1–2 page treatment describing the video from opening frame to closing shot. This becomes the creative blueprint for the entire production.
• The three-word test: Can you describe the concept in three words? "Intimate, raw, cinematic." "Retro, colourful, playful." If you can't, the concept may be too complex to execute on your budget.

Step 2: Budget Planning

Be realistic about your budget before making any other decisions. Every creative choice is also a financial decision. Here's a typical percentage breakdown for mid-range productions:

• Production crew: 30–40%
• Equipment rental: 20–25%
• Location fees and permits: 10–15%
• Talent and extras: 10–15%
• Post-production (editing, colour grading): 15–20%
• Contingency: 10% — always include this

Always include a 10% contingency in your budget. Unexpected costs are the rule, not the exception. Weather, equipment issues, overtime, and unplanned location changes all cost money you haven't budgeted for.

For a full breakdown of costs at every budget tier — from $2,000 indie shoots to $100,000+ productions — read our music video budget breakdown guide.

Step 3: Building Your Creative Team

Book your key crew as early as possible — good crew are always in demand. The roles you need depend on your budget, but at minimum you should have:

• Director: Responsible for the creative vision and on-set leadership. Your most important hire.
• Director of Photography (DP): Responsible for camera and lighting design — arguably as important as the director for the visual outcome.
• First Assistant Director (1st AD): Manages the schedule on the day, keeps the shoot on track and on time.
• Gaffer: Leads the lighting crew and electrical department.
• Camera Operator: May be the same person as the DP on smaller productions.
• Production Assistant (PA): Handles logistics, catering coordination, and ad hoc tasks throughout the day.

For narrative videos with acting talent, you'll also need a casting director, makeup artist, hair stylist, and wardrobe supervisor. For a complete breakdown of every crew role, see our complete guide to music video production.

Step 4: Shot List and Storyboard

A shot list is your plan of attack for the day. It lists every shot you need, in order, with camera setup and movement notes. A storyboard translates this into visual panels showing what each shot will look like on screen.

Your shot list should include for each shot:

• Shot number and location/setup name
• Camera position and movement type (static, dolly, gimbal, slider, handheld)
• Lens length reference (24mm wide, 50mm standard, 85mm close)
• Shot type (wide establishing, medium, close-up, extreme close-up, detail/insert)
• Lighting setup reference or notes
• Artist performance direction for that specific shot
• Estimated time to complete including setup changes

Work backwards from your total available shoot hours. If you have 10 hours on set and need 40 shots, you have roughly 15 minutes per shot in theory — but transitions between major setups take 30–60 minutes each. Be ruthlessly realistic when building your schedule.

Phase 2: Location Scouting

Your location choice is one of the biggest production value levers you have. The right location transforms a music video without requiring more crew or more expensive equipment.

Assessing Locations

When scouting, assess each site for:

• Lighting conditions: Visit at exactly the time of day you plan to shoot. Morning light is completely different from afternoon light — and available light is free light.
• Power access: Where are the nearest power points? What is the circuit amperage? Do you need a generator for your lighting requirements?
• Ambient noise: Traffic, air conditioning, aircraft, and neighbours all affect your playback environment and the energy on set.
• Parking and access: Where will the equipment truck park? Is there a loading zone? Can you get large lighting fixtures and a dolly inside easily?
• Visual interest: Does the space give you strong backgrounds and visual depth? Texture, layers, and interesting architecture add production value without additional budget.

Permits and Location Agreements

Confirm permit requirements at least 3 weeks before the shoot to avoid last-minute scrambles:

• Council-owned public land: Most Australian local councils require a film permit for commercial shoots — budget $100–$500 per location and allow 2–3 weeks for approval.
• State government land and national parks: Require separate permits through the relevant department, and may impose restrictions on crew size or equipment.
• Private property: Always get written permission (a signed location agreement) from the property owner covering liability, access hours, and conditions of use.
• Production insurance: Most locations require proof of public liability insurance, typically $10M–$20M cover. Budget $500–$1,500 for a single-day production policy.

Phase 3: Shoot Day Preparation

The Call Sheet

Send your call sheet to all crew and cast the evening before the shoot. A proper call sheet includes:

• Full shoot location address with parking and access notes
• Staggered call times for each crew member and talent (crew always arrive before the artist)
• The day's shooting schedule with estimated times per setup
• Scheduled lunch and wrap times
• Full equipment list for confirmation
• Nearest hospital address and emergency contact numbers
• Weather forecast and any relevant conditions

Equipment Checklist

Check every piece of equipment the day before the shoot — not on the morning of. There's no time to fix problems on the day.

• Cameras: batteries fully charged, firmware up to date, media cards formatted and empty
• Lenses: cleaned, no dust or fungus, all caps accounted for
• Lighting fixtures: all tested, globes checked, spare globes packed
• Generator: fuelled, tested, with spare fuel jerry cans
• Sound playback: system tested with the actual audio file (not a different mix or master)
• Grip: tripods, dollies, sliders, and gimbals all in working order and cleaned
• Batteries: fully charged for all cameras, monitors, and wireless systems
• Media: spare cards and at least two external hard drives for backup

Phase 4: Production Day

Morning Setup (Crew Call Time)

• Crew arrives 1–2 hours before talent. Set up craft services and a comfortable green room space for the artist before they arrive.
• Begin lighting setup for the first setup while talent is in makeup and hair — these can happen simultaneously.
• Test all equipment, including the audio playback system, before the artist is needed on set.
• Conduct a brief safety briefing for all crew covering electrical hazards, emergency exits, and any location-specific risks.
• Brief the 1st AD on the day's non-negotiables — what absolutely must be captured, and what can be cut if time runs short.

During the Shoot

• Start with wide establishing shots — these take the longest to light and set the visual language for the entire piece.
• Work through your shot list systematically, moving from wider coverage to tighter angles within each setup before moving on.
• Get coverage — always shoot more angles than you think you need. Extra footage in the edit is an asset. Missing coverage is unfixable.
• Review footage on a calibrated monitor throughout the day, not just at the end.
• Manage transitions between setups tightly — the 1st AD should be calling the next setup before the current one wraps.

Managing Talent Energy

Artists performing the same song 10–15 times across a long shoot day will naturally lose energy and authenticity. Manage this proactively:

• Brief the artist before the day on how many performances to expect — don't let it be a surprise
• Warm up with cutaway shots and non-performance content early in the day to ease into the work
• Schedule genuine rest breaks between major lighting setups
• Always play the track through quality speakers — never tinny laptop speakers or phone audio
• Give specific performance direction per shot ("this one is intimate, like you're singing directly to one person")
• Keep the energy on set focused and positive — the camera reads the room, and so does the artist

Phase 5: Post-Production Essentials

Wrapping the shoot is not the end of the job — in many ways, it's the beginning of the most critical phase. Post-production is where footage becomes a music video:

• Back up footage immediately: Always to at least two separate physical hard drives before leaving the location. Never delete or format camera cards until both backups are confirmed.
• Organise your media: Label clips by setup name, take number, and angle. This saves hours in the edit suite and prevents costly mistakes.
• Rough cut first: Get the overall structure and rhythm right before finessing any individual cut. Set the pacing and narrative flow before worrying about perfect transitions.
• Colour grade professionally: Colour grading transforms footage and matches the emotional tone of the song. A professional colourist can elevate every frame; never cut this from the post budget.
• Sound sync: Ensure perfect lip sync throughout the entire video. Even a single frame of audio drift is immediately visible to audiences and looks unprofessional.
• Platform deliverables: YouTube, Vevo, Instagram, and TikTok each have different resolution, aspect ratio, and bitrate specifications. Confirm requirements before the final export.

Common Planning Mistakes to Avoid

• Underestimating setup time: Moving between major lighting setups takes 30–90 minutes each. Factor this into your schedule or you'll be rushing through shots at the end of the day.
• No contingency budget: Something unexpected always happens. If you don't budget for it, you'll cut creative corners instead.
• Skipping the technical recce: A detailed location visit before the shoot day, with the director and DP present, prevents costly surprises on the day.
• Overbooking the day: A focused 8-hour shoot with 20 excellent shots beats a frantic 14-hour day with 50 mediocre ones. Quality over quantity, always.
• Poor crew communication: Every crew member should know the day's priorities before they arrive. Confusion on set costs time — and time is money.

Planning a music video is a substantial undertaking, but with thorough preparation it becomes a manageable and genuinely enjoyable creative process. Use this checklist as your guide, build contingency into every stage, and never underestimate the value of a well-briefed, well-rested crew. (Source: ARIA — Australian Recording Industry Association.)

At 171 Entertainment, we've refined this planning process across more than 300 productions. If you're planning your first music video or next major project and want professional support at any stage — from concept to final delivery — get in touch with our team.

Ready to go deeper? Read our complete music video pre-production checklist guide for a printable, stage-by-stage breakdown of every pre-production task, or explore our storyboard guide for visual planning techniques used by professional directors.