An event is the one shoot you cannot redo. If the keynote is missed, it is missed. So before you hire a crew for your conference, gala, or launch, ask these ten questions. The answers tell you more than a reel does.
1. How do you get clean audio from the stage?
The right answer involves your AV team: a feed from the sound board, plus a backup recorder on the podium. The wrong answer is “the camera mic is good.” No event film survives bad audio, and the room’s PA is the worst possible source.
2. Have you seen the run of show?
A crew that asks for it two weeks out is a crew that will be in position when the award is announced. A crew that has not asked is going to be repositioning when it happens.
3. How many cameras, and where?
One camera can cover a talk. Two cover a talk and the audience reacting to it. For anything with a stage moment, a wide locked shot plus a roaming operator is the minimum that gives an editor options. Ask what happens during the moment that matters most.
4. What are the deliverables, exactly?
“A recap video” is not a deliverable. A 2 to 4 minute highlight film, three vertical cutdowns for social, and the full keynote recordings is a deliverable list. Get the list and the lengths in writing before the shoot.
5. When will I have it?
Highlight films should land in 7 to 10 business days. If you need something the same week, say so up front; it is possible, and it costs more because someone else’s project waits. A vendor who cannot give you a date is a vendor who has not thought about their edit schedule.
6. Can you shoot photos too?
One crew for stills and video means one vendor, one invoice, and nobody stepping into anybody’s frame. Not every video crew offers it. Ask.
7. What do you need from my venue?
Power, a place to stage cases, load-in access, and a contact for the AV team. A crew that names these on the call has done it before. It also tells you what to arrange so nobody is looking for an outlet at 7:55 a.m.
8. Will you film people who have not agreed to be on camera?
The answer should be a clear policy. For public events it is usually a sign at registration. For anything with a private component, the crew should know who is off-limits before they arrive.
9. Show me an event film, then show me what the client did with it.
Anyone can make a highlight reel look good over music. Ask where it went afterward. Did it open next year’s ticket campaign? Did it go to sponsors? A crew that knows how event films get used builds them differently: sponsor logos in frame, the room full at the right moment, the closing line that works as a call to action.
10. What happens if the event runs long?
They always run long. The answer should be a pre-agreed hourly rate, not a shrug. It protects you from a surprise invoice and protects the crew from packing up during the closing remarks.
What we would add
The best event films we have made, from Startup Week in Dayton to the Sisters in Service Awards for the Divine 9 sororities, came from clients who treated the crew as part of the production team, not a vendor who showed up. Send us the run of show. Introduce us to the AV lead. Tell us the one moment that cannot be missed. We take it from there.
Questions
How far in advance should I book event coverage?
Four to six weeks is comfortable. Spring and fall fill fastest. If your event is inside two weeks, call anyway; we will tell you honestly whether we can staff it.
What does event coverage cost?
At AmeriFilms a full production day with a highlight film starts at $3,500. Second cameras, photography, and same-week delivery are added as their own lines. See the pricing page.
Do you travel for events?
Across Ohio, yes, and to Indianapolis, Louisville, and Pittsburgh without a flight. Farther is a conversation about travel days.
See our event work and check a date on the event video production page.