How to Make the Most of a One-Day Shoot
Planning a one-day shoot can feel like a scramble. Limited time, tight resources, high expectations. But with the right approach, it doesn’t have to mean compromise. In fact, many of our best projects are built around focused, one-day shoots that deliver smart, scalable results.
Here’s how we make it work.
1. Start With a Clear Content Goal
We don’t roll cameras until we understand what the video needs to do. Who’s it for? What’s the core message? What platforms will it live on? When we answer those questions upfront, we can reverse-engineer a day that serves them all.
2. Design for Reuse
We shoot with repurposing in mind. Wide, medium, and tight shots. Clean b-roll. Audio bites that can work in multiple edits. It’s not about capturing more footage, it’s about capturing the right footage to work in layers.
3. Keep the Crew Lean and Focused
Smaller crews allow for speed, flexibility, and intimacy, especially in docu-style work. Everyone knows their role, and we move with purpose.
4. Build In Time for the Unexpected
We always pad the schedule. Real moments can’t be forced, and rushed interviews or last-minute setups can sink a shoot. Breathing room creates better outcomes.
5. Walk Away With a Plan for Post
We don’t wait until editing to figure out the deliverables. We build the day to serve multiple outputs: longform, short cutdowns, vertical reels, etc. It’s all mapped in advance.
One of our most complex and rewarding one-day shoots took place inside Fenway Park with MassMutual and the Boston Red Sox. In partnership with Nimbus, our team spent months in pre-production collaborating with director Nelson "NELFLIX" Quinones and director of photography/producer Joshua Perez to design a production day that would capture both cinematic beauty and authentic interviews.
The result: a tightly scheduled, high-impact shoot featuring Donnie and Abby, two instrumental pieces of the Red Sox organization. With limited time, frigid temps and a historic venue to respect, we treated every minute of that day like gold.
Because the planning was locked in, the shoot day ran smooth, the interviews landed with clarity and the footage cut into multiple assets continues to speak volumes.
The Takeaway: If you only have one day, make it count. With the right prep, one-day shoots can produce a month’s worth of content, and a whole lot of value.
Want to talk through what the right video could do for your brand? Check out our FREE Video Production Planning Guide, and we are always here for a free consultation when you are ready to get started.
