Anyone can point a camera and press record, but the real magic of a brilliant event video lies in making viewers feel the buzz of being there and capturing the true essence of the event. From awards ceremonies to charity functions, publicity events, team-building days, and grand openings… we have recorded all manner of events over the years, and event promo videos are where we really come into our own. If you are wondering how to shoot an event video that avoids the common pitfalls plaguing this genre, then read on.
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How to Shoot an Incredible Event Video
Event promo videos are a valuable extension of your marketing mix. As well as being shared with people who couldn’t attend the event in person, they can be used as a powerful means of promoting future events via your company newsletters or social media platforms.
Getting it right is vital because when filming an event, you don’t get a second chance. These proven techniques will help you create videos that transport viewers right back to those powerful moments and do far more than just dryly document. Find out how to separate amateur footage from professional event coverage in our essential guide.
1. Be Clear on Your Vision
Before you even pick up a camera, planning your shoot is vital. Think about the purpose of the event and who the target audience is. Is it a glitzy event or a training video? Are you creating an asset to be used in-house, or to be shared on social media? Understanding these fundamentals will shape everything from shot selection to editing style.
2. Scout the Venue in Advance
Never walk into an event cold. Visit the location beforehand to check lighting conditions, identify power sources, and spot potential obstacles. Those pillars might look architectural, but they’re video nightmares waiting to happen. Ask which rooms/stages will be used, and who is likely to be stood where. Your future self will thank you for this prior preparation!
3. Prepare Your Filming Equipment
There’s no pause button on live events, and equipment failures don’t make for great excuses. Double-check everything – then check it again. Pack backup batteries, format memory cards, and triple test all your shooting gear. Include contingency equipment for those “just in case” moments so that you won’t be left high and dry if the worst happens.
4. Map Your Set-Up Locations
Strategic camera placement is your secret weapon when making a promotional video for an event. Identify prime spots for capturing the key moments of your event, ensuring you’re not scrambling during critical scenes. Mark them on a venue map and coordinate with event staff to protect your shooting locations.
5. Create a Filming Schedule
Break the event into time blocks and assign priority shots to each segment. Know when the key moments are happening – nothing’s worse than changing batteries during the CEO’s speech or moving lights in the middle of the couple’s first dance. Creating a concise filming schedule will ensure you capture all the important details and leave nothing to chance.
6. Make a Shot List With Various Angles
Mix up your shots to keep viewers engaged. Wide shots establish the scene, medium shots capture the action, and close-ups deliver the emotion. Plan your coverage like you’re directing a movie, because in a way, you are. Just blandly filming your event won’t cut it, so plan your shots and keep to the plan.
7. Focus on Storytelling
Every event has a narrative arc – find it and follow it. By focusing on the narrative you’ll be able to draw out the brilliant moments of every event, no matter what the subject matter. Whether it’s building tension before a product reveal or capturing the emotional journey of a wedding day, your video should tell a compelling story that resonates with viewers long after the event has ended.
8. Capture High-Quality Audio
If you’re wondering how to shoot an event video, then its important to understand how bad audio can ruin great visuals. Clean sound is what separates professional event videos from amateur recordings. When preparing your shoot, set up multiple audio sources – camera mic, wireless lavaliers, and a direct feed from the sound system. This will ensure a professional audio that will let your visuals shine.
9. Be Ready for Spontaneous Moments
Whilst all this planning is crucial, some of the best event video footage comes from unplanned moments. Keep a camera ready (and your wits about you!) to capture candid reactions, unexpected speeches, and those perfect little moments that make events memorable. Stay alert and mobile.
10. Take Plenty of B-roll
When learning how to shoot an event video, B-roll is your editing lifesaver. Capture plenty of ambient shots, crowd reactions, and environmental details. These clips will save your edit when you need to cover transitions or enhance the atmosphere of your main footage.
11. Plan for Post-Production
Think about editing while you shoot. Grab establishing shots, transition moments, and coverage from multiple angles. Your editor (even if that’s you) will need options to craft a polished final product that captures the event’s energy.
Types of Event Videos and Their Benefits
Event videos come in many forms, each serving distinct purposes in today’s digital landscape.
- Workshops/Keynote Speakers: Corporate events require polished, message-driven coverage that can double as marketing material. Filming a training session educates the viewer and helps with brand engagement, but it can also be a way of gaining new followers and aligning your brand as a leader in the field.
- Awards Ceremonies: Capturing the emotion and glamour of an award ceremony serves as a reminder of a special occasion and also provide a lucrative marketing asset for encouraging support for future awards shows.
- Launch Parties: Launch party videos work brilliantly on social media and can have a really positive effect for your brand. Many people don’t think about videoing a launch event, but its a real opportunity to create valuable content for future marketing activity that can be used time and time again.
- Weddings Personal familial events like weddings and anniversaries demand an emotional storytelling approach that families will treasure as precious keepsakes for generations.
- Music and Live Performances Recording a gig or festival captures the raw energy of live entertainment and can be used to promote future events as well as serving as a reminder of the event itself. For artists and venues, they’re powerful promotional tools that showcase the raw energy of their shows. These recordings create valuable content for social media and EPKs (Electronic Press Kits), giving potential bookers and fans a real taste of the live experience.
The real power of event videography lies in its versatility – shooting an event video transforms one-time moments into lasting assets that continue delivering value long after the event ends.
Event Video Shoot Examples
Want to see how theory translates into real-world results? We’ve shot everything from intimate jazz gigs to full-scale tech conferences, and each type of event demands its own unique approach. These practical examples reveal how different events require different strategies – from camera positioning at awards ceremonies to handling low-light conditions at music festivals. Let’s look at how professional techniques get applied in the field.
Blue Earth: In-Event Storytelling
The Blue Earth Forum, a cornerstone event during London Climate Action Week, created a dynamic ecosystem where innovative startups and impact investors could connect, collaborate, and catalyse change.
We were tasked with capturing this intersection of purpose and profit through a series of six distinct videos, each crafted with its own creative vision. Our mandate was clear: produce premium content that would spotlight the forum’s unique value proposition – from intimate investor pitches to high-energy networking sessions.
To make sure we smashed the brief, before the event we designed approaches for each of the six videos, we shared this with the client and that helped us to form a shot list. We also set up a media room where we chatted to speakers, did interviews on the go and shot the pitching area, in the edit this gave the event scale.
Reaching For the Sky Event: TECGirls
TEC Girls is a non-profit organisation based in Cornwall that aims to inspire young girls to pursue careers in technology, engineering, and creative digital fields (TEC). The Reaching for the Sky event was designed to bust the door wide open on the world of TEC so young women can explore careers in aviation and aerospace. The campaign existed so that TEC Girls could publicise the event using photography and the videos we were brought on board to make. We had three key videos to deliver and social edits to go alongside them.
With the structure and creative approach locked in we just had to get the goods on the day and brief the edit team to work their magic. When our lead filmmaker Joe was struck down with flu on the eve of the shoot, we had to pivot – fast. This kind of last-minute challenge is exactly why we’ve built strong relationships with a trusted network of freelance filmmakers who understand our creative DNA. Within hours, we had engaged a collaborator who could seamlessly step in, absorb our creative brief, and execute our vision. Despite the eleventh-hour switch, the resulting content hit every mark.
Back Youth with the YMCA: Election Buzz
We filmed and edited five pieces of branded video content for the YMCA. The event videos were used by partners and the YMCA across social media in the days following the event and leading up to the election. Leveraging the election buzz, we aimed to create some social-first content demonstrating the power of the youth of today.
Facing tight deadlines with a geographically dispersed team, we embraced agility and efficiency. Our producer, Libby, pre-selected the best footage on the train ride back, ensuring a smooth transition for our editing wizard, Felix. This streamlined workflow saved precious time and allowed us to deliver high-quality content at lightning speed
Event Videography with a Difference
Bull & Wolf is a passionate group of creatives poised and ready to craft you a compelling and dazzling event video which turns viewers into doers. Capturing the rich networking opportunities, the calibre of your speakers, and the atmosphere of the crowd attending your event will bring your event to life and evoke the memories which made your event so spectacular. We’ve helped brands large and small bring their story to life through the power of event video production and have captured hours and hours of events over the years.
We love nothing more than hearing your ideas and kick-starting the flow of creative juices. If you’d like to speak to one of our team about shooting your next event, get in touch. We will work with you to understand the plan for your event video – from the timings to important speakers and the message to be conveyed so that every aspect has been considered. We can’t wait to hear from you.
