Music video shoot checklist

Pre-production

• Final track, with a timecoded edit version for playback.
• A treatment with the look, colour palette and references.
• A shot list broken down by song section: verses, chorus, bridge.
• Wardrobe plan per look, with a fitting before the day.
• Set pieces and props: who builds them and when they arrive.

Light and look

Full blackout means you can shoot a night look in the middle of the afternoon. Plan each look as a lighting state — for example a clean white cyc for the chorus, a coloured wash for the verse — and schedule the shots for one state together. A rigging grid lets lights be hung once and changed quickly.

Playback and performance

• A speaker and a reliable playback device with the track loaded twice.
• Someone responsible only for playback and calling takes.
• Water, a mirror and a place for the artist to rest between takes.

Crew

• Director, director of photography and camera assistant.
• Gaffer and lighting crew.
• Producer or assistant director to run the schedule.
• Hair and makeup, working in the dressing and makeup room.
• Choreographer if there is dance.

Schedule and booking

Most music videos need a full day: several looks, wardrobe changes and many takes. At Obscura a full day of 10 hours is EGP 2,200, and extra hours are EGP 300 each. Bigger productions with set builds can book several days in a row. The studio works 24/7 by appointment, so overnight schedules are possible.

On the day

1. 1Shoot the full performance wide first, as a safety for the edit.
2. 2Then move through the shot list by lighting state.
3. 3Back up cards at every break.
4. 4Leave time to clean the cyc floor and pack down.

Common problems and how to avoid them

• Running out of time on the last looks: shoot the most important look first, not in song order.
• Lip-sync drifting: play the track from a single reliable source and keep the same edit throughout.
• Wardrobe surprises: do a fitting and photograph every look before the day.
• A dirty floor showing on wide shots: keep shoe covers by the cyc and clean between looks.

If you are still shaping the idea, send the project form with your dates, crew size and budget. We will reply with availability and how to book the days you need.

Working with the artist on set

A music video day is long for the artist. Agree the order of looks in advance, keep a clear line between "rehearsal" and "take", and give them a few minutes in the lounge between setups. A calm, prepared set gets better performances than a rushed one, and the dressing and makeup room keeps changes off the shooting floor.