When a Video Shoot Doesn’t Go to Plan… Improvise!
Video production rarely goes exactly the way you expect.
You can plan the shot list, check the lighting, prepare the locations and run through the schedule. But once cameras start rolling, there’s always the possibility that something unexpected happens.
Sometimes it’s weather. Sometimes it’s timing. And sometimes… it’s a locked door!
We recently found ourselves filming at St Philip’s School, capturing footage of their newly completed Beechwood Apartments. The goal was simple: film the final shots that would showcase the finished spaces, including the apartments themselves, the communal areas and the surrounding gardens.
Our videographer Cara began working her way around the building, capturing the details that bring a property film to life — kitchens, bathrooms, living areas and shared spaces. These kinds of shots help viewers understand not just what a space looks like, but how it feels.
Next on the list was the outside footage.
Heading out into the apartment gardens, Cara noticed the blinds in one of the bedrooms were down. For the film, it would look much better with natural light coming through the windows. So she popped back inside, opened the blinds, stepped back outside…
…and closed the door behind her.
Unfortunately, that door only opened from the inside.
At this point the situation became clear. The filming equipment was outside. The rest of the apartment — and the remaining interior shots — were inside. And the videographer was firmly locked out.
This is the point where video shoots can grind to a halt.
But a little improvisation goes a long way.
Luckily, the apartments had a planter box sitting beside the locked garden gate. After placing the camera safely down, Cara used the planter as a step, climbed over the fence and made her way around to the front entrance to get back inside and continue filming.
Problem solved. Shoot saved.
Moments like this are a good reminder that video production isn’t just about cameras and editing. It’s about problem-solving, adaptability and keeping things moving when the unexpected happens.
In the end, the footage captured at the Beechwood Apartments tells the story it was meant to tell — showcasing a welcoming, thoughtfully designed space that supports the important work St Philip’s does every day.
And while the finished film will look calm, polished and seamless, there’s always a little behind-the-scenes story that never quite makes it into the final cut.
If you’re thinking about creating a video to showcase your business, your project or your people, we’d love to help.
And if something unexpected happens during the shoot… we’ll figure it out.
