In short
- Plan the video from your run sheet, and mark the prayer and the breaking of fast as protected moments.
- Agree who decides where the crew stands, and what is never filmed.
- Ask the venue early about space, power and the sound system.
- Decide how the video will be shared, since worshippers and families may not want to appear.
Plan from your run sheet, and mark the prayer and the breaking of fast as protected moments. The crew works around them, not through them.
What does an iftar programme usually look like?
Iftar gatherings differ. A mosque or surau iftar, a company iftar, a residents’ gathering and a school event all run in their own way. Write your own run sheet first, with times from your organiser or committee. Then decide how each part is covered.
| Part of the run sheet | Coverage idea | What to agree |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival and setting up | Wide shots of the room, tables and greetings | Who may be filmed, and who prefers not to |
| Talk, ceramah or speech | Fixed camera and clean sound | Speaker, language, start time |
| Doa and breaking fast | Camera ready before it starts, then quiet | Whether to film at all, and from where |
| Prayer | Often not filmed, or filmed from far away | Decision from the committee |
| The meal | Light, wide coverage and short greetings | No close filming of eating unless the host agrees |
| Closing | Group moments and thanks | Who gives the final word |
The run-sheet filming planner helps you turn this table into a working plan.
Who decides what is protected?
Name one person, such as the committee chair or the person in charge of the programme, to decide. They tell us which moments are protected, where the crew may stand and when to stop. This is easier than asking the crew to guess, and it keeps the gathering calm.
If your iftar is at a mosque or surau, ask the committee about spaces such as the prayer hall and the women’s area. Tell us early if there are rules about equipment, shoes and dress. We follow your instructions on the day.
What should we ask the venue?
Ask about the space, power and sound system before the day. A full hall leaves less room for tripods and cables, and the sound system may be set up only for the speaker. Our venue filming questions checklist lists what to ask, and the event audio brief builder helps with the sound.
If the gathering is outdoors, plan for weather too. The weather and venue-change filming plan is useful here.
How do we respect families and worshippers?
Families, children and worshippers come to be part of the evening, not to be in a video. Before the day:
- Decide whether any rows or sections are not to be filmed.
- Tell guests with a short word from the host or a small sign.
- Give the crew a short list of people who prefer not to appear.
Read our guide to permissions and responsible publication for the wider picture. If you want one version for the community and another for the public, the private and public video version planner helps.
What to put in your brief
One page is enough. For example: date and venue, the run sheet with times, the protected moments, the areas that are not filmed, the language of the talk, and one person who speaks to the crew.
What we confirm for your iftar
- How the crew stays out of the way during prayer and the meal.
- What we do if the start is late or the run sheet changes.
- What the crew needs from you on the day, such as power or a contact person.
- Which films you receive, and whether the talk is kept complete.
For the speech, see full ceremony and speech recording, and for a shorter story of the evening see event highlight films. For how we work with community groups, see community event videography. If the evening is also a fundraiser, read the guide on charity dinners.
If you can share the run sheet and the times of the prayer and the breaking of fast, we can plan around them. Send us the date, venue and run sheet and we will confirm what is possible.
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