In short
- Close by does not mean no overlap: two things at the same time still need two operators.
- Rank the moments first, then match crew and travel to the ones that matter most.
- Test the real route, including parking, lifts, gates and walking with equipment.
- Decide in advance what is filmed in full, what is covered briefly and what is left out.
Nearby venues still need separate coverage when things happen at the same time. Rank what must be filmed, check the real route between places, and decide in advance what the crew will do when two things overlap.
Close on the map is not close in time
Two buildings a few minutes apart can feel like one site. But a crew moving between them has to stop recording, pack, walk or drive, park, get past security and set up again. During that time, nothing is being filmed.
If both places have an important moment at once, no amount of nearness solves it. You need a second operator, or you choose which moment is filmed. Our guide on planning video for simultaneous event activities explains how to spot overlaps.
Step 1: rank the moments
List every moment, then mark each as:
- Essential: cannot be repeated and must be filmed.
- Important: you would like it, and a lighter approach is fine.
- Optional: nice to have, dropped first.
The must-capture moments checklist helps you do this with others. Essential moments get a full crew. Optional ones can be covered by a short visit or left out. See also prioritising moments that cannot be repeated.
Step 2: build the route and the time it really takes
For each move between locations, write down:
- How the crew travels (car, on foot, shuttle).
- Where they park or unload.
- How they enter: gate, lift, security, pass.
- How much equipment they carry.
- The earliest they can leave one place without missing something.
- The latest they can arrive at the next.
Test the route at the same day and time as the event if you can. Traffic, closed roads and event crowds change everything. Treat any estimate as a minimum and add a buffer. The simultaneous coverage planner shows missing travel and setup estimates so you know what to confirm.
Example 1: a family celebration across several homes
This is an illustration, not a real event. A family holds a celebration in the morning at one relative’s home, a meal at a second home and a prayer gathering at a third in the late afternoon. The three homes are in the same neighbourhood.
| Location | Moment | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Home A, morning | Elders giving blessings | Essential |
| Home B, midday | Shared meal | Important |
| Home C, late afternoon | Prayer and speeches | Essential |
| Between homes | Family arrivals and car journeys | Optional |
The crew can cover Home A fully, travel after the blessings, film the meal only if time is left, and be set up at Home C well before the prayer begins. If the blessings run long, the plan says in advance that the meal is shortened or skipped, not the prayer. The family decides this ahead of time.
For a family event, a family member who knows each home helps greatly: someone to tell the crew where to park, which door to use and who to ask. See our pages for family reunion videography and Malay wedding videography, where events are often held at more than one home.
Example 2: a university campus
Again, an illustration. A faculty holds its event across a hall, a lecture theatre and an outdoor courtyard. Everything is on one campus, but each building has a different entrance, a different security check and a different walking route.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which gate can the crew use, and is there a pass? | Access can differ by building |
| Where can they unload, and how far is it to carry? | Equipment is heavy and takes time |
| Are there lifts, stairs or locked doors? | Some routes are slow |
| Is any area closed to filming? | Rules differ by location |
| Who at the institution approves positions? | Avoids last-minute refusals |
Check current campus access with the university itself, because rules and routes change. Ask the faculty for a named contact at each building. For a related event, see university convocation videography.
Decide what happens when plans slip
Write down, before the day:
- Who tells the crew about delays, and how.
- What is dropped first, and what is protected.
- Who has the authority to change the priority.
Our guide on video coverage when the running order changes goes further into this.
What we confirm for your event
- Which moments one crew can cover, and where a second operator is needed.
- How much time we allow between locations, and why.
- The access, parking and permissions we need at each place.
- What is dropped first if timings slip.
- How a second crew appears in the quote.
If your event is regional or outstation, our regional logistics guides cover travel in more depth. Send us the locations and times, and we confirm the crew and travel for event videography. The number of locations and overlaps is what moves the quote: see pricing.
Send us the list of locations, the times at each and the moments that matter most. We will tell you where one crew can cover everything, where it cannot, and what to decide first.
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