In short
- Ask the mall management early what its filming and set-up rules are. Do not assume.
- Decide who applies for permission: the brand, the operator or the videographer.
- Shoppers walk through the frame, so agree how filming is announced and how close-ups are handled.
- Put every agreement in one short written responsibilities plan that all parties have seen.
Before filming a mall activation, agree three things in writing: what the mall allows, what the brand and operator each need, and who is responsible for each task. A common problem is that each party assumes someone else asked.
Our brand activation and roadshow videography page describes the general offer. This guide covers the agreements that are specific to filming inside a mall.
Who needs to agree
A mall activation usually involves four parties.
- The mall management: controls the space, access, safety and any filming rules.
- The brand: owns the message and approves how it appears.
- The activation operator: builds and runs the booth or programme, and often already deals with the mall.
- The videographer: films, and needs access, time and clear instructions.
If you are the brand or the operator, you decide who speaks to the mall about filming. If that is left unclear, either two applications go in or none does.
Responsibilities table
Use a table like this one. It is an illustration; adjust it to your contract.
| Task | Usually decided by | Write down |
|---|---|---|
| Permission to film in the mall | Mall management | Who applies, the date, and the written reply |
| Access times for the crew and equipment | Mall management | Entrances, loading routes, set-up and pack-down times |
| Notice to shoppers that filming is taking place | Mall and operator | Wording and where signs go |
| Layout of the activation and where the crew can stand | Operator | Marked plan, with areas to keep clear |
| What the brand wants to see | Brand | Key moments, products, spokesperson |
| Review and approval of the film | Brand | One named contact and review rounds |
Questions to ask the mall
Each mall sets its own rules. Ask the mall’s marketing or operations team:
- Does commercial filming need written permission, and how far ahead must it be requested?
- Are there times when filming is not allowed, or areas where it is limited?
- What are the rules on tripods, lights, cables and sound equipment in public walkways?
- Is there a pass system for crew, and who arranges it?
- Do they require anything from the videographer, such as company details or insurance information?
- Are there rules on showing other tenants’ shopfronts in the background?
The venue filming questions checklist has a longer list you can adapt.
Shoppers, staff and other tenants
A mall is a public space, but people in it did not agree to be in your video.
- Put up a clear notice that filming is happening, with the mall’s agreement on wording.
- Plan shots so that general crowd scenes are wide, and close-ups are of people who have agreed.
- Ask whether other tenants’ logos and shopfronts can appear in the background.
- Decide whether children, if present, are filmed at all, and agree this with the parent or guardian on the spot.
Our filming and publication responsibilities checklist helps you list who is responsible for what.
On the day
- The crew arrives at the agreed time and reports to the person named by the mall.
- Camera positions follow the marked plan. Cable runs avoid walkways.
- The operator’s team tells the crew when the key moments are about to happen.
- If the mall asks us to stop or move, we do so and tell the brand contact.
A short worked example
This is an illustration only. Imagine a brand running a three-day sampling booth in a mall atrium.
- The operator applies to the mall for the booth and includes the videographer’s details.
- The mall confirms access times for the crew and the loading route in writing.
- The brand names one contact who approves the final film.
- A notice at the booth tells shoppers that filming is taking place. Anyone filmed in close-up is asked for agreement.
- Because the activation runs several days, multi-day coverage is planned separately (see multi-day event video coverage).
What we confirm for your event
Tell us the venue and date, and we confirm the crew and travel. We also settle these points with you:
- Which of the mall’s requirements we handle with the operator, and which stay with the brand.
- What the quote lists for set-up, pack-down and extra days; see how we quote.
- How time is divided if several brands share the activation (see covering several brands at one shared activation).
Write the plan down in the event video brief builder and send it to us with the mall, the dates and the layout.
If you know the mall, the dates and who is running the activation, send them to us. We will help you list what the mall needs to approve and plan the filming around it.
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