What to ask a venue before booking videography

Ask the venue five things before you book a videographer: what its filming rules are, where cameras may stand, how sound can be taken from the house system, what power and access there is, and when the crew can come in. These answers decide what is possible, and they can change the quote.

Why ask the venue first?

A venue is not a blank space. It has house rules, other events, staff schedules and safety limits. Some venues expect advance notice for commercial filming and want camera positions and cable runs coordinated with them. The KL Convention Centre’s published guidelines say this for its own halls, and it is a fair picture of what many larger venues expect.

A smaller venue may have no written policy at all. Then the answer sits with the manager, and it is worth getting that answer in a message you can keep.

The questions to ask

Use this list as it is, or copy it into your own message.

Permission and rules

• Is filming by a hired videographer allowed? Is there a form or advance notice?
• Are there rules on lights, flash, tripods, gimbals or flying equipment?
• Are some areas or moments off limits, such as kitchens, prayer areas or other guests’ rooms?
• Does the venue charge or require a deposit for outside crews? Ask, and write down the answer.

Camera positions and views

• Where may a camera stand or sit during the programme?
• Will the stage, screens and guest tables be where the plan says?
• Is there a raised platform, balcony or back table that suits a wide shot?

Sound

• Can the crew take a feed from the sound desk? Who is the AV contact?
• Will microphones be on the stage, on the lectern or handheld?
• Is there background music or live band noise that will mix into the recording?

Power, access and timing

• Where are the power points near the stage and the back of the hall?
• Which door and lift can the crew use? Is there a loading area?
• What time can we enter to set up, and when must we be out?
• Is there Wi-Fi guests can use, or must a livestream bring its own connection?

What the answers change

Here is a worked example. This is an illustration only, not a real job. A company dinner is held in a hall where cameras may not stand in the aisles, the sound desk is behind a curtain and the doors open only an hour before guests arrive.

Each of these shows up in the scope and, in the end, in the quote. We can only plan it if we hear about it before the date.

Who is responsible for what?

The venue controls its space, its AV and its rules. You, as organiser, are the one who asks and who tells guests that filming will happen.

The videographer follows the venue’s answers and tells you if something in the plan is no longer workable. For a drone request we also plan ground shots, confirmed for each event. See our drone guide for how that works.

What we confirm for your event

• Which of your venue answers change our crew size or positions.
• Whether we visit the venue first or settle the details by message.
• Who contacts the venue’s AV team. We can write to them directly if you introduce us.

The venue filming questions checklist turns the list above into a sheet you can fill in and hand over. For specific spaces, see the guides on hotel ballrooms, convention centres with multiple halls and temporary venues.

When you are ready, our event videography service page explains what we film and how a quote is built from your answers.