In short
- The school decides who may be filmed, where and how the video is shared.
- An authorised adult at the school approves the brief.
- Parents and pupils should know about filming before the day.
- Public and family-only versions can be planned from the start.
Filming a school event is different from filming a company dinner. The people on screen are mostly children, the school answers to parents, and the video may end up on the school’s channels. A little agreement before the day makes the event calmer for everyone.
This page helps the school side decide what to brief and approve before it appoints a videographer. The specific events have their own pages: school concerts, graduation and prizegiving and sports day.
Who approves what
Decide this first, and write it in the brief:
- The authorised contact who gives instructions and receives the video.
- The person who approves the filming plan, such as the principal or a senior teacher.
- The person who approves sharing, who may be a different person.
- The staff member who accompanies the crew on the day.
The crew works from the brief. If anyone else asks for changes on the day, they go through the authorised contact. The approvals planner can help you list who signs off what.
What to settle before the day
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which parts of the event are filmed? | Keeps the crew to the plan and private areas private |
| Where may the crew stand? | Protects sight lines for families and keeps walkways clear |
| Which pupils or groups should stay out of shot? | Respects family and school decisions |
| Do parents know about the filming? | Avoids surprises and complaints |
| Who may see the video? | Decides the public and family versions |
For the detail, see our guides on planning filming areas and public and family-only versions.
Parents who also film
Parents will often film their own children. The event works better when the school gives them a place and a time to do so, so they stay clear of the official crew. The guide on coordinating parent filming with official coverage shows how to arrange this. Put that place and time in the notice to parents, so everyone knows where to stand before the event starts.
What a school event video can include
- A full recording of a performance or ceremony, so families see the whole thing. See full ceremony and speech recording.
- A short highlight film for the school’s own use, built from approved moments.
- Clips for the school’s social media, if the school agrees what may be posted.
Which of these suits you depends on the event. A concert often needs complete routines, while an open day suits a short film. The coverage brief builder lets you write this down.
After the day: review and sharing
The video goes to your authorised contact first. The school reviews it and approves it before it reaches families or the school’s channels. If a family later asks for a pupil to be removed from a public version, tell us and we can prepare an updated version for the school to approve.
How we work on the day
We plan a small, quiet crew, and we follow your school’s visitor rules, including any sign-in. We stay in the filming areas you agreed and ask the staff member with us before moving elsewhere. We take care over children’s comfort, such as keeping lights and equipment out of their faces, and we keep to the programme so rehearsals and performances run on time.
Tell us the venue and date, and we confirm the crew and travel.
The scope sets the quote: date, hours, area, crew and the videos you choose. A long sports day, or a graduation with many names, needs more hours than a short assembly. The quote lists what is included so your school can compare it and take it to whoever approves spending. See pricing for how quotes are built.
If you can tell us the event, the date, the venue and who needs to approve the filming, that is enough to begin. We will ask the rest and send a quote you can show your principal or committee.
Request a videography quote