Tips for Food Video Content Creation: Shooting

Shooting a high-quality video for social media takes more than just hitting record and wishing for the best. The success, or possible failure, of your shoot relies heavily on the efforts put into the pre-production. This includes conceptualizing your idea by building out a content brief that details your objective, inspiration, shot list, styling & props, and location & background. Check out our blog post Tips for Food Video Content Creation: Pre-Production to get a more comprehensive outline of the pre-production process and learn tips on how to create a content brief. 

After creating a detailed content brief that maps out all aspects of your video, there are still a few more steps before hitting record.

Gather Props

Now it’s time to collect all the props you expect to use to execute this video. This includes any decorative props, as well as kitchen tools and appliances. This is the time to remove any tags and packaging from the props you purchased and clean any dishware or utensils that need a rinse. Having everything laid out will help you avoid trying to find something halfway through filming.

Prep the Ingredients

Gather all the ingredients you need for your recipe. Wash any vegetables, fruit, or fresh produce beforehand. If chopping or slicing your ingredients isn’t part of your video, now is the time to do so. This can also include anything that needs to be cooked, like pasta or rice. If it’s not part of your shot list, and doesn’t need to be shown, prepare it beforehand.

Transfer any ingredients with labels into separate bowls, to avoid showing brand labels if your video is for a specific client. For example, if you have a can of corn you can transfer it to a small bowl, or olive oil can be poured into a glass oil cruet.

Set the Stage

Now that your props and ingredients are prepped, it’s time to set up your first shot! Set up your tripod and any lighting you are using. If you are using natural lighting (highly recommend), make sure the sun is behind your camera facing your set. Stage your shot by styling your props and background. Refer back to your reference images or videos to get inspiration and guidance if needed. 

Time to Shoot

Before you rush to hit record, run through your shot list one more time to make sure you aren’t missing anything. It is very easy to have something fall through the cracks, which is why creating a content brief and shot list is so important. Make sure your phone (or camera) is securely set up on your tripod, is in focus, and it’s time to hit record! Have your shot list open on hand to refer back to during the whole shoot, and if you want to be super organized, you can check off as you go.

Final Thoughts

Despite having prepared as much as possible, things are bound to go awry, and that’s okay. The shooting process takes creativity and problem-solving to overcome minor obstacles that might occur on the day of the shoot. Whether you accidentally moved your camera, spilled food on the counter, or the shot is not coming out the way you imagined, remember to exercise your creativity and pivot. Don’t let your pre-production deter you from improvising something that will yield a better result. And most importantly, the last thing to remember before hitting record is that you are on a full charge and have plenty of storage. 

Foodie Tribe is an Influencer and Social Media Marketing agency. To learn more about our work, and contact us visit foodietribe.com!