The Pre-Production Checklist We Use for Every Commercial Shoot

Every blown commercial budget we've ever seen traces back to the same root cause: weak pre-production. Not a bad shoot day, not a difficult client, not a flaky vendor — a checklist that wasn't run before the trucks rolled. In Los Angeles, where a single 10-hour shoot day with a real crew runs $25,000–$80,000 all-in, an unanswered question in prep becomes a five-figure problem on set.

This is the pre-production checklist we run at Posted before every commercial shoot — the same one we'd hand a producer on day one. It's organized by phase (creative lock, logistics, crew, gear, legal, day-of) and built specifically for Los Angeles production. Steal it, fork it, run it on your next shoot.

Why pre-production is where commercials are won or lost

A commercial's quality ceiling is set in pre-production. Once you're on set, you're not creating — you're executing. If the script isn't locked, the shotlist doesn't match the script, the location wasn't scouted, or the cast wasn't fitted, the shoot day becomes problem-solving instead of filmmaking. Every hour spent fixing prep gaps on set costs roughly 10x what it would have cost to fix in the office.

The industry benchmark: a well-run commercial shoot spends 2–4 weeks in pre-production for every shoot day. A one-day spot needs at minimum two weeks of real prep. A three-day campaign needs four to six. Anything tighter and you're paying for it later in reshoots, overages, or weaker work.

Phase 1: Creative lock (week -4 to -3)

Nothing else on the checklist matters until creative is signed off in writing. The most expensive mistake in commercial production is scouting locations, casting, and booking crew against a concept that's still being revised.

• Script locked and approved in writing by every stakeholder who can later say "actually…" (brand, agency, legal, founder). Email approval counts; verbal does not.
• Treatment / director's vision document distributed to crew. References, tone, pacing, color palette, camera language.
• Shotlist matched to script, every line of VO or dialogue covered, every product beat covered, B-roll inventory built.
• Storyboards or animatic for any complex sequence (VFX, transitions, choreography, table-top product moves).
• Deliverables list locked: hero cut length, social cutdowns (16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:5), regional versions, paid vs. organic, usage window. This drives shot count and shoot days.
• Music direction agreed: licensed track, custom score, library, or temp-only. Licensing lead time can be 2–6 weeks.
• Reference reel assembled so the DP, gaffer, and color all align on look before anyone quotes gear.

If any of these are soft, the rest of the checklist is built on sand. For more on scoping creative against budget, see our breakdown of how much commercial video production costs in Los Angeles.

Phase 2: Logistics and locations (week -3 to -2)

• Locations scouted in person by the producer, DP, and director — not just photos. Check power, ceiling height, sound (freeway, flight path, HVAC), parking, load-in, and natural light timing.
• Permits filed with FilmLA (or the relevant LA County / city office). Standard turnaround is 3–5 business days; rush filings cost more and aren't guaranteed.
• Insurance certificate issued to every location and rental house, naming additional insureds correctly.
• Parking secured for trucks, gear, talent trailers, and crew. In LA, this is non-trivial and often requires posting no-park signs 72 hours in advance.
• Backup / weather-cover location for any exterior, especially Nov–Mar.
• Power plan: house power amps confirmed, generator booked if needed (and a quiet generator if sync sound matters).
• Bathrooms, holding, and a real lunch space for cast and crew. Skipping this kills morale and slows the day.
• Sun path / golden hour times logged for every exterior setup.

Phase 3: Crew and cast (week -3 to -1)

• Key creatives booked first: director, DP, production designer, 1st AD. They drive every other hire.
• Department heads confirmed: gaffer, key grip, sound mixer, hair/makeup, wardrobe stylist, art director, script supervisor.
• Support crew confirmed: BBE, BB Grip, swing, PAs (1 PA per ~10 crew minimum), craft service.
• Cast booked with signed talent agreements (SAG or non-union), usage and term clearly defined. Usage is where music-video-style cheap rates turn into commercial-rate buyouts later.
• Wardrobe fittings completed 48+ hours before shoot, not day-of.
• Hair/makeup test for hero talent if look is non-standard.
• Call sheet drafted by the 1st AD, distributed 24 hours before call.
• COVID / safety protocols documented if client requires them.

For a deeper look at how to staff a shoot, our piece on production company vs. freelance videographer covers when a full crew is and isn't the right call.

Phase 4: Gear and tech prep (week -2 to -1)

• Camera prep day booked at the rental house with the 1st AC. Catches dead pixels, bad mounts, and missing accessories before they kill a setup on set.
• Media plan: card count, offload drives (3-2-1 backup: 3 copies, 2 media types, 1 off-site), DIT station if needed.
• Color pipeline confirmed: LUTs, on-set look, ACES or Rec.709, who's grading.
• Editorial handoff plan: proxy spec, naming convention, sync workflow.
• Hero product units in hand and inspected (and a backup unit) at least 5 days before the shoot.

Phase 5: Legal, finance, and risk (week -2 to -1)

• Production insurance active: general liability, equipment, and (if applicable) cast insurance for any hero talent.
• Location agreements signed by property owners.
• Talent releases / minor releases ready to sign on set.
• Music license issued, or composer agreement signed, with sync and master rights cleared for the agreed usage window.
• Brand / IP clearances: any visible logos, trademarks, or third-party brands handled — either licensed, greeked, or replaced.
• Payment terms locked: deposit collected, balance schedule agreed, kill fee defined.
• Contingency line item in the budget — 10% minimum, 15% on first-time client / new location.

Phase 6: 48 hours before — the final sweep

This is the checklist the producer runs Wednesday night for a Friday shoot.

• Call sheet sent and acknowledged by every cast and crew member.
• Weather check (and a wet-weather call tree).
• Travel/transport confirmed for any out-of-town crew or talent.
• Petty cash and per diem distributed.
• All rentals confirmed for pickup window.
• Hero product, wardrobe, and props locked and labeled.
• First shot of the day staged on paper — lighting diagram, blocking, lens.
• Producer has every department head's cell on speed dial.

Common pre-production mistakes that blow budgets

• Booking the shoot before creative is locked. You'll either reshoot or compromise. Both cost more than waiting two extra days.
• Skipping the tech scout. Photos lie about ceiling height, power, and sound. A bad scout costs you a setup on the day.
• Under-staffing PAs. One missing PA on a 10-person crew can lose you a full setup. They're the cheapest insurance on set.
• Vague usage on talent agreements. Web-only at non-union day rate becomes a five-figure renegotiation when the spot runs on broadcast.
• No contingency. Something always changes. Build 10–15% in, or borrow from quality.
• Locking deliverables late. A 9:16 social cut needs to be framed during the shoot, not rescued in post.

How long should pre-production actually take?

Anything shorter is a rush, and a rush always shows up somewhere — usually in either the bill or the final cut.

Final thoughts

A great pre-production process isn't about adding bureaucracy; it's about removing decisions from the shoot day. Every box you check in the office is a problem you don't solve on set, where every minute costs money and momentum. The crews and clients who keep coming back are the ones who treat pre-production as the actual creative work — and the shoot day as the execution of a plan that's already been won.

If you'd like the full version of this checklist as a working doc for your next LA commercial shoot, reach out and we'll send it over with notes from our most recent productions.