cinella.Blog
Writing on planning shoot days from the crew that builds Cinella. Things learned on real jobs.
Looking for the blank PDFs? The call sheet and shot list templates are free to download.
Do you need permission to film in public in the UK?
When a small commercial video crew needs permission to film in public in the UK - the difference between the law and the landowner, which places are private when they look public, people in shot, drones, and how long each permission takes to get.
Video production invoice template (and how to get paid on time)
A video production invoice template a small commercial crew can copy - what legally has to be on it, how to write line items a client can approve, deposits and payment terms, and what to do when an invoice goes past due.
Filming risk assessment template for small video crews
A one-page filming risk assessment template a small commercial crew can actually fill in - the five columns, the hazards that really come up on brand shoots, a worked example, and how to make sure anyone reads it on the day.
Video brief template: what to ask a client before you quote
The video brief template we use from the crew side of the table - the ten questions to ask before quoting a commercial job, how to turn vague answers into a specification, and the three answers that decide the length of the day.
Location recce checklist for video shoots
The location recce checklist a small commercial crew actually works through - access, power, light, sound, shots and permissions - and the two findings that change your schedule rather than just your kit.
Shot list template for video shoots (free to copy)
A shot list template a small commercial crew can actually use on the day - the seven columns worth having, a worked example for a brand shoot, and why priority order beats shooting order.
Kit List for a Small Video Crew (Free Template)
A category-by-category kit list template for a one-to-three person video crew - camera, lenses, lighting, audio, grip, power and media - plus the loading-out habit that actually prevents missing kit.
What to Send a Client Before a Shoot Day
The checklist for what a client actually needs before shoot day - schedule, location, contacts, briefs and sign-off - and why chasing it over email is the part worth fixing.
How to Plan a One-Day Brand Shoot
A working crew's walkthrough of planning a one-day brand shoot: locking the brief, the recce, building the schedule, kit, client comms, and running the day itself.
What is a run of day? (with example)
A run of day is the timed schedule for a shoot - crew call to wrap. What it includes, how it differs from a call sheet, and a full worked example for a one-day brand shoot.
Free call sheet template for small video crews
A no-nonsense call sheet template you can copy today: every section a small commercial crew actually needs, what goes in each one, and why we ended up automating it.
Call sheet software for small video crews: an honest guide
Google Docs, StudioBinder, SetHero or Cinella? A working crew's honest comparison of call sheet software - what each option really costs, who it fits, and what small crews actually need.
Why we built Cinella
We're a working video crew, not a software company. This is the story of the Google Doc that broke us, the film-set software that didn't fit, and the tool we built instead.