Construction filming-day coordination worksheet: people, access and changes

Use this worksheet

Use this worksheet after the purpose and proposed scope of your project video have been discussed. It gathers the buyer-side information needed to plan around people, site activity and access. Your production team can then use the confirmed details when developing the filming schedule.

Still agreeing the overall purpose and outputs? Start with the construction project video brief, then use this worksheet to coordinate the proposed filming day.

This is a coordination aid, not a safety plan, site induction, risk assessment or permission to enter or film. Site requirements and decisions remain with the responsible people.

1. Name the contacts and decisions they own

Avoid making one person the assumed authority for every question. Identify who can confirm each part of the plan.

• Project and proposed filming date:
• Coordination sheet owner:
• Production contact:
• Site contact for access and current requirements:
• Contact for interviewee availability:
• Contact for client or stakeholder filming permissions:
• Person authorised to approve changes to the agreed scope:
• Preferred channel for same-day changes:

Include a backup contact where appropriate. Share contact details only with the people who need them, through your organisation's approved channels.

2. Separate arrival from filming availability

The crew's proposed arrival time may differ from when an interviewee or location becomes available. Record these separately.

• Site address and confirmed arrival instructions:
• Person meeting the crew:
• Proposed arrival window:
• Entry or induction arrangements to confirm with the site:
• Location available from / until:
• Interviewee available from / until:
• Fixed departure or handback time:
• Restrictions affecting setup or movement:
• Status: confirmed / awaiting confirmation:

Leave the time needed for setup, movement and pack-down for the production team to assess. Do not fill every available minute with a subject or activity before discussing those practical requirements.

3. Create a coordination card for each activity

Repeat these fields for every interview, location or project activity proposed for filming.

• Activity or subject:
• Why it matters to the video:
• Priority: essential / useful / optional:
• Required person or people:
• Proposed location:
• Available time window:
• Dependency: what must be ready first?
• Who will confirm readiness?
• What could prevent it going ahead?
• Alternative to discuss if unavailable:
• Outstanding decision and owner:

For work that may happen earlier or later than expected, identify who will provide an update. Do not treat a programme date as a guaranteed filming opportunity.

4. Flag what must stay out of the frame

Ask the relevant project contact to identify exclusions before the schedule is finalised.

• Areas not available for filming:
• People who should not be recorded:
• Screens, drawings, documents or identifying details to exclude:
• Client, tenant or neighbouring-property restrictions:
• Material requiring separate permission:
• Person responsible for confirming the boundaries:

Describe restrictions clearly enough to act on. Avoid distributing confidential information merely to explain what should remain confidential.

If a proposed shot depends on permission that is still pending, mark it as pending rather than including it as a confirmed part of the day.

5. Agree how changes will be handled

A useful alternative is one that has been discussed and can genuinely be considered. It should not create an unapproved change to scope.

• If an interviewee is delayed, what could be filmed instead?
• If a location is unavailable, which alternative can be checked?
• If weather or site activity affects the plan, who decides the next step?
• When does the team need a go/no-go update?
• Who must receive a revised schedule?
• Which changes require a new scope or cost discussion?

Never ask anyone to alter an approved work method or bypass site requirements to keep a filming slot.

6. Send one clearly marked version

Before circulating the coordination sheet, add:

• Version and last-updated time:
• Confirmed items:
• Open items, owners and decision dates:
• Changes since the previous version:
• People receiving this version:

Ask the relevant contacts to check their own responsibilities and availability. Keep the current copy easy to find, and clearly mark any version it replaces.

Final check

Can everyone tell where they need to be, when they are needed, what remains unconfirmed and whom to contact if something changes? If not, resolve those gaps before treating the day as ready.