The 10 Questions We Ask Before Every Video Project

People often think video production starts with cameras but long before we start discussing lenses, lighting, or shoot days, we're asking questions. A lot of them! Over the years, we here at Bunker Hill Media, Boston’s best video production company, learned that most videos aren't won or lost on set. They're won or lost during pre-production.

The best shoot days are usually the result of good planning, and the more questions we answer upfront, the smoother everything tends to go later. Here are ten questions we ask before almost every project we take on.

1. Who Is This Video Actually For?

This one sounds simple, but it's amazing how often the answer is "everyone."

Unfortunately, videos made for everyone usually connect with no one. A donor watches a video differently than a prospective employee. A customer has different questions than an investor. The audience changes the tone, the pacing, the people we interview, and even the stories we decide to tell.

This question influences almost every decision that comes after it.

2. What Do We Want Someone To Do After Watching?

Not every video needs to sell something.

Maybe we want someone to donate. Maybe we want them to apply for a job. Maybe we want them to trust the organization more or simply understand what makes the company different.

We spend a lot of time thinking about the action we want the audience to take because that goal becomes the foundation for the story we're building.

3. Where Will This Video Actually Live?

This question is bigger than people realize.

A homepage brand video is very different from something that will play at a fundraising gala. A LinkedIn video has different requirements than a video that supports a sales team. Social media clips, conference openers, recruitment videos, and customer testimonials all have different jobs.

Understanding where the video will live helps us make better decisions about length, pacing, structure, and deliverables before production ever begins.

4. What Does Success Look Like?

This question sounds obvious, but it's one we revisit constantly.

Sometimes success means generating leads.

Sometimes it means recruiting employees.

Sometimes it means raising money.

Sometimes it's simply helping people understand something complicated.

We don't believe every video should be judged by views. Different videos have different jobs. Defining success early helps us make better creative decisions throughout the project.

5. What Story Are We Actually Telling?

This is usually where things get interesting.

Many people come to us knowing they need a video, but they don't necessarily know what story they're trying to tell.

That's completely normal.

One of the exercises we use during pre-production is something I call a "fake script." Nobody ever reads it. It's simply my way of imagining what the final video might sound like if everything goes perfectly.

What do we want people to feel?

What should they understand by the end?

What moments do we hope to uncover?

Answering those questions helps us build a story before we ever build interview questions.

6. Who Should Be On Camera?

This is one of the most important questions we ask when we start up a new project.

Most people immediately start with titles. The CEO. The founder. Leadership.

Sometimes that's right but sometimes the best storyteller is an employee. Or a customer. Or a donor. Or an alum.

We don't start with the organizational chart - we start with the story because audiences connect with people, not titles.

7. What Do We Need People To Say?

This is probably one of the biggest differences between simply filming interviews and producing them.

Once we know what story we're trying to tell, we start reverse engineering it.

If we hope the final video sounds a certain way, what questions do we need to ask to get there?

How long should answers be?

What stories do we need to uncover?

What emotional moments are important?

This process shapes everything from our creative documents to the actual interview frameworks we use on set.

8. Is This The Right Location?

People are always surprised by how much time we spend thinking about locations.

Does the room have windows?

Can we control the light?

Are there blackout shades?

Is the HVAC loud?

Are planes flying overhead?

Is there construction happening nearby?

Do we need permits?

Where will hair and makeup go?

Where can we stage equipment?

These aren't the glamorous parts of video production, but they're often the things that determine whether a shoot day feels easy or stressful.

9. What B-Roll Will Actually Help Tell The Story?

One thing we've learned over the years is that random footage is expensive.

Every shot should have a purpose.

What are we trying to show?

What moments support the interviews?

What visuals help move the story forward?

Great b-roll isn't just beautiful footage. It's footage that answers questions and reinforces what people are saying.

10. What Will The Edit Need?

Editing doesn't start after production.

For us, editing starts during pre-production.

We're already thinking about transitions, emotional moments, music, pacing, graphics, and how different answers might fit together.

We're thinking about the edit while we're filming.

Honestly, we're thinking about the edit before we've even shown up.

Because the strongest videos aren't discovered in post-production.

They're planned.

Final Thoughts From Bunker Hill Media

People often assume video production begins when the cameras come out.

In our experience, that's one of the last steps.

The best shoot days usually feel easy, and that's not because they're lucky. It's because someone spent time asking the right questions before anyone ever hit record.

And honestly, that's probably the biggest lesson we've learned after producing all of these projects.

The more time you spend planning, the less time you spend solving problems later.