In short: Take the self-assessment a week before, rehearse out loud and cut your notes to keywords. The day before, pack your kit, choose clothing that works on camera and check your route and parking. On the morning, warm up for ten to twenty minutes, do the 3-4-5 breath and drink room-temperature water. Arrive with time to find your mark.
The pack is for the presenter with a booking who wants to arrive ready. It puts the self-assessment and the preparation steps in one document to work through, step by step.
Who it is for
Presenters, speakers and anyone else who will be on camera in our studio for the first time. Send it to a colleague who is presenting, and to a guest who has not been filmed before, so nobody arrives with a different plan.
Get the checklist
The preview is free to look at and print. For the clean file, without the watermark, put your email in and we will send a download link straight away. You also join From the Barn, our monthly studio email, which you can leave whenever you like.
Open the watermarked preview (PDF)
Done. The download link is on its way to your inbox and works for 7 days. If it has not arrived in a few minutes, check your spam folder.
The week before
- Take the twelve-question self-assessment. Start on the first area where you answered no.
- Rehearse your opening and your close out loud, timed. Do it once a day, and record one run.
- Cut your notes to keywords, one card for each section. If you are reading full sentences, the audience will hear it.
- Confirm your arrival time and the name and number of the person meeting you.
The day before
- Pack your kit. Include your notes, a charged phone, the presentation on a memory stick or in a cloud folder you can open offline, and any props you need. The presenter's grab bag lists the rest.
- Choose two outfits. Wear the one that suits you, and keep the other in case the first does not work under the light. The guide to what to wear on camera explains the patterns and colours to avoid.
- Check your route and your parking. There are fifteen parking spaces on site, and the studio is open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 20:00 and on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00.
- Eat a light meal and sleep. A rehearsal at 11 at night is less useful than a rested run-through at 9 in the morning.
The morning
- Warm up for ten to twenty minutes, using the routine you practised.
- Do the 3-4-5 breath before you go on. Breathe in for three, hold for four and breathe out for five.
- Drink room-temperature water, and leave out fizzy drinks.
- Arrive with time to find your mark, check where the light falls on your face and read the autocue if you are using one.
What to expect at the barn
There are no windows, skylights or roof lights in the building, so the light on your face is set by the lighting, not by the time of day. Included with every hire are a dressing room, a client viewing area, coffee and fibre internet. Ask for time on the set before the camera rolls, so you know where to stand.
Worked example: a presenter books a half day in the Green Space, which is a pre-lit chroma green stage with an integrated autocue. Her talk runs for six minutes, and she has rehearsed it out loud four times. On the morning she warms up, drinks water and arrives forty minutes before the call time. She stands on her mark and reads the autocue at her natural pace.
Common mistakes
- Learning the script word for word, so one slip knocks you off.
- Packing on the morning, and finding the charger is still at home.
- Arriving without the names of the people in the room.
- Wearing a fine pattern that shimmers on camera.
- Skipping the warm-up because you feel fine.
Related guides
The picture at the top of this page is an illustration, not a photograph of a client or a real job.
Questions we get asked
What should a presenter do the week before a studio shoot?
Take the self-assessment, rehearse the opening and close out loud, timed, and cut your notes to keywords. Confirm the arrival time and the name of your contact.
What should I wear for a studio presenting shoot?
Dress as you would in person and avoid small checks, narrow stripes and plain white. Bring a second option in case the first does not work under the light.
Is there anything I should not do on the morning of a shoot?
Avoid a heavy meal, fizzy drinks and a last-minute script change. Keep the warm-up and the breathing you have practised, and leave the rehearsal until the set is ready.
granary.digital · 01243 884993 · studio@granary.digital · The Old Grainstore, Adsdean, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 9DN · Prices exclude VAT unless marked inc VAT