In short: A simple explainer usually takes a couple of weeks from brief to final file, and a branded documentary or ad campaign can take several months. The shoot is often the shortest stage. Pre-production takes days or weeks, the edit and review rounds take most of the time, and production companies usually build in two or three rounds of revisions. Agree the dates in writing before you book.
A video takes a couple of weeks for a simple explainer and several months for a branded film or campaign. The planning and the edit take most of that time, and the shoot is usually the shortest stage.
The stages, in order
Every video goes through the same stages, however long it takes. The timeline is set by how long each stage waits for the one before it.
- Brief and script. You decide what the video is for, who will watch it and what they should do next. The script is approved before anyone plans a shoot.
- Pre-production. The plan, the locations, the cast, the kit and the schedule are agreed. Spiel Creative says this can take days or weeks, especially with several people approving each step.
- The shoot. The day or days of filming. It is often the shortest stage, because it runs to a plan that is already agreed.
- The edit. The footage is cut, the graphics and captions are added and the sound is mixed. This is usually where the time goes.
- Review rounds. You watch a draft, send notes and the edit is changed. Production companies usually include two or three rounds, and each round adds days.
- Delivery. The final files are exported in the formats you need, for web, social, broadcast or print.
A realistic timeline
The table shows where time goes. The durations are a guide, and each job will differ.
| Stage | Typical time | What makes it longer |
|---|---|---|
| Brief and script | Set by the number of approvers | Several approvers, or a brief that keeps changing |
| Pre-production | Days or weeks | Cast, locations and permissions that take time to confirm |
| Shoot | Often the shortest stage | Weather, a late actor or a location that falls through |
| Edit | Often the longest stage | Length, the number of cuts, graphics and captions |
| Review rounds | Each round adds time | Slow feedback, or notes that conflict with each other |
| Delivery | Set by the formats needed | Many formats, subtitles or a broadcast spec |
For a simple explainer, Spiel Creative puts the whole job at a couple of weeks. A branded documentary or an ad campaign can stretch over several months.
A worked example
A company wants a 90-second explainer for its website. The brief is agreed in the first week, and the script is approved after one round. Pre-production takes the second week, with the shoot on a single day at the end of it. The edit and two rounds of notes fill the third and fourth weeks, and the final files are delivered in the fifth. The shoot took a day. The rest of the calendar was the edit and the notes.
This is an illustration, not a quote for any job. It runs longer than a couple of weeks because approvals take their time, and the point is the shape of the timeline.
What to plan for
- Approvals. Name the person who signs off each round, and agree how long they have to respond.
- Revision rounds. Agree the number in the brief. Two or three is common, and more rounds usually mean the brief was not clear.
- Delivery formats. A video for social, the website and a presentation may need different aspect ratios and captions.
- The edit date. Ask for it in writing when you book.
If you book a day in one of our rooms, the day is the short part of the calendar. For podcasts, our Classic package says files arrive within five working days of recording. For a day of filmed content, the edit date is agreed when we plan the day.
Common mistakes
- Approving the script late. Every week spent on the script moves the shoot, and the edit after it.
- Too many reviewers. Each person who comments adds a round. Keep the list short.
- No plan for revisions. A video with no revision time booked will run late.
- Expecting a one-day shoot to finish the next morning. The edit needs time, even for a short film.
For planning a single day that produces several videos, how many videos you can film in a day explains the limits. Our content studio page covers how a content day is planned, and how much a corporate video costs shows how the stages add up in a budget.
Sources
- Spiel Creative, Top 20 most common FAQs about video production, read 5 November 2026
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
How long does it take to make a video from start to finish?
A simple explainer usually takes a couple of weeks from brief to final file. A longer branded film or campaign can take several months, because the planning, the review rounds and the edit all add time.
Why does a video take longer than the shoot?
Most of the time goes on planning before the day, and on the edit and review rounds after it. The shoot itself is often the shortest stage, but a slow approval at any point moves the whole delivery date.
How many revisions should a video have?
Production companies usually include two or three rounds of revisions in their package. Agree the number, and who signs off each round, before the edit starts.
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