Artist PrepBefore Your ShootRead this first0 / 5 ready
Your shoot is one day, and the clock is the thing we can't get back. Everything you prepare in advance turns straight into more, and better, footage. Here's the whole job in three steps.
STEP 1Write your briefDescribe every intro & assignment in the Word doc we emailed you.
STEP 2Bring your filesPSDs, the finished hero piece, and all your process & references.
STEP 3Sort your wardrobeTwo or three camera-friendly outfits.
1 week beforeBrief written and sent back to Aurel.
3 days beforeFiles gathered on one clearly-named drive.
Day beforeWardrobe packed. Early night — you'll be on camera for hours.
Shoot dayArrive fresh. We handle everything else.
Step 1 — Write your brief
We emailed you a Word document. This is the single most important thing to prepare.
For every chapter intro and every assignment, write your description straight into the doc: what it covers, the key points, and what makes it yours. We'll shape it into your on-camera script together. All the details are inside the Word document.
We open these on the monitor while you talk and cut them in everywhere. One clearly-named drive, originals not exports. The more you bring, the more we capture.
Bonus — not needed, but brilliant if you have it
Unreleased work you'd love to show. We don't need your portfolio, but anything unreleased is gold on camera.
Your own ideas for what to shoot. Anything specific you'd like to capture or try. We're wide open to suggestions and want to hear them.
Step 3 — Wardrobe
We shoot against a warm, cream studio. Bring 2 or 3 options so we can pick what reads best on the day.
Wear
Solid mid-tones, muted and slightly desaturated.
Matte fabrics with a little texture — knit, cotton, wool.
One colour that gently contrasts the cream backdrop.
Avoid
LOGO
Pure white blows out; pure black goes flat and shapeless.
Tight stripes, checks, herringbone shimmer (moiré) on camera.
Logos, neon, bright red, shiny fabrics and noisy jewellery all fight the shot.
Also worth doing
Bring a backup layer — the studio runs warm under the lights.
Iron out heavy creases; brand-new, stiff clothes photograph awkwardly.
If you wear glasses, anti-glare lenses help — otherwise we angle the lights.
Normal grooming is perfect; we have powder on hand if foreheads catch the light.
You'll be on camera for hours, so comfortable beats fussy.
How shoot days run
So you know exactly what you're walking into.
We start with coffee and a quick plan of the day's blocks.
You're mic'd and lit once, then we work in short takes with breaks.
Multiple takes are normal and wanted. Never apologise for one.
B-roll comes last, and we only need you for part of it.
Why this matters
Shoot days are tight, and camera time is the expensive part. When you arrive with your brief written and your files organised, we spend the day capturing instead of figuring things out. That's the single biggest thing that makes your masterclass great — same hours, far more in the can.
Before the day
Any questions, send them to Aurel before the shoot, not on the day.