Pre-production: everything decided before shoot day.
Most days lost in a studio do not start in the morning on set, but in the weeks before, when you lack clear numbers on floor area, power or setup order. This chapter gives you a repeatable framework. When you compare quotes, use the same questions at every location and write the answers down.
Define the production's technical parameters
Before you ask for availability or sign a quote, translate the script into physical constraints. Not "we need a big studio", but "the set occupies X square meters on the floor, we want Y suspended sources and Z kilowatts at once".
Floor area needed
How many square meters does your set need measured at floor level? A practical rule many crews use: set floor area × 2.5 as the minimum useful stage space (crew, lights, camera lane, temporary grip storage). On a 700 m² stage like RED Studio, you have room for three or four simultaneous looks if you plan them well.
Electrical power
Add up the draw of all equipment: HMI, LED panels, monitors, charging stations, sometimes electric catering or an encode station. Add at least a 20% buffer for simultaneous start-up and spikes. If the sum nears the studio ceiling, schedule staged power-up with the gaffer.
Clear height
Lighting rig, small crane, vertical set or very wide frames: check clear height before anything else. A one-meter difference between what the brochure says and what you measure with a laser can cancel an entire rig.
Access
Equipment van, art truck, catering with a refrigerated vehicle: ask explicitly about the access door (width, height, ramp) and parking. Without smooth vehicle access, you lose hours carrying pallets on the sidewalk.
Scouting and booking the stage
When you visit a stage, check in person the outlets and electrical boards, real measured height, floor quality (level, scratches that show on a wide), HVAC (ask them to turn it on and listen for 30 seconds on your reference mic) and support spaces. Photograph entrances and notes on the boards.
For mid-size productions, book at least 10-14 days ahead; for large productions with heavy logistics, 30+ days keeps options open on crew and transport. Details on deposits and policies: the Pricing page and Terms and conditions.
Confirm in writing: date, time window, package, included equipment, cancellation policy and the technical contact person on shoot day.
Day and setup shooting plan
Count setups, not scenes in the script. Two scenes in the same angle and same light can be one setup; a single scene with a full relight can be two setups.
Each serious lighting change costs, in practice, 30-90 minutes if it is not anticipated. Order setups by source position on the grid and by the crew's working direction, not strictly by script page order, where the director agrees.
Include in the plan: initial setup, legal and human breaks, time for camera tests and a safety window before wrap. As a working rule on an eight-hour day: maximum 4-5 serious setups, if you also want retakes and clean dialogue.
Pre-production checklist (tick before shoot day)
The first 2 hours decide the rest of the day.
The pace of the day is set before the first take. If stage entry is chaotic, you will struggle to recover the hours lost on case packing or make-up redos.
Access and unloading
Ask for stage access 60-90 minutes before the time you want the first technical take, depending on equipment volume. Usual unload order: lights, grip, camera, set, costume and make-up, so each department sees its materials near the work area.
In the first hour, decide physically: where grip sits, where empty cases are stored, where batteries charge and where the public or client may not walk. Those decisions propagate through the rest of the day.
Safety briefing
Allocate ~10 minutes with the whole crew before serious build: evacuation routes, first-aid kit, working points at height, maximum load on anchor points, rules for smoke or effects. If the studio provides package-included equipment, clarify who touches what and who signs the handover at the end.
Client communication
The client lounge exists separate from the stage for a reason: the client sees playback and the creative message, not the chaos during set construction. Decide in the morning: who gives final OK (one person), when the client may be on set and how feedback works (limited time between takes).
If you need logistics for guests or press, check venue capabilities early; on large productions, compare objective criteria between studios before you lock the date.
Lighting setup: where a day is won or lost.
On commercials and clips with multiple looks, light is the difference between a day that fits the budget and one that runs into the night. Below is an order that reduces surprises.
The correct setup order
- Position top down. Place fill and key sources on the grid before you finalize floor-level details, so you do not accidentally shadow areas already prepared.
- Circuits. Check available power on each circuit before connecting; start large sources in stages and confirm with the gaffer.
- Set under work light. Build the set with work lights on where safe, so you see reflections and textures in real time.
- Finish after the set. Adjust sources after the set structure is complete, not before.
- Shared test shot. Test frame with DOP, gaffer and operator together before you call the actor or model to marks.
ARRI SkyPanel at RED Studio
On the Stage page you will find the grid layout and exact stage dimensions. For crews that bring their own workflow, here is a summary of the S120-C units included in RED Studio packages:
- RGB + tungsten LED source, roughly 1200 W equivalent, dimmable 0-100% without visible color shift in normal use.
- Control: ARRI Lighting App (wireless) or DMX / Art-Net, per your configuration.
- At RED Studio: 5 units on the grid at 7 m, positionable on the studio axes.
- Typical CCT range: 2000 K to 20,000 K (per manufacturer specs).
- Frequent use: main key, top fill, backlight, controlled color wash.
Common problems and solutions
Reflections on glossy surfaces
Try polarizing on camera or reframing the source; sometimes moving a few meters on the grid removes the reflection line without losing contrast.
Unwanted hard shadows
Diffuse (silk, grid, Chimera) or raise the source vertically so you lengthen the shadow on the floor.
Flicker at non-standard fps
Check mains frequency and shutter angle / exposure angle; sync sources that allow it and test on the reference monitor, not only on the viewfinder.
On set: pace and discipline.
Communication on set
Standard calls used in Romania and internationally: "Camera!", "Action!", "Cut!", "Check the gate!" (where applicable), "Moving on!", "Martori!", "Quiet please!", "Turn over!" The director gives take calls, the DOP confirms picture is ready, sound ensures quiet, the gaffer answers for electrical safety on changes.
Time monitoring
Make a simple call sheet with a target time for each setup, not only the scene list. Midday (around hour four of eight), assess whether you are on schedule or need to cut optional details.
Do not always sacrifice the last setup: sometimes it is more honest to keep the narrative essentials and drop "luxury" variants that do not serve the message.
Backup and data transfer
Transfer media at every major break, not only at the end. Before you strike the set, you want two copies on different media and a monitor check that files open. Losing data after a full day is a separate category of nightmare, easy to avoid with boring but effective discipline.
Wrap: the last hour matters just as much.
Professional studios evaluate stage handover as seriously as intake. An orderly wrap avoids penalties, equipment disputes and losing the next booking the same evening.
Wrap order
- Media. Transfer and verify; do not strike main sources until you have confirmation that critical materials are copied and checked.
- Set. Strike, sort props, separate trash.
- Lights. Lower from the grid, cables coiled correctly, bags closed.
- Camera and grip. Inventory against the list, screws and plates in place.
- Stage cleaning. To the standard agreed with the studio (tape, paint marks, dust).
- Studio equipment. Handover if you rented or used internal stock.
- Signature. Handover with the studio representative, sometimes with photos.
What you check at stage handover
Floor: no tape marks, fresh paint or new holes. Studio equipment: working and in agreed places. Support spaces: clean, no forgotten objects. Recommendation: photos at intake and handover, so there is a shared reference.
Questions about overtime or policies: FAQ and direct contact.
Verification list for any studio production.
Keep this list in mind: you can tick items directly here (state is not saved after you close the page). Adapt it to your project and send it to the crew a day ahead.
Pre-production (15 points)
Shoot day: setup (10 points)
Wrap (8 points)
Specific questions about your production? The RED Studio team replies within 24h: contact or [email protected].