On-site video podcast planning checklist.
Use this list before requesting a production plan and again before recording day. You do not need every technical answer. The purpose is to identify the decisions the production team must solve.
A useful podcast brief explains who will participate, what will be recorded, where it will happen and what the organization needs afterward. Photographs, schedules and examples are often more valuable than an early equipment list.
Show and audience
- Working show title and organization
- Purpose of the series: thought leadership, internal communication, education, marketing or event content
- Primary audience and publishing platforms
- Interview, panel, presentation or live-program format
- Expected episode length
- Number of episodes planned for the recording day
Participants
- Number of hosts and in-room guests
- Names, roles and any accessibility requirements
- Whether participants change between episodes
- Whether anyone joins remotely
- Whether an audience will be present
- Preferred seating: table, lounge chairs, desk or standing position
Site and room
- Complete address, floor and room name
- Room photographs from several angles
- Approximate dimensions or a floor plan
- Windows and direction of daylight
- Known HVAC, street, hallway or mechanical noise
- Power access and any building restrictions
- Loading route, elevator, security and certificate-of-insurance requirements
- Earliest crew access and required room-clear time
Send a short phone video that slowly shows the entire room while capturing its normal sound. Include the proposed participant area, windows, entrances, ceiling and nearby activity.
Visual direction and branding
- Brand guidelines, colors and logo files
- Reference images for the desired tone
- Available furniture and whether it can be moved
- Existing screens, shelving, artwork or practical lights
- Items that must not appear on camera
- Lower thirds, titles, playback or presentation content
Recording and live requirements
- Recorded, streamed live or both
- Desired camera style and important angles
- Remote-guest platform and return-monitor expectations
- Need for live switching, graphics or playback
- Any teleprompter, confidence-monitor or presentation requirement
- Whether the client or production team will direct the conversation
Recording-day schedule
- Crew access and building contact
- Participant arrival and briefing time
- Episode start and stop times
- Breaks, guest changes and wardrobe changes
- Room reset or furniture-change requirements
- Hard stop for breakdown and load-out
Deliverables
- Switched program recording
- Individual camera recordings
- Isolated audio tracks
- Edited full episodes
- Captions, transcripts and graphics
- Vertical or square social clips
- Thumbnails and publishing support
- File naming, delivery platform and deadline
Final confirmation before recording
- Approve the participant list, format and schedule.
- Confirm room access, security and load-in instructions.
- Send final brand assets, names and titles.
- Complete remote-guest technical checks.
- Confirm the final deliverable list.
- Share one day-of decision-maker and one building contact.
- Notify the production team of any schedule, furniture or room changes.
If the format or room is still changing, send the available information. A production company should be able to identify the missing decisions and recommend the technical configuration afterward.
Ready to plan the recording day?
Send LiveFocus the format, participants, site, schedule and intended deliverables. We will build the production approach around them.
Request a production plan