How long does video production take? Timelines by video type

Most videos take 4 to 6 weeks from first brief to final file. Event highlights are ready within 7 days, or the same day if a same-day edit is planned. AI video can be turned around in days.

What drives the timeline isn't the length of the finished video. It's how much planning the idea needs, how many people need to be filmed, and how quickly feedback comes back. Here's what to expect for each type of video, and how to keep your project moving.

Typical timelines by video type

Our AI video campaign for the Founders Invitational went from brief to delivery in ten days. Projects with several interviewees, or sign-off from a second organisation, sit at the longer end of the 4 to 6 weeks.

The five stages, and how long each takes

1. Brief and quote (1 to 3 days). You send what you know, and we reply with an itemised quote within 24 hours. A clear video brief is the single biggest time saver in the whole project.

2. Pre-production (1 to 3 weeks). This is where most of the timeline is decided. We confirm the shot list on a site visit, arrange council filming permits if we're shooting in public, hold pre-interview calls, and send a call sheet before the day. Videos that need a script or storyboard add time here, and our guide explains when you need a script.

3. The shoot (half a day to several days). Most case study and testimonial videos are filmed in a half-day production. Each interview runs 30 to 45 minutes. Here's what happens on a shoot day.

4. Edit and review (1 to 3 weeks). We send a first cut, collect your feedback and refine. Two review rounds are standard, and they're set out in your proposal before we start.

5. Delivery (1 to 3 days). Final files go out in the formats you need for web, social and presentations.

What slows a video down

• Interviewee availability. If the people being filmed can't make the agreed date, the whole project moves with them. Lock in dates as early as you can.
• Feedback from too many people. A first cut that goes to eight stakeholders separately can add a week. Send one set of combined notes for each round.
• Late script changes. Changing key messages after filming often means reshooting or re-recording.
• Filming permits. Shooting on streets or in parks may need a council permit, which has its own lead time.
• Approvals from a second organisation. Case study videos need your customer's sign-off as well as yours.

How to get your video sooner

• Send the brief with your deadline and where the video will be used.
• Name one decision-maker for feedback.
• Book interviewees before you book the shoot.
• Plan cutdowns and social versions up front, so they're edited alongside the main video rather than after it.
• Tell us early if you have a fixed date such as a launch, conference or board meeting. We plan backwards from it.

If your deadline is tight, priority turnaround is available, and our video production cost guide explains how it's priced.

Planning around an event or launch

For conferences and launches, the edit can start while the event is still running. Same-day highlight edits are ready to post before guests get home, and standard highlights are delivered within 7 days. Book event coverage 2 to 3 weeks ahead, so we can confirm crew availability for the scope of your event. See what's included in our event video coverage.

For leadership messages, internal comms and training videos, see our corporate video production packages.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to plan your timeline? Send us your brief and we'll reply with an itemised quote and a realistic schedule within 24 hours.