Commercial production is the work of shooting and editing an approved idea until it is ready to air. Good production does not prettify the idea; it turns it into images without breaking it. That is why the most decisive part of the process is not the moment the camera rolls but the preparation before it.
The three stages of production
- Pre-production. Script, storyboard, casting, location, art direction and the shooting plan. Most decisions are made here; a decision not made here gets made expensively on set.
- The shoot. Executing the plan. The shoot day exists to capture the planned frames, not to try new ideas.
- Post-production. Edit, colour, sound design, music, graphics and delivery formats. The film's rhythm is built here.
What determines the budget?
- Number of shooting days. The largest line in the budget; going from one day to two doubles crew, equipment and location together.
- Crew and equipment. The size of the camera, lighting, art and sound teams follows the scale of the job.
- Cast and usage rights. Alongside the fee, where the footage will run and for how many years sets the price.
- Location. Studio or real place; permits, travel and preparation time go straight into cost.
- Post and music. How graphics-heavy it is, the colour work, and whether the music is licensed or composed.
What must be closed before the shoot
Any heading left open on the shoot day turns into lost time. Before filming, these should be in writing: the approved storyboard, the film's duration and output formats, the channels and term of the cast usage rights, the music licence, the brand usage rules, and who gives approval on set. The last one is skipped most often: without a single decision-maker on set, the shoot slows down.
How the process works at Circle
- Turning the idea into production. The approved concept becomes a script and a storyboard; duration decided by channel.
- Preparation. Production team, cast, location and budget brought into one plan; the approval order set on the brand side.
- The shoot. The planned frames plus alternatives for each scene; the vertical frame for social is captured the same day.
- Post and delivery. Edit, colour, sound and music; delivered in separate durations and aspect ratios for TV, digital and social.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a commercial take?
It varies with scale; preparation usually takes longer than the shoot. What shortens the timeline is not the size of the crew but decisions made on time — especially storyboard and casting approval.
One film, or several durations?
Channels want different lengths. Planning long and short versions from the same shoot is cheaper and more consistent than filming again later. The vertical format should be planned from the start too; cropping it in the edit breaks most frames.
Licensed music or an original score?
A licence is fast and predictable, but the same track can be heard on other brands too. An original score leaves the brand with a sound of its own and can be reused for years; the decision follows how long the film will stay on air.
Next step
We covered whether the idea behind your film travels in our creative concept article. For a production plan, get in touch. At Circle this work runs under Advertising Production for TV, Radio and Digital Platforms.