The Contractor's Video Shot List
What to capture on every job — even on a phone
The rule that makes footage useful
Before you press record, ask one question: what does this clip prove? Craftsmanship? Process discipline? A real transformation? If the answer is unclear, don’t film it. Every shot below exists to prove something a premium buyer cares about.
Pro Tip
Even phone footage becomes valuable when it’s intentional. The difference between “content” and proof isn’t the camera — it’s knowing what each clip is for.
1. Establishing
Action steps
- Wide exterior of the property or jobsite — the setting tells the price range
- Arrival shot: trucks pulling up, crew setting up — professionalism starts at the curb
- Establishing interior, if applicable
2. The Founder
Action steps
- Walking the site with purpose — documentary feel, never staged
- Speaking to camera: 2–4 short prompts, 60–90 seconds each (some will be usable, that's the point)
- Interacting with the crew or checking work quality
Prompts that work: “What makes this project genuinely excellent vs. just finished?” · “What do most homeowners not realize about this trade?” · “What’s your standard that others skip?”
3. Team & Process
Action steps
- Crew at work — real moments, not performances
- Coordination between team members
- Quality-check and problem-solving moments — buyers fear chaos; show them order
4. Craft Details
Action steps
- 10–15 tight detail shots of finished or in-progress work
- Materials before and after application
- The angles that make work look editorial — low, close, raking light
Pro Tip
Detail shots are what justify premium pricing visually. The details most people never notice are exactly what a $100k client is paying for — show them.
5. Before / After
Action steps
- Same angle, same framing, both states — this is the single most powerful content you can capture
- Wide and close-up versions of each
6. The Reveal + Verticals
Action steps
- The finished space: wide, medium, close
- Client walkthrough or reaction if they're willing
- Vertical (9:16) versions of your best moments for social
- One 3–5 second loop of the single most striking visual — that's your hook
Keep it organized
Name files DATE_Client_What_v1 and sort into RAW / SELECTS / EDITS folders the same day. Six months of organized footage is a brand film waiting to be cut; six months of camera-roll chaos is nothing.
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