ONE VOICE ON SET: Why too many opinions can sink your video production project

One of the most common reasons a shoot goes sideways has nothing to do with lighting, location, or budget; there are too many decision-makers in the room.

When everyone has an opinion on set, things slow down fast. One person wants more smiling, another wants it more seriously. Someone loves the location, someone else thinks it's too dark. Before long, you're not shooting with a vision, you're shooting by committee, and the final product reflects exactly that: a watered-down version of what could have been something great.

It also makes our job significantly harder. As photographers and video producers, we come to every shoot prepared. We've planned the angles, the flow, the story we're telling. But when there's no concrete vision on the client side - or worse, five competing ones - we're no longer executing a creative direction. We're referee-ing a conversation that should have happened weeks ago. That costs time on set, and time on set costs money. More importantly, it costs quality.

The best productions we've ever executed had one thing in common: one person with a clear vision who trusted the process. They knew what they wanted, communicated it in advance, and let us do what we do best.

Before your next shoot, designate one person as the creative lead. This is the person who has reviewed the shot list, understands the brand, knows where the content is going, and has final say on set. Everyone else is there to support, not redirect.

That doesn't mean other voices don't matter; it means those conversations happen before the camera rolls, not during.

The clearest content always comes from the clearest vision. Make sure yours has a voice - not a choir.