This corporate filming case study covers a recent trip to Rotterdam, where I worked as a cameraman on a live webinar series for international distribution. The project involved a full technical crew and a temporary studio build inside the client’s office building.
Flying out for corporate filming in Rotterdam
The client booked me as a cameraman to film a series of live webinars across different time zones. The corporate client was based in Rotterdam. The technical crew flew to Amsterdam on the Monday and then travelled by minibus to Rotterdam, where we met the client’s in-house lead video producer.
A truck full of audiovisual kit
The following day focused entirely on unloading. A truck had transported all the IT, video, and corporate filming kit from the UK to Rotterdam. Everything needed moving from the truck up to the ninth floor via the client’s lift, where we would build the temporary studio.
The team moved more than 200 flight cases of audiovisual kit and staging. With 16 people in the technical crew, everyone contributed, and the process went quickly. Once everything reached the ninth floor, we began converting the client’s staff canteen into a temporary studio with seating for over 160 guests. We sorted the flight cases into position by content, then set up the stage area with its graphic backdrop and lights, followed by the control area where most of the technical equipment would sit.
Preparing the studio
Each team member started by setting up their own specialist kit. The video team had the most assembly work to do, so I began by helping them install all the LCD monitors and cable networks running from the control area to the stage. For this corporate filming assignment, a three-person camera crew would operate Sony DXE2500 studio cameras. Each camera connected to vision control via a separate Triax cable, allowing vision control to adjust and manage each camera remotely as needed.
Testing the studio
Vision control was the most complex area to configure. It involved several equipment racks, a vision mixer, and internet links for the webinars. Once the stage, graphic backdrop, projector screen, and lights were all in place, we ran preliminary tests to prepare for Wednesday’s rehearsals. My role as cameraman required me to manage focus and framing from my designated camera position throughout.
Extra studio installations
Large air-conditioning units went in behind the stage and inside vision control to remove the heat generated by all the equipment. A dedicated IT team managed the streaming services for the live broadcasts. The team also installed a sound booth for a live Dutch translation service, so any audience member could follow the English-language CEO speech in Dutch. The translation team set up an infrared system alongside a translation booth next to vision control. Audience members simply collected a receiver and headphones before taking their seats.
Rehearsals with the client’s CEO
Wednesday was a full rehearsal day covering three different time zones. The client’s CEO and video production team joined the crew so everyone could practise the planned live schedule ahead of the broadcast day. During the live transmissions, the plan called for three separate connection points to the client’s offices in each time zone, giving each team the chance to ask the CEO a question directly. All three connections needed thorough testing to confirm that sound, vision, and content all worked correctly.
During rehearsals, the crew made adjustments to improve the stage lighting. We also marked position spots on the stage to ensure the best framing for the CEO on camera. Vision control recorded all three camera feeds as separate ISO recordings alongside a separate mixed output. An uninterruptible power supply powered the four sets of drives recording the camera feeds, protecting the recordings against any power interruption.
Transmission day
For the live transmission day on Thursday, the crew wore smart black clothing. For me, that meant filming in my black suit. Each of the three live transmissions drew a studio audience of over 160 client staff from the Rotterdam office. The day ran smoothly throughout, and the client expressed real satisfaction with the performance of the whole crew.
De-rigging the studio
Friday was de-rig day. The team started at 0830 and, remarkably, had all 200 plus flight cases moved from the ninth floor to ground level by 1130, ready for loading back into the truck for the return journey to the UK.
Corporate filming cameraman based in London
Working as a corporate filming cameraman with this team for the week was a genuinely enjoyable experience. Delivering a broadcast-standard multi-time zone webinar series to a live international audience was a rewarding challenge. I look forward to working with this corporate filming group again. If you need help with corporate filming requirements, please get in touch via my website contact form.
I also provide multi-camera filming as a solo operator and can assist with corporate post-production and editing.
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