How to plan a festival aftermovie that people actually rewatch

A great aftermovie does two jobs at once. For the people who were there, it brings the night back. For everyone who wasn't, it's the reason they buy a ticket next year. That second job is why the planning matters as much as the filming.

We've filmed festivals and club nights across Australia, Thailand and Southeast Asia, from 808 Festival to John Summit at Siam Songkran. These are the things that make the biggest difference before a single frame is shot.

Start with the feeling, not the line-up

Most briefs list the headliners and the stage design. That's useful, but the strongest aftermovies are built around one feeling: euphoric, dark and underground, sun-soaked, intimate. Decide that first. It shapes the music, the pacing, the colour grade and which moments the crew chases on the night.

A useful exercise: pick three words you want someone to feel in the first ten seconds. Share them with your videographer and your marketing team so everyone is working towards the same film.

Share the run sheet early

The best moments are often scheduled: the headliner's first drop, a pyro cue, a confetti cannon, the sunset set. Send your videographer the run sheet, set times and any special effects cues as early as you can, and flag the moments that matter most to you.

• Set times for every stage you want covered
• Effects cues such as CO2, pyro, lasers and confetti
• Access: stage, pit, side-stage and any rooftop or elevated positions
• Artist restrictions, so nobody films where they shouldn't

Plan coverage, not just cameras

More cameras doesn't automatically mean a better film. What matters is where they are at the key moments. A typical plan balances three kinds of shots:

• The scale: wide shots of the stage, the crowd and the venue that show how big the night was
• The people: faces, reactions, friends on shoulders, the moments that make viewers feel they're missing out
• The details: wristbands, lights, hands on the decks, the small things that give the film texture

Agree in advance who covers what, especially if the event runs across multiple stages at the same time.

Decide your deliverables up front

An aftermovie is rarely just one video. Think about where it will live and plan the cuts before the event:

• A hero aftermovie for YouTube and your website
• Vertical cuts for Instagram Reels and TikTok
• A short highlight reel to post while people are still talking about it
• Stills or short clips for artists, sponsors and partners

Timing matters. A 60-second highlight reel delivered within 48 hours keeps the momentum going, while the full-length film can follow once it has had a proper edit. We cover how that fast turnaround works in our post on 48-hour highlight reels.

Sort out the music early

Music makes or breaks an aftermovie, and it's also where projects get stuck. If you want to use an artist's track, get permission from the artist and label before the edit starts. If that isn't possible, agree on licensed music that matches the feeling you chose at the start.

Planning a festival or event? Have a look at our festival and event work, then tell us about your event.