Videographer for Hire Bristol
Videographer for Hire in Bristol: What's in the Day Rate and How the Day Works
By Moss Davis · June 2025 · 6 min read
Hiring a videographer on a day rate is the most practical structure for most commercial shoots. You know what the shoot day costs, you're not trying to build a project spec before you've fully scoped the brief, and you retain flexibility about what gets shot on the day. Here's a clear breakdown of what a day rate actually includes and how a typical Bristol shoot day runs.
What the day rate covers
The £995/day shoot rate includes the operator and all kit for the shoot day. No additional hire costs, no separate charges for the lighting package or drone, no surprises on the invoice. What's in the day:
Cameras
Blackmagic URSA 12K (primary, RAW), Blackmagic Pocket 6K (B-roll/second angle), Sony A7 IV (stills and flexible video)
Lighting
Full Aperture package — 300W, 600W, 1200W LEDs, Fresnels, softboxes, negative fill panels, gobos
Aerial
DJI Mavic 4 Pro, sub-250g drone, and two FPV rigs. CAA licensed. All systems available on every shoot day.
Audio
Wireless lavalier mics, shotgun microphone, clean audio recording throughout the day regardless of brief
Post-production — selects, colour grade, edit — is quoted separately based on the deliverables needed. A shoot day and a post brief are different scopes of work, and separating them makes both easier to plan and budget.
How a Bristol shoot day typically runs
Pre-production is handled before the shoot day itself. Location assessment, recce where needed, shot list review, airspace authorisation for drone if required. By the time I arrive on set, there are no open questions about logistics or kit.
On set, the workflow depends on the brief structure. For directed shoots with a clear shot list and a director or creative director on set, I work through the list methodically — camera, lighting, drone in the order that makes sense for the location and light. For more open briefs where I'm taking creative ownership, I'll typically block the day into sections: hero setups, movement sequences, detail work, aerials.
Rushes are typically delivered within 48 hours of the shoot day. Everything organised, labelled, and ready for a post-production pipeline.
What types of brief I take in Bristol
Commercial content across categories: product, food, lifestyle, brand film, corporate talking heads, and drone-led content. I'm based in Cheltenham — 45 minutes from Bristol — and work in the city regularly enough that it's a familiar working location, not an occasional trip.
For agencies, I work as camera operator under the creative director's direction. For direct brand briefs, I can take the creative lead from brief through to rushes delivery. Both modes work well depending on what the brief needs.
If you want to talk through a Bristol shoot, get in touch with the brief and I'll come back to you the same day.