HOTEL CLIENT PLAYBOOK / PRODUCTION TEMPLATES
Adapted from planning references supplied by Grant, with project-specific promises removed.
Replace bracketed fields and confirm each deadline against your agreement.

01 / INTAKE EMAIL
Subject: [Property] shoot | planning details

Hi [name],
Excited to start planning for [dates]. Could you send the following by [agreed date]?

Creative: brand assets and guidelines, current or draft menus, references you like and why, and available floor plans or renders for new spaces.
Access: areas we can film, guest-face policy, any signage arrangements, and advance booking requirements for rooms, spa, pool or other locations.
People: the right contacts for kitchen, restaurant, housekeeping and front desk, coordinated through you.
Timing: your current opening/renovation status and any events, closures, maintenance or other crews during our dates.

Please also confirm which requested props, dishes and experiences are included, any approved credit limits and how staff should handle charges.
I'll send creative direction by [agreed date]. Let's hold [date/time] for the pre-production call.
Thanks,
[name]

02 / PRE-PRODUCTION CALL AGENDA
Suggested 40-minute agenda; adapt to scope and circulate ahead of the call.

5 minutes: dates, room confirmation and access windows.
10 minutes: creative direction and deliverable allocation. Confirm totals against the contract.
10 minutes: dish list, preparation lead times, plating order and named kitchen staff.
5 minutes: talent, wardrobe, required permissions and guest policy.
5 minutes: props, benefits, approved charges and unresolved dependencies.
5 minutes: delivery, consolidated feedback, named owners and next steps.

After the call send a decision recap by [agreed date]. Record open item | owner | deadline | status. Circulate the final call sheet by [agreed date]. Changes after approval require a scope/timing discussion, not an assumption that they are impossible or included free.

03 / DELIVERABLE ALLOCATION WORKSHEET
Use one row for each finished video and one row per stills category.

Asset ID | Type | Quantity | Format/length | Concept | Location | Shoot day | Talent | Required access/props | Usage | Approval status
[fill rows]

Contracted videos: [total]. Allocated videos: [sum]. Difference: [must be zero].
Contracted stills: [count or range]. Planned stills by location: [counts]. Confirm the sum matches the agreed count or range; do not promise additional minimums unintentionally.
Creator-shot clips: [creators] x [clips per creator per location] x [locations] = [total]. List separately and specify raw, edited or published. Do not count the same work twice.

Client approval: Of [total] videos, [count] feature [area], [count] feature [area], and [count] feature [area]. Please confirm this split and the stills plan by [date]. Reallocation after capture may require additional production.

04 / DISH LIST REQUEST
Subject: Food planning for [shoot date]

Hi Chef [name],
For our agreed [food scope], could you help confirm the dish list by [date]?

Which dishes best express the restaurant and which would you most like us to feature? If we are covering the full menu, please confirm the complete list and priorities.
For each dish, please note the shooting zone, plating order, prep lead time, how long it will hold, serving ware and who will prepare it.
Can we agree when to signal that the next setup is nearly ready, so dishes reach us in good condition?
Please confirm the kitchen staffing and service window, plus any approved costs or ingredients that need advance ordering.

If an interview or cooking footage is in scope, are you comfortable appearing on camera, and what time is available? We'll confirm the brief and permissions ahead of capture.
Thanks,
[name]

05 / DAILY CALL SHEET + RUN OF SHOW
Project: [name] | Shoot date: [date] | Version: [date/time]
Crew call: [time/location] | Planned wrap: [time]
Local light windows, checked for this date: [details]

Time | Setup/asset ID | Location | Camera/creative owner | Hotel contact | Talent | Props/dishes | Setup/reset buffer | Approval status
[fill rows]

Contacts, shared only with relevant participants:
Client approver | [name] | [business contact]
Kitchen/restaurant | [name] | [business contact]
Rooms/housekeeping | [name] | [business contact]
Other required department | [name] | [business contact]

Before capture: access approved, talent permissions checked, guest policy understood, priority scenes and approved charges reviewed.
Contingencies: [weather/late dish/unavailable room plan]. Change approver: [name].
Wrap: check must-have assets, confirm next steps with client, assign card backup to [person]. Make and verify separate copies before reusing cards. Edit handoff owner: [person].
