The shot library
The 14 cinematic shots
The exact shots we build every weekly brief from. Filter by type, then tap any card for how to shoot it and the pro tip that makes it sing.
The hero pour
MovementA close, slow pour of wine, coffee, beer or a cocktail into the glass. The single most-used hospitality shot on Instagram.
How, Lock the phone on a tripod at glass-rim height. Dark or timber background, backlit by a window.
Pro tip, Pour twice as slowly as feels natural. It always reads too fast on the edit.
The detail macro
DetailAn ultra-close frame of grape skin, espresso crema, citrus zest, latte art or ice cracking.
How, Tap macro mode (or clip on a macro lens) and get within 5cm. Film ten seconds even though you only need two.
Pro tip, Always grab options. The edit lives or dies on the one frame you didn't think to shoot.
The steam, smoke or breath
DetailEspresso steam, grill smoke, the vapour off a fresh pour, atmosphere you can almost smell.
How, Dark background, backlit, filmed at 60fps so it slows down beautifully in the cut.
Pro tip, Dim the other lights. Atmosphere always reads darker on camera than it does to your eye.
The bartender at work
PeopleHands-only or over-the-shoulder of the craft, building a drink, pulling a shot. No face needed.
How, Phone on a tripod at shoulder height. Don't walk around them; let the craft move in frame.
Pro tip, Ask them to do it three times. Take two is always better than take one.
The reveal
MovementSomething uncovered, presented or served, a cloche lifting, a board set down, a garnish dropped.
How, Tripod, negative space where the reveal lands, and hold two seconds before and after.
Pro tip, The payoff is 80% of the shot. Give the editor room either side of it.
The room wide-shot
PlaceYour venue at its busiest, loveliest moment, full tables, golden light, the bar in full service.
How, Tripod on the highest safe surface, wide angle, hold for ten seconds minimum.
Pro tip, Film it every week. Same angle in three different lights is three different shots.
The walk-through
MovementA slow, steady walk from the street into the venue, the viewer's point of view as they arrive.
How, Phone at chest height, both hands, elbows locked. Walk at half speed.
Pro tip, Film it at opening, mid-service and close. Three POVs, three stories.
The people detail
PeopleHands on a glass, elbows on the bar, a shared laugh cropped at the shoulders. Warmth without consent forms.
How, Get low and shoot through objects, a bottle neck, past a candle.
Pro tip, Solves the consent problem. You can film this every single day.
The chef or cellar moment
CraftBehind the curtain, a chef plating, a winemaker checking tanks, the team tasting before service.
How, Lock the tripod and leave it. Two minutes of footage is four usable clips.
Pro tip, People act natural after about ninety seconds. Turn it on and walk away.
The hands-and-things
CraftHands arranging, pouring, plating, decanting. The most versatile shot on the list.
How, Overhead tripod, side-lit, filmed at 60fps for slow-mo.
Pro tip, Film thirty seconds of hands prepping every single service. You'll never run dry.
The texture push-in
MovementA slow push-in on something textural, a cheese wheel, a bar top, a stack of bottles.
How, Hand-pushed with elbows planted on the table, or a small slider. Three seconds is plenty.
Pro tip, The transition editors beg for. Film two or three every time you're on the floor.
The golden-hour exterior
PlaceYour venue from the street at golden hour, lights coming on inside.
How, Tripod, both vertical and horizontal, exposure locked to the interior, not the sky.
Pro tip, Shoot the same frame every month. By December you've got a year-in-review reel.
The guest reaction
PeopleA real reaction, the first sip, the 'wow' at the view, the laugh at the plate. Caught, never staged.
How, Be ready and ask permission after. The unscripted ones are the gold.
Pro tip, Train the floor team to text you the moment one's about to happen.
The transition object
MovementSomething moving across frame to hide a cut, a cloth wiping the bar, a bottle placed down.
How, Tripod, clear space for the object to sweep through, film it fully across.
Pro tip, Editors call these 'wipes'. One per shoot day doubles the pace of the edit.
“Clean lens. Locked phone. Tap to focus. Good light. Press record.”
Want these every Monday?
Members get a five-shot brief, weekly.
The shots, tuned to your venue and the season, then you film and we edit. See how the member portal works.