How Long Does a Brand Film Take? Brief to Final Cut

Planning a video around a deadline

A corporate video usually takes 3 to 6 weeks from the first brief to final delivery. A brand film or TVC with casting, several locations and heavier post-production usually takes 6 to 10 weeks. The shoot itself is almost always the shortest part of the schedule, but the most expensive and labor-intensive. Most corporate videos are filmed in one or two days, and the rest of the schedule is planning before the camera rolls and finishing after it.

Marketing teams in Bangkok often plan the video last and need it first. Knowing where the weeks go helps you set a launch date you can keep and spot the decisions that will hold a project up.

The short answer

The range depends on three things: how much is decided before the brief, how many people approve each stage, and how many rounds of changes the edit goes through.

Where the weeks go

1. Brief and concept (week 1)

We start by learning about your goals, audience, budget and where the video will run. A TV spot, a YouTube pre-roll and a vertical Reel need different plans and budgets, so we settle formats here. Within a few days you receive a concept and action plan. Reference videos for style and concept help a lot, so send any that inspire you.

This stage moves fastest when one person on your side can say yes to the concept and the budget. Ideally, before you reach out to a production house like Digital Distinct, you already have a solid idea of the concept and requirements of your video, and how much budget you plan to allocate. There are a huge number of variables in the production process. If you know your budget range, a production house can tell you what is possible within it.

2. Pre-production (weeks 1 to 3)

Once the concept is approved and the contract is signed, we write the script and draw the storyboard. In parallel we cast talent, scout locations, book crew and equipment, and build the shooting schedule and call sheet.

For a corporate video this typically takes one to two weeks. A brand film with actors, several locations or a location permit can take three or four. Script approval is the step that most often slips, because it is the first time many stakeholders see the idea in detail.

Pre-production is perhaps the most important part of a project. Everyone involved needs the same understanding of what the video should achieve. If the plan changes after this stage, we will do our best to accommodate it, but late changes can mean extra shoot days or added cost.

3. The shoot (1 to 4 days)

Our crew films on location or in a studio with the cameras, lighting and drone equipment the project needs. A corporate video is usually done in one or two days. A brand film with more scenes runs two to four.

The shoot date is the one fixed point in the schedule. Talent, crew and locations are all booked around it, so moving it late costs time and money.

4. Post-production (weeks 3 to 6)

We edit, grade the color, mix the sound and add graphics, music and subtitles in Thai, English or both, or any other language you need. You see a first cut about one to two weeks after the shoot.

Each revision round takes a few days to turn around. We set a revision schedule at the start so we can meet your deadline. For example, we deliver the first draft within 7 days, you send feedback within 2 business days, and we deliver the second draft within 2 business days after that. With the agreed rounds complete, we deliver final files in every format you need for TV, web and social.

What slows a project down

In our experience, delays rarely come from the shoot or the edit. They come from decisions.

• Too many approvers. Every extra reviewer adds days to each stage, and late feedback from a senior stakeholder can send a script or cut back to the start.

• A brief that changes after approval. New messages added once the script is signed off mean reshoots or a rebuilt edit.

• Missing materials. Logos, product samples, brand guidelines and on-screen text that arrive late hold up both the shoot and the graphics.

• Unplanned revision rounds. Feedback that comes in small batches from different people turns two rounds into five.

• Thai holidays and peak season. Crew, talent and studios book up around Songkran and the end-of-year rush, so build in extra lead time.
  
  
  
  

How to keep your film on schedule

1. Name one approver who collects all feedback and signs off each stage.

2. Agree the number of revision rounds before work starts and agree on a revision schedule.

3. Send brand assets, product samples and key messages with the brief.

4. Lock the script before booking the shoot date.

5. Work back from your launch date, then add a week of buffer.

If you have a fixed launch, tell us the date in the first call. We can often shorten a schedule by running casting and location scouting in parallel, but only when we know the deadline from the start.

Frequently asked questions

Can you deliver a video on a tight deadline?

Yes. A simple interview or event video can be delivered in about two weeks if the brief is clear and one person approves each stage. Brand films and TVCs need more time, but we can often expedite them. A rush schedule may carry additional fees, and we may need some flexibility on the finer details to meet the deadline.

How many revision rounds are included?

We agree the number of rounds in the quote before work starts. Our corporate video packages include set revision rounds, and the full details are on our Corporate Video Production page.

Can you deliver Thai and English versions at the same time?

Yes. We plan bilingual delivery from the brief, with voiceover and subtitles in both languages. Adding a second language at the start costs far less time than adding it after the edit is approved.

When should we contact a production house for a launch?

For a corporate video, at least six weeks before launch. For a brand film or TVC, ten weeks or more gives room for casting, locations and revisions without rushing.

Planning a video with a fixed date? Tell us your launch date and we will map out a schedule that works back from it.