Why Location, Set Dressing, and Lighting Matter for Your Brand Video

When planning a brand video, it’s not just about the script or camera—it’s also about how location, set dressing, and lighting come together to support your brand’s message. These details are often overlooked but make a big difference in the final product.

Your space likely has great potential, but it will probably need some attention to look its best on camera. Whether it’s your office, store, or another setting, we’ll enhance the environment so it reflects your brand. Things like lighting and background distractions can impact how your video turns out, and we make sure everything works in harmony.

That doesn’t mean every shoot needs an elaborate or expensive-looking set. The environment should be appropriate to the subject matter, but small adjustments—moving clutter out of frame, adjusting lighting, adding a few well-placed props—can elevate an everyday space into something that looks great on camera. Subtle changes go a long way in making a setting feel intentional rather than thrown together.

Choosing the right setting is more important than many people realize. I once saw a local dentist’s ad filmed in his newly remodeled home kitchen. It was a beautiful kitchen, but it had absolutely nothing to do with dentistry. Instead of reinforcing his expertise, the setting left viewers wondering if they were about to hear about teeth cleaning or custom cabinetry. This is the kind of mistake we help business owners avoid when planning our shoots for them and also when coaching them on filming their own social media content.

Set dressing plays a big role in making sure everything in frame supports the message. A neatly placed plant, a clean table, or simply wiping down fingerprints can make a space look polished without feeling staged. When showcasing a product, it should be the clear focus—free of distractions like unrelated store items cluttering the shot. A premium coffee blend sitting next to a half-empty soda bottle doesn’t exactly scream “carefully curated brand experience.” Even worse, if that soda bottle appears in some shots but not others, it creates a continuity issue that makes the final video feel unpolished. Maintaining the set throughout the shoot is just as important as setting it up in the first place.

Beyond avoiding distractions, Gravity Lens also focuses on creating depth and visual interest. Placing a subject directly against a wall can make a shot feel flat and lifeless, so we position them with space behind them whenever possible. Thoughtfully arranged foreground and background elements—whether it’s subtle decor or strategic props—can add dimension and help draw the viewer’s eye where it needs to go.

Lighting is just as crucial. While we’ll take advantage of natural light when possible, we often rely on professional artificial lighting to create the ideal look, ensuring consistency regardless of time of day or unpredictable conditions.

These are all details Gravity Lens handles in full productions, and they are part of why location scouting, set dressing, and lighting are part of the time we spend on projects and are also a vital part of what is covered in our coaching. They aren’t just extra steps—they’re essential to making sure your brand is presented in the best possible way.