How Long Does It Take to Finish Your Event Video?

The honest answer first: it depends – but not on what most people assume. The length of the finished film does not determine the wait; two things matter most: how long the on-site shoot lasted and how many people give final approval. This article explains what actually happens between filming and delivery – and how to agree a deadline that holds.

Why filming day starts the clock

A two-hour shoot with one camera might produce ninety minutes of footage. A full-day congress with two cameras, interviews and parallel sessions can easily produce ten to fifteen hours. Every one of those hours needs reviewing, sorting and assessing before editing begins.

The rule of thumb is therefore: the longer the on-site shoot, the longer the post-production. A half-day shoot for a short brand film can be edited in a few days. A multi-day congress with several cameras requires several working days just to review the footage. Knowing this helps you plan realistically – rather than wondering why a twenty-minute film from a one-day event takes longer than a ninety-second clip from a press briefing.

A file's journey: What really takes time

After filming, the first step is not editing, but reviewing. The footage is backed up, organised and given an initial assessment – usually that same evening or the following morning. Only then does editing begin.

• Reviewing and sorting: half a day to one day – longer for multi-day shoots with correspondingly more footage.
• Rough cut: one to two days.
• Fine cut, sound mixing, music, colour correction: one to two days
• Approval round: two to three working days – potentially much longer, depending on the number of people involved.
• Delivery in all formats: half a day.

Together, these stages provide a realistic schedule. With good planning, however, a highlight film with several interviews can be ready in just 24-28 hours. A same-day edit for social media is possible – but that means someone editing while the event is still taking place, which needs to be planned and priced accordingly.

What really eats up time: Approval

Editing is rarely the problem. Approval is. As soon as four people comment on the same film, rounds of feedback lead to periods when nothing happens – every day spent waiting counts twice because the edit suite is booked for other work in the meantime. A single decision-maker with a clear brief is the fastest route to a finished film.

What you should agree in advance

Four agreements that speed up every production:

• Who approves? One named person. Not a committee, not “marketing”.
• How many rounds? One to two are standard and sufficient: rough cut and final approval. Anything beyond that should remain the exception.
• What delivery formats? MP4 for web and email, a version without subtitles for the archive, square or portrait for social media. Leaving this until approval costs days.
• Where will it be delivered? Usually via a download link where you can download various file and export formats directly.

The most common scheduling mistake

The final delivery date often depends primarily on you rather than us. For example, if you promptly select the final interview passages after we send you the interview review reel, the film can be finished considerably sooner.

Conclusion

Plan from the event onwards: a short shoot, a short film, few decision-makers – final delivery within 3 working days can be realistic. A long filming day, plenty of footage, many people involved – allow 3-4 working days for the first viewing. If there are interviews, we often send these as a review reel the day after the event. In this dedicated online tool, you can select the key passage and add comments. And if you need it faster, that can almost always be arranged, provided it is clear from the outset who approves and exactly what needs approving.

Have a fixed deadline for your video? Include it in your enquiry – we will tell you honestly what is achievable by then.