Behind-the-Scenes with Purpose: Documenting Your Process While Filming

Photo from the set of “Be Careful What You Ask For,” taken by Sheri Foreman

In the age of perpetual content, behind-the-scenes footage isn’t just a bonus, it connects your audience to your process, your team to your mission, and your present to your future. Whether you're crafting a short or a feature, documenting your “making of” journey with intention can serve both archival storytelling and active marketing campaigns. Here's how to do it with purpose.

Start with Strategy, Not Just Spontaneity
While candid moments are gold, purposeful BTS begins with a plan:

  • Define your goals: Are you building hype, preserving legacy, or showcasing craft?

  • Find your audience: Think about what messages will resonate with the group of people you hope to reach: fans, press, future collaborators.

  • Choose your formats: Consider reels, vlogs, stills, and written reflections.

Think of BTS as its own mini-campaign—one that runs parallel to your main production.

Assign a BTS Lead (and Empower Them)
Don’t leave BTS to chance. Assign someone to:

  • Capture daily footage

  • Interview crew and cast

  • Document emotionally resonant or visually compelling moments

  • Coordinate asset delivery and ideas with your social team

This person isn’t just a documentarian; they’re a story miner.

Layer the Content: Emotional, Technical, and Thematic
Great BTS content isn’t just “here’s how we lit the scene.” It’s:

  • Emotional: What did this moment mean to the team?

  • Technical: What challenges were overcome?

  • Thematic: How does this reflect the film’s deeper message?

This layering makes your BTS usable across platforms, from Instagram posts to press kits and grant applications.

Archive with Intention
Treat your BTS like a living archive:

  • Tag and organize by theme, character, location, and emotion

  • Save raw files and edited versions

  • Consider future uses: retrospectives, anniversary posts, educational materials

Your future self will thank you.

Activate in Real Time
Don’t wait until post-production to share:

  • Tease moments that hint at tone and theme

  • Spotlight crew members to build community

  • Use BTS to humanize your brand and deepen engagement

Real-time BTS builds momentum and invites your audience into the process.

Final Thoughts: Behind-the-scenes content isn’t just documentation—it’s storytelling. When done with intention, it becomes a powerful tool for connection, reflection, and amplification. So next time you roll camera, ask yourself: What story is unfolding behind the lens, and how will you tell it?

Amie Simon