A new restaurant has only a few weeks to get noticed. Here are the videos to film before, during and after opening, so that guests arrive already looking forward to taking a seat at your table.

1. Before opening: make people want to wait

An audience is won before the doors even open. A short teaser — the venue taking shape, a first look at the menu, the team getting ready — announces the date and gives future guests a reason to follow the restaurant.

It takes very little: a few carefully composed shots and a clear idea. The aim is not to show everything, but to build anticipation.

2. Opening day: filming things as they really are

The opening is the moment when the restaurant has the most to tell: the dining room filling up, dishes leaving the kitchen, the team at work, the first reactions from guests.

I film restaurants just as they are, in the middle of service, without staging the dining room. That is what I did for the opening of A Tavola Ristorante, for which I shot three vertical reels ready for Instagram. A real image inspires more trust than a staged scene.

3. The first weeks: a steady rhythm

After the opening, the most important thing is not to disappear. The signature dish, the team, something new on the menu, the evening atmosphere: each theme becomes a different reel.

A single shoot can provide material for several weeks, provided it was planned from the outset to be reused across several videos.

4. How many videos you really need

To begin with, a handful of well-thought-out videos is enough: a teaser, one or two reels for the opening, then a few pieces of content a month to keep up the rhythm. A few polished videos are better than many improvised ones.

The right number depends on the restaurant, its clientele and how much time the team can devote to social media. We discuss it beforehand, so as to build a realistic plan.

5. What to prepare with the restaurant

A good shoot is prepared in advance. Here is what is best settled beforehand:

  • the times with the best light and the moments when the dining room is liveliest;
  • the dishes and drinks to be filmed, with the kitchen team informed;
  • the people who agree to appear on camera, and a notice for guests present in the dining room;
  • the tone you want: elegant, convivial, family-style;
  • the subtitles and the language of the videos, in a country where French, English, German and Luxembourgish are spoken.

6. How I work

I work on my own, from preparation to colour grading: a single point of contact, 4K filming with a cinematic image designed from the start for the vertical format, and delivery within ten working days. The price depends on the project: every restaurant receives a tailor-made quote.