The recap film,
and what it is for

You get a short social cut and a first selection of photographs within 24 to 48 hours, while attention is still on the event. The full recap film and the complete edited photography set follow within one to two weeks. That split matters, because the first days after an event are when guests share, sponsors post and your own channels get the most attention, and a recap film delivered a month later has missed the moment it was made for. We agree the delivery dates in the proposal and book the editing time before the event, so the schedule does not depend on a free week appearing afterwards.

Sixty to ninety seconds for the main version, because that is the length people actually watch to the end. We also cut a longer version of three to four minutes for your website, sponsors and internal use, where viewers have more patience and want more of the programme. From the same edit come short vertical cuts of 15 to 30 seconds for Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok. These are three different audiences with different habits, so each version is edited for its purpose rather than simply trimmed. If you have a specific use, such as a sales presentation or a trade fair screen, we cut a version for that too.

Yes, every recap film goes through feedback before the final version is delivered. You first see a rough cut with the structure, music and key moments in place, and comment on what to keep, add or remove. We then deliver a fine cut with colour grading, a sound mix and graphics, and make a final set of corrections. The number of feedback rounds is agreed in the proposal, so both sides know the schedule. Feedback works best when one person on your side collects comments from colleagues, so the edit does not receive conflicting notes. Music is licensed for the uses you need before it goes into the edit.

You receive usage rights for the recap film and photographs that cover your own channels and next year’s campaign, including paid advertising. The rights are written into the agreement, so there is no doubt about what you can do with the material. Music is licensed for the platforms you plan to use, which matters because unlicensed tracks are a common reason event films get muted or removed on social media. If you need wider use, such as sharing with sponsors, partners or press, we include it when we scope the job. Ask in advance if you also want the raw footage delivered for your archive.

Sometimes, depending on what was filmed and by whom. If your own team or another supplier captured the event, we can review the footage and photographs and tell you honestly whether there is enough for a good recap. The usual gaps are poor sound, missing wide shots of the room and too little coverage of the key moments. Where the material is strong, we edit it in the same way as our own. Where it is thin, a shorter social cut or a photo-led film often works better. For future events, briefing the crew to a shot list in advance is the reliable route to a film you can use.

The most common use is promoting the next edition of the event, because a film of a full room is the strongest argument for registering. Companies also use the recap on their website and LinkedIn, in newsletters to people who did not attend, in sales presentations, in sponsor reports and in recruitment, where a staff party or conference shows the culture better than any text. Short vertical cuts work as paid social adverts, which our ads team can run. The photography set supports press releases, blog posts and annual reports. Planning these uses before the event decides which moments the crew must capture.