How to: Prepare for a Factory visit
When Make Works first started visiting factories in Scotland, countless mistakes were made. Forgetting to put batteries in the sound recorder; ending up on a single track road and arriving hours late; not realising there were two production sites for the same company.
Learning from this, here are some things we now do the day before to make things easier on the day.
Make sure you have sent everything over in advance, including your contact details
Email or phone the factory the day before to remind them about the visit. In more industrial spaces it is useful to ask whether or not you will need to bring steel toe-cap boots, safety goggles, etc.
Update yourself with background information about the factory - check their website, social media, find out about any new projects. This can help you work out if there are any specific questions to ask in the interview.
Have all the documents you need to refer to (e.g. interview questions, list of photographs) and those you need the factory to attend to (e.g. filming disclosure form)
If the manufacturer has completed a sign-up form or you have partially filled it in during a first visit, read it over and work out where you are lacking information or need clarification
Make a list of the machines, processes, materials, etc. you want to make sure to photograph or if desired film
Charge your recording kit - there is nothing worse than a battery running out halfway through a shoot!
Write down the factory contact name so that you can ask for the right person when you arrive
Write down the address with a contact number in case anything goes wrong or you are running late
Double check your travel route and travel times, checking for any issues with local travel first so that you can inform the factory of any delays due to matters beyond your control
Pack some snacks
Last updated