Introduction

A good commercial can do something few other forms of marketing can. In thirty seconds, it can make people laugh, feel proud, feel hungry or feel understood, and leave them remembering a brand name for years. Sri Lankans still hum jingles from advertisements they saw as children. Families still talk about the commercials that played during cricket matches and the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season.

Today, the word “commercial” covers far more than television. The same production may run on TV channels, in cinemas, on YouTube, as Facebook and Instagram ads, as vertical reels on TikTok and YouTube Shorts, on screens in supermarkets and on digital billboards. A well-planned shoot produces a main film and many shorter versions, each designed for a different screen and audience.

Making a commercial is a team effort with many steps, and it can look mysterious to businesses commissioning their first one. How does an idea become a script? Why is a storyboard needed? How long does filming take? What happens in editing and colour grading? What do TV stations need before they broadcast an advertisement?

This article explains the full process of commercial production as our video team at Dsigngo Group practises it, from the first brief to broadcast delivery and social media versions. It also covers budgets, timelines, music and talent rights, approvals and how to measure whether a commercial worked. The company profile of our sister company, Raiden (Pvt) Ltd, lists cinematography, commercial photography and motion graphics among the group’s creative services, alongside branding, design and digital marketing.

What makes a commercial effective?

Before discussing production, it helps to understand what makes advertising work. Effective commercials usually share several qualities:

• One clear message. A commercial that tries to say five things says nothing. The best focus on one idea: a benefit, a feeling or a reason to choose the brand.
• Strong branding. Viewers should know which brand the commercial is for, ideally early and more than once. Many memorable commercials fail because people remember the story but not the brand.
• Emotion. People remember how an advertisement made them feel. Humour, warmth, pride, nostalgia and surprise all help messages stick.
• Relevance. The situations, people, language and humour should feel real to the audience. A commercial for Sri Lankan families should look and sound like Sri Lankan family life.
• A distinctive idea. In a break full of advertisements, the one that looks or sounds different gets noticed.
• Consistency over time. Brands that use the same characters, music, colours or taglines across campaigns build memory faster.
• A clear next step. Whether it is visiting a shop, searching online or scanning a QR code, viewers should know what to do.

Production quality matters, but it serves the idea. A simple concept filmed well usually beats an expensive production with no clear message.

The three phases of production

Commercial production is traditionally divided into three phases:

1. Pre-production: everything before filming, including the brief, concept, script, storyboard, casting, locations, crew, equipment, schedules and approvals.
2. Production: the shoot itself.
3. Post-production: editing, music, sound, visual effects, colour grading, versions, subtitles and delivery.

Most of the success of a commercial is decided in pre-production. Careful planning prevents expensive problems on shoot day and in editing.

Pre-production step by step

1. The brief

Every project starts with a brief from the client. A good brief answers:

• What is the business objective? For example, launching a product, increasing sales in a season or changing how people see the brand.
• Who is the audience? Age, location, language, lifestyle and what they currently think about the brand.
• What is the single most important message?
• What must be included, such as the product, logo, price, offer or legal text?
• Where will the commercial run: TV, cinema, YouTube, social media, in-store screens?
• What is the budget and the deadline?
• How will success be measured?

We help clients prepare briefs through a short workshop. A clear brief saves time and money at every later stage.

2. Creative concept

Our creative team develops ideas that answer the brief. Usually we present two or three concepts, each with a short description, the key scenes, the tone, references and how the brand appears. Concepts are discussed with the client, refined and one is chosen.

3. Script

The chosen concept becomes a script describing every scene, action and line of dialogue or voice-over, with timings. A 30-second commercial typically holds about 60 to 75 spoken words at a comfortable pace, so every word must earn its place. Scripts are often written in Sinhala, Tamil and English, or one language with subtitles, depending on the audience.

4. Storyboard and animatic

A storyboard is a series of drawings or frames showing each shot, with notes on camera angles, movement, action and sound. It ensures that the client, director and crew share the same picture before filming. For complex commercials, we may produce an animatic, a simple moving version of the storyboard with temporary sound, to test timing and flow.

5. Pre-production meeting

Before the shoot, a pre-production meeting with the client confirms every detail: script, storyboard, cast, locations, wardrobe, props, products, styling, schedule, crew and approvals. Changes after this meeting become more expensive, so this is the moment to raise questions.

6. Casting

Casting finds the right people to appear in the commercial: actors, models, presenters, voice-over artists and sometimes real customers or staff. Casting considers appearance, acting ability, language skills and how believable each person is in the role. Talent contracts must state where and for how long the commercial will be used, because fees often depend on usage.

7. Locations and sets

Scenes may be filmed in real locations, such as homes, shops, offices, beaches, tea estates or streets, or on sets built in a studio. Location scouting checks lighting, sound, access, power, parking and permissions. Public places, heritage sites and some government property need permits, and filming on private property needs written permission from the owner. Drone shots require separate approvals, as explained in Insights Article 5.

8. Wardrobe, props, food and product styling

Every item on screen communicates something. Wardrobe, props and set dressing are planned to match the brand and the story. Food commercials need food stylists who make dishes look fresh and appetising under hot lights for many takes. Product packs are checked and cleaned so that labels look perfect.

9. Crew and equipment

The crew depends on the scale of the commercial. A typical team includes a director, producer, director of photography (cinematographer), camera operators and assistants, a gaffer and lighting crew, a sound recordist, an art director, a stylist, make-up artists and production assistants. Equipment includes cinema cameras, lenses, lighting, grip equipment such as dollies and sliders, sound equipment, monitors and, where needed, drones.

10. Shooting schedule and call sheets

The producer prepares a shooting schedule that groups scenes efficiently by location, time of day and cast. A call sheet tells everyone when and where to arrive and what will be filmed.

Production: the shoot day

On shoot day, the director leads the creative work, guided by the storyboard. The director of photography controls the look of each shot through camera, lenses and lighting. The producer manages time, budget, people and problems.

A typical day includes setting up lights and camera for each shot, rehearsing with the cast, filming several takes of each shot from different angles, checking footage on monitors, recording sound and making sure that every shot needed for the edit has been captured. Clients usually attend to approve key shots, especially product shots, but decisions on set should come from one nominated client representative, so the crew receives clear instructions.

A 30-second commercial with several scenes often takes one to two full shooting days, sometimes more if there are many locations, complex lighting, children, animals or special effects. Weather adds risk for outdoor shoots, especially in monsoon seasons, so backup dates or indoor alternatives are planned.

Post-production step by step

Editing

The editor reviews all the footage, selects the best takes and assembles them according to the script and storyboard. The first version, often called the rough cut, focuses on story and timing. After client feedback, the editor refines it into a fine cut. Revision rounds are agreed in advance, which keeps the process efficient.

Music

Music shapes the mood of a commercial. Options include an original composition or jingle, licensed stock music or a licensed commercial track. Each has different costs and rights. Popular songs can be very expensive to license and require permission from both the publisher and the record label. Original music gives a brand something unique it can use across campaigns.

Voice-over and sound design

Voice-over is recorded in a studio with professional voice artists, often in several languages. Sound designers add effects and ambient sound, and the final mix balances dialogue, voice-over, music and effects. Broadcasters set loudness standards so commercials are not much louder than programmes, and the final mix must meet them.

Visual effects and motion graphics

Visual effects can remove unwanted objects, replace screens, add product animations or create scenes that would be impossible to film. Motion graphics add animated text, logos, offers and end frames. Our motion studio creates these in-house.

Colour grading

Colour grading adjusts colour, contrast and mood to give the commercial a consistent, polished look and make products look their best. Skin tones, food and packaging colours receive special attention.

Supers and legal text

On-screen text, called supers, may include product names, offers, prices, terms and conditions and website addresses. Text must be large enough and on screen long enough to read, and must follow advertising rules and the broadcaster’s requirements.

Versions and cut-downs

From one shoot, we usually produce several versions:

• The main commercial, often 30 or 45 seconds for TV.
• Shorter cut-downs, such as 15, 10 and 6 seconds.
• Language versions in Sinhala, Tamil and English.
• Vertical (9:16) and square (1:1) versions for social media.
• Subtitled versions for viewers watching without sound.
• Versions with different end frames for different offers, retailers or markets.

Planning these versions before the shoot, for example by framing shots so they can be cropped for vertical formats, saves significant time and money.

Delivery

TV stations and cinemas specify technical formats for commercials, including resolution, frame rate, file type, audio levels and slate information. Online platforms have their own specifications. We deliver files in the formats each channel requires, along with project masters and thumbnails.

Broadcast approvals and advertising rules

Advertisements in Sri Lanka must follow applicable laws and the standards of each broadcaster. Some categories, such as medicines, food claims, financial services, alcohol and tobacco-related content, are restricted or need specific approvals. Consumer protection rules apply to claims about prices, discounts and product performance. Broadcasters may review commercials before airing and ask for changes. For campaigns in the UAE, content must follow UAE media rules and, for some promotional content, the UAE Media Council’s Advertiser Permit. We plan approvals into the timeline and advise clients to check claims with their legal and regulatory teams.

Rights and usage

Every commercial involves rights that must be cleared:

• Talent: actors, models and voice artists are paid for specific uses, such as TV in Sri Lanka for one year, or online worldwide.
• Music: licences define where, how long and in which media music can be used.
• Locations: location agreements may limit how a place can be shown.
• Stock footage and images: licences vary.
• Brand and trademarks: other brands’ logos or products must not appear without permission.

Usage terms affect cost. Extending a commercial to new countries or more years later may require extra payments. We document all rights clearly, which is one of the promises on our video page.

Budgets and timelines

Commercial budgets vary widely, from simple productions with a small crew and one location to large productions with celebrities, many locations and extensive visual effects. The main cost drivers are:

• Number of shooting days and locations.
• Crew size and equipment.
• Cast, celebrity talent and usage rights.
• Sets, props, wardrobe and styling.
• Animation and visual effects.
• Music licensing or composition.
• Number of versions and languages.
• Travel and logistics.

A typical timeline for a 30-second commercial might be two to three weeks for concept, script and pre-production, one to two days of filming and two to three weeks for post-production and approvals. Urgent projects can move faster, but compressing pre-production increases risk. Insights Article 6 explains our packages and pricing.

Measuring results

A commercial is an investment, so plan how to measure it before launch:

• Reach and frequency: how many people saw it and how often, from TV ratings and online views.
• Attention: online view-through rates and completion rates.
• Brand lift: changes in awareness and preference, measured through surveys or platform brand lift studies.
• Search and website activity: increases in brand searches and website visits during the campaign.
• Sales: changes in sales, enquiries or store visits, compared with previous periods and regions without the campaign.

Online versions can be tested before a full TV launch, for example by running two edits as YouTube ads and comparing results. Our Google Ads team can run YouTube and Demand Gen campaigns using the commercial’s cut-downs.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Starting production without a clear brief and approved script.
• Trying to include too many messages.
• Showing the brand too late or too briefly.
• Changing the script on shoot day.
• Forgetting vertical and short versions until after filming.
• Using music or footage without proper licences.
• Small, fast legal text that viewers cannot read.
• Having many decision-makers on set giving conflicting instructions.
• No plan to measure results.

Illustrative example

The following example is illustrative and does not describe a real client.

A Sri Lankan biscuit brand wants a commercial for the New Year season. The brief: remind families that the brand has been part of their celebrations for years, and launch a new festive gift pack.

The creative team proposes a warm story of three generations preparing for the New Year, with grandchildren sharing biscuits with their grandparents as the auspicious time approaches. The script is written in Sinhala and Tamil versions, with the same visuals. A storyboard and animatic are approved, a real family home outside Kandy is used as the location, and a food stylist prepares the products.

The shoot takes two days. In post-production, the team creates a 30-second TV commercial, 15- and 6-second cut-downs, vertical versions for social media and a version with the gift pack offer for supermarket screens. Original music is composed so the brand can reuse it in future campaigns. The brand tracks searches and sales of the gift pack during the season.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a TV commercial be?

Thirty seconds is common for TV, with 15-second versions for repetition. Online, shorter versions of 6 to 15 seconds often perform better, while longer brand films can work on YouTube.

Can one shoot produce content for TV and social media?

Yes. Planning shots for different formats lets one shoot produce TV commercials, cut-downs and vertical social videos.

Do we need professional actors?

Not always. Real staff or customers can feel authentic, but professional actors are more reliable for scripted performances.

Who writes the script?

Our creative team writes the concept and script with you, and you approve them before filming.

Can you produce commercials for the UAE?

Yes. We produce commercials for audiences in Sri Lanka and the UAE, with languages, casting and approvals planned for each market.

Conclusion

A commercial succeeds when a clear, emotional idea meets careful planning and skilled production. Pre-production turns the brief into a concept, script and storyboard, and organises cast, locations and crew. The shoot captures the story. Post-production shapes it with editing, music, sound, effects and colour, and turns one film into the versions each screen needs. Rights, approvals and measurement complete the picture.

Our video team handles every step, from the first idea to TV masters and social cut-downs, for brands in Sri Lanka and the UAE.

Planning a commercial? Talk to our producers about your idea.

Plan Your Commercial

Sources

• Raiden (Pvt) Ltd company profile (cinematography, commercial photography, multimedia and motion graphics services): https://www.raiden.lk
• Consumer Affairs Authority of Sri Lanka, Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No. 9 of 2003: https://www.caa.gov.lk
• European Broadcasting Union, EBU R 128 loudness recommendation: https://tech.ebu.ch/publications/r128
• WAM, UAE Media Council launches Advertiser Permit: https://www.wam.ae/en/article/bkxzoe1-uae-media-council-launches-advertiser-permit
• Google Ads Help, Video Action Campaigns are being upgraded to Demand Gen: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15110871
• Tubefilter, “YouTube Shorts averages 200 billion daily views” (June 2025): https://www.tubefilter.com/2025/06/18/youtube-shorts-200-billion-daily-views-google-veo-3-ai-neal-mohan/