BTS & EPK — Rome, Italy
BTS & EPK Videographer
in Italy
NREAL Productions provides professional BTS and EPK videographer services for film, TV and advertising productions shooting in Italy. Based in Rome, with experience on major Hollywood productions shot in Italy.
What is BTS and EPK —
and why every production needs it
BTS — Behind The Scenes
BTS stands for Behind The Scenes — the video and photographic documentation of the production process itself. On a professional set, this means capturing the cast and crew at work: lighting setups being adjusted, directors giving notes between takes, actors in character at the monitor, the organised chaos of a working film or fashion set.
BTS content has become essential across every type of production. For film and TV, it feeds social media campaigns, press coverage, making-of features, and streaming platform extras. For fashion and luxury brands, behind-the-scenes footage is often as valuable as the campaign itself — audiences connect with process, craft, and authenticity in ways that polished final images alone cannot achieve.
EPK — Electronic Press Kit
EPK stands for Electronic Press Kit — the formal multimedia package delivered to press offices, distributors, and streaming platforms as part of a film or TV production's contractual obligations. On major studio productions, delivering a complete EPK is not optional: it is written into the distribution agreement.
A professional EPK typically includes structured cast and director interviews shot in a controlled environment, B-roll footage of the set and locations, thematic featurettes about the production's story or visual approach, and high-resolution unit stills approved for press use. It is, in effect, the official behind-the-scenes record of a production.
Unit Stills vs. BTS Stills vs. EPK Footage — The Difference
Photographs taken during or between takes, capturing the action on set as it happens. These are the official production photos used by distributors and press — they must be technically precise, well-composed, and shot in complete silence during rolling takes. Unit stills require a silent shutter camera and deep understanding of the lighting setup being used by the main director of photography.
Informal photographs documenting the life of the set — crew at work, equipment, backstage moments. More editorial in approach, these feed social channels and making-of content. They require the same technical awareness of a working set but with greater creative latitude.
Video content produced specifically for the Electronic Press Kit. This includes sit-down interviews with cast and director (typically conducted between takes or during lunch breaks), B-roll of the set and locations, and edited featurettes. EPK footage is a deliverable to the studio or distributor and must meet broadcast quality standards.
Understanding the distinction between these three formats — and when to capture each on a fast-moving professional set — is what separates a specialist BTS and EPK operator from a general videographer who happens to be pointing a camera at a production.
Our experience on
international productions in Italy
"If you're shooting in Italy and need someone who knows how to stay invisible on a Hollywood set while capturing everything — that's NREAL Productions."
We've worked alongside Oscar-winning cinematographers on major international productions shot in Italy. We understand set protocol, we speak the language of film crews worldwide, and we deliver the behind-the-scenes content your marketing team needs — without ever getting in the way of the main unit.
Italy's 40% tax credit has made the country one of the most active international filming destinations in Europe, drawing major Hollywood studios, premium streaming platforms, and global advertising agencies to locations from Rome to the Amalfi Coast, from Sicily to the northern lakes. Each of these productions needs on-set BTS and EPK coverage from someone who already knows the protocols — not someone learning them on the job.
Feature Film & Streaming
Major Hollywood productions and international streaming platform originals shooting on location in Italy. From action features on the Amalfi Coast to period productions in Rome and Sicily, we've operated on high-pressure sets where discretion and technical precision are non-negotiable. We know how a SAG-AFTRA set runs, how to work around the 1st AD's schedule, and how to be everywhere without anyone noticing we're there.
Luxury Fashion Campaigns
International luxury brands — including those with strong ties to Rome — frequently shoot their campaigns in Italy, often using iconic locations in the capital and across the country. BTS and making-of content for fashion is a core part of the campaign output: it feeds the brand's social channels, press releases, and archival materials. We understand both the cinematic language of these productions and the aesthetic standards luxury brands require.
Advertising & Commercial
Global advertising agencies shooting TV commercials and branded content in Italy regularly require BTS coverage for their clients. These productions move quickly, with tight shooting days and immediate turnaround expectations from the client's marketing team. Same-day social cuts, rapid delivery of selects, and a clear understanding of the brand's communication needs are part of how we approach every commercial BTS assignment.
Our trilingual capability — Italian, English, and Spanish — means we can communicate effectively with every member of an international crew: Italian production staff, English-speaking directors and cinematographers, and the broad mix of crew nationalities that major international productions bring to Italy. On a working set, clear communication is not just useful — it is essential to staying invisible and capturing the right moments.
BTS & EPK services
we provide
Every production has different BTS and EPK needs depending on budget, distribution requirements, and how the content will be used downstream. We offer the full range of on-set content services, either as a complete package or as individual services added to an existing production plan.
Unit Stills Photography
High-resolution photographs taken during and between takes, capturing the production as it happens. Shot with a fully electronic silent shutter to avoid disturbing the main unit during rolling takes. These are the official production stills for press, distributors, and the film's promotional materials. Delivered as high-resolution RAW files with colour-graded JPEGs for immediate press use.
EPK Video Production
The complete Electronic Press Kit video package: structured cast and director interviews, set B-roll, location footage, and edited featurettes. Delivered to distributor or studio specifications. We coordinate with the production's publicist and 1st AD to identify interview windows during the shooting day and set up efficiently in available spaces on or adjacent to the set.
Making-of Documentary Content
A longer-form, editorially driven making-of — either as a standalone short documentary or as a multi-chapter piece for streaming platform extras and brand websites. We approach these as independent editorial projects: following the story of the production, the locations, and the creative process from prep through principal photography.
Social Media BTS Cuts
Vertical (9:16), square (1:1), and landscape (16:9) cuts formatted and edited for Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. These can be delivered same day with a pre-shoot agreement. Typically 15–60 seconds, fast-cut, with music and captions aligned to the brand's social style guide.
Press Kit Photography
A curated photographic package for the production's press office: key set images, location photography, and selected BTS moments suitable for publication in editorial media. Edited and captioned to press standards, cleared for immediate release to media partners.
Cast & Crew Portraits
On-set portraits of principal cast members and key creative crew — directors, DPs, production designers — for press use and archival purposes. Shot during production with portable lighting or using the existing cinematic illumination of the set. Fast and unobtrusive, adapted to the production schedule.
Location Photography
Photographic documentation of the film or campaign's Italian locations — landscapes, architecture, and the relationship between locations and production design. Valuable for press materials, location credits, and archival documentation. We can also provide location photography independently of a full production engagement.
Working on a Hollywood set —
what it takes
Operating as a BTS and EPK specialist on a major international production is fundamentally different from any other kind of photography or video work. The set is not your space to explore freely — it is an extremely controlled environment where every element exists to serve the main unit's output. Your job is to capture everything without ever becoming part of the problem.
Electronic Silent Shutter
On a professional set, any sound during a rolling take is a problem. The mechanical shutter of a traditional camera — even a quiet one — is audible in the silence of a recording set. We shoot exclusively with cameras equipped with a fully electronic silent shutter during takes, producing zero shutter sound. This is not optional on a sound-critical set: it is table stakes for being allowed near the cameras during recording.
Set Protocol and Hierarchy
Every professional set operates according to a strict hierarchy. The 1st AD controls the floor. The DP controls the image. The director controls the performance. As BTS operator, you report to the production publicist or line producer, but you must never obstruct or cross the axis of the main camera, never speak during a take, never direct or request anything from cast, and never enter an area without permission from the 1st AD. Understanding this hierarchy — and working within it instinctively — is what earns the trust that allows you to be close to the action when it matters.
Anticipating Without Directing
On a working set you cannot ask for a repeat. You cannot reposition talent. You cannot wait for the perfect moment — you have to be in the right position before the perfect moment arrives. This requires a deep understanding of how productions move: how setups work, where the action will be, when the 1st AD is about to call cut, and what the director or DP might do between takes. It is an intuitive skill built from time on set, not from reading about it.
Working With Cinematic Lighting
A Hollywood DP lights for their camera. The illumination on a major production set is typically low, directional, and completely unlike the evenly-lit environments that standard event or corporate photography assumes. Working within this light — rather than fighting it or adding your own — requires cameras and lenses optimised for low-light performance and an understanding of how to expose for cinematic contrast ratios. Fast f/1.4 prime lenses and cameras like the Sony A7S III with its exceptional high-ISO performance are not luxury choices in this context: they are what the environment demands.
International Crew Communication
On an international production shooting in Italy, the crew is a mix of nationalities — American heads of department, Italian production and location staff, and crew from across Europe and beyond. Fluent English is the baseline requirement for communicating with the creative team. Italian is essential for coordinating with local crew and locations. The ability to move between languages without losing a beat — while carrying equipment and reading a fast-moving set — is a practical requirement, not an advantage.
Rapid Delivery Workflow
The social media unit of a major production or brand campaign often needs content the same day. Selects from the morning shoot published before lunch. A short vertical cut of the afternoon's setup available by wrap. This requires a clear pre-production agreement on delivery format, a fast tethered or wireless transfer workflow on set, and the editing infrastructure to process, grade, and deliver while the production is still running. We plan for this before the first shooting day.
Equipment
Production managers and line producers on professional sets look at the kit. The right equipment signals experience and professionalism before you've said a word. Everything in our BTS and EPK package is chosen for a working set environment: silent, fast, and reliable in the low-light conditions that cinematically-lit productions create.
Video BTS
- —Sony FX3
Compact cinema camera, ideal for discreet on-set work.
- —Sony A7S III
Mirrorless, silent shutter, exceptional in low light.
Photo BTS
- —Sony A7V
Latest generation mirrorless, silent shutter, high resolution for unit stills.
Stabilization & Monitoring
- —DJI RS4 Gimbal
- —Atomos External Monitor
Lenses
- —Sigma Art 50mm f/1.2
Razor sharp, beautiful bokeh.
- —Sigma Art 105mm f/2.8 Macro
Detail shots and product close-ups.
- —Sigma Art 24-70mm f/2.8
Versatile workhorse for dynamic scenes.
- —Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D
Ultra-wide with zero distortion.
- —Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95
Extreme low light capability.
Aerial
- —DJI Mavic 4 Pro
Aerial cinematography (ENAC certified).
BTS Reel
Equalizer 3 — BTS (Part 1)
Equalizer 3 — BTS (Part 2)
FAQ — BTS & EPK in Italy
01How much does an EPK videographer cost in Italy?
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Day rates for professional BTS and EPK coverage in Italy typically range from €600 to €1,200 per day depending on the type of production, working hours, and complexity. Fashion and commercial productions generally fall in the lower range, while major film and TV productions, night shoots, and holiday working command higher rates reflecting the specialised on-set expertise required. The BTS and EPK budget for international productions shooting in Italy is usually a separate line from the main production budget — typically between €5,000 and €30,000 for a full Italian shoot. Indicative rates. Final pricing depends on project scope, schedule, night/holiday hours, and specific requirements. Contact us for a quote tailored to your production's specific needs and timeline.
02How far in advance should I book a BTS videographer for my Italian production?
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Ideally 1 to 4 weeks in advance, which allows time for a proper pre-production briefing, agreement on deliverables, and coordination with the line producer or publicist. That said, we understand that BTS and EPK are often considered late in the production planning process — they're frequently added after other crew positions are locked. We are accustomed to last-minute bookings and can mobilise quickly, particularly for productions based in or near Rome where there are no significant logistics to resolve.
03Do you travel outside Rome for BTS and EPK productions?
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Yes — we cover the whole of Italy. We have worked on the Amalfi Coast, in Sicily, and across other Italian locations outside Rome. Travel and accommodation costs are discussed transparently during the booking process and are typically factored into the production's existing travel budget for location crew. For Rome-based productions, there are no travel costs at all.
04Can you deliver social media cuts the same day as the shoot?
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Yes, with a pre-shoot agreement. Same-day social delivery requires planning before the first shooting day: we agree on the format (vertical, square, landscape), the length (typically 15–60 seconds), the music or sound approach, and the upload destination. With this in place, we can edit and deliver cuts during production breaks or by wrap. This is a standard add-on service — not a last-minute request — and it does not compromise the quality of the main BTS and EPK deliverables.
05What equipment do you use for BTS and EPK on professional sets?
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For video BTS we use the Sony FX3 (compact cinema camera, ideal for discreet on-set work) and Sony A7S III (mirrorless, silent shutter, exceptional in low light). For photo BTS and unit stills, the Sony A7V — latest generation mirrorless with silent shutter and high resolution. Lenses include the Sigma Art 50mm f/1.2, Sigma Art 105mm f/2.8 Macro, Sigma Art 24-70mm f/2.8, Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D, and Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 for extreme low light. Stabilisation via DJI RS4 gimbal with Atomos external monitor. Aerial coverage with the DJI Mavic 4 Pro (ENAC certified).
Get in touch
Planning a production in Italy?
Contact us to discuss your BTS and EPK needs. We work with line producers, publicists, and production coordinators to provide seamless on-set coverage — from the first shot to the final wrap.
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Finding the perfect Italian location for your production?
Rome, Italy — Available nationwide