Below is a single, consolidated, end-to-end checklist for U.S. Government video products, covering pre-production, production, and post-production, distilled from publicly available USG and DoD guidance (State/GPA, DoD Visual Information (VI), Plain Writing Act, accessibility rules, records management norms). It is written to be usable by embassy staff under time pressure, not as a filmmaking manual. It is institution-agnostic but State/DoD-compatible, so it works for Embassies, Combatant Commands, and interagency teams.

I. PRE-PRODUCTION CHECKLIST

Purpose: prevent misfires, rework, and clearance failures

A. Product Definition (Must be answerable in plain English)

  • ☐ Who is the primary audience? (local public, U.S. public, media, internal, partners)
  • ☐ What is the single purpose of this video? (inform, acknowledge, explain, reassure)
  • ☐ Where will it be published? (website, YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, internal)
  • ☐ What is the intended lifespan? (same day, weeks, evergreen)
  • ☐ What is the risk level? (routine / sensitive / elevated)
USG norm: If you cannot state purpose and audience in one sentence, stop.

B. Policy & Clearance Check (Before filming)

  • ☐ Is the content based on already-cleared policy, speeches, or talking points?
  • ☐ Are you avoiding announcing new policy, funding, timelines, or commitments?
  • ☐ If new language appears, do you know who must clear it (PD, FO, Washington)?
  • ☐ Are you using official titles and country names correctly?
  • ☐ Is the message consistent with current strategy documents (NSS, NDS, bureau strategy)?
State / DoD rule: Video is publication, not rehearsal. Clearance applies before recording.

C. Planning the Content

  • ☐ Is this remarks-based, interview, or narrated?
  • ☐ Is the script:
    • ☐ Written in plain language (short sentences, active voice)?
    • ☐ Free of jargon, acronyms, or idioms?
  • ☐ Is there a safe standalone sentence that survives clipping?
  • ☐ Have you avoided emotional manipulation or dramatization?
  • ☐ Will captions be required? (Answer is yes, always)
  • ☐ Is the video a federal record? (most are)
  • ☐ Do you know where it will be archived?
  • ☐ Are releases needed for non-USG individuals on camera?

II. PRODUCTION (MID-PRODUCTION) CHECKLIST

Purpose: capture usable, defensible material

A. Visual Standards (USG / DoD VI norms)

  • ☐ Camera stable (tripod preferred)
  • ☐ Subject framed mid-chest to head (no extreme close-ups)
  • ☐ Neutral or official background
  • ☐ Flags placed correctly (if used)
  • ☐ No distracting signage or unintended symbols

B. Audio Standards (Often the failure point)

  • ☐ External microphone used
  • ☐ No wind / crowd / echo interference
  • ☐ One speaker at a time
  • ☐ Test recording done before final take
DoD VI guidance: Poor audio renders video unusable regardless of visuals.

C. Language Capture Discipline

  • ☐ Speaker sticks to cleared language
  • ☐ No improvisation on policy points
  • ☐ If improvisation occurs → note timestamp for review
  • ☐ No jokes, idioms, or culturally ambiguous phrases

D. B-Roll Rules

  • ☐ B-roll matches message (not emotional escalation)
  • ☐ No imagery that implies:
    • endorsement
    • blame
    • policy leverage
  • ☐ Avoid vulnerable populations unless explicitly approved

III. POST-PRODUCTION CHECKLIST

Purpose: ensure the product survives context collapse

A. Editing Discipline

  • ☐ Edits preserve original meaning
  • ☐ No sentence splicing that alters intent
  • ☐ Clip length appropriate to platform
  • ☐ No music that implies emotion or urgency unless approved

B. Captioning & Accessibility (Mandatory)

  • ☐ Accurate captions (not auto-only)
  • ☐ Speaker identified
  • ☐ Captions synchronized and readable
  • ☐ Transcript prepared for website
Legal basis: Section 508 + federal accessibility requirements

C. Final Policy Review (Before Publish)

  • ☐ Does the final cut:
    • ☐ Avoid new commitments?
    • ☐ Avoid misinterpretation if clipped?
    • ☐ Match cleared language?
  • ☐ Has an FSO or authorized reviewer approved?

D. Platform-Specific Checks

Website

  • ☐ Full context provided
  • ☐ Transcript included
  • ☐ Date/location clearly stated

YouTube

  • ☐ Neutral title
  • ☐ Description includes context
  • ☐ No hashtags that imply advocacy

Facebook / X

  • ☐ Clip survives without caption text
  • ☐ Quote accurate and attributable
  • ☐ Links to full product where possible

E. Records & Archiving

  • ☐ Final video stored in official repository
  • ☐ Source footage retained if required
  • ☐ Metadata recorded (date, event, purpose)

IV. QUICK FAILURE MODES (USG-COMMON)

  • Filming before clearance
  • Emotional imagery overriding policy language
  • Editing that changes meaning
  • No captions
  • No record of approval
  • Silence due to fear instead of bounded judgment

V. WHAT THIS CHECKLIST IS — AND IS NOT

Included

  • Policy safety
  • Accessibility
  • Records compliance
  • Practical production discipline

Intentionally Excluded

  • Filmmaking theory
  • Advanced cinematography
  • Training modules
  • Analytics optimization

New Utility It Enables

  • Faster approvals
  • Less self-censorship
  • Fewer Washington cleanups
  • Reusable institutional memory