A few seconds into the Jacaranda reel, the drink was already running over the rim and down the cup. On a drink shoot, most of the work happens before you press record. Check the light the day before at about the time you’d like to shoot, film whatever melts first the moment the drinks arrive, order more cups than you plan to show, and keep the camera on the product doing something. Here is how that worked on two shoots I did for Jian Cha Brisbane in October 2026: one under the jacarandas in New Farm Park, and a launch reel filmed in the shop on George St.
What time of day is best to film drinks outside?
The time you’ve already seen with your own eyes. Go to the spot the day before, around the time you’d like to shoot, and look at what the sun is doing there. If it’s too harsh, move the shoot rather than fight the light on the day.
The Jacaranda shoot was booked for 2pm. The afternoon before, I caught the bus to New Farm Park to look at the jacaranda spot I’d picked out. Around 4pm, the light falling on the park was beautiful. At 2pm the sun is a lot stronger, so I asked to push the shoot back to 3.30pm. I’d rather have soft light than harsh light.
How do you stop iced drinks melting while you film?
You can’t stop it, so let the melt set the order. Film the product details first, starting with whatever melts fastest, and leave the wide shots and the people until after.
On the day, I got to the park before the drinks did and sent the team one message: slushies melt fastest, so let me know when you’re close and we’ll film the product details straight away. The rest of the plan could wait. The slushies couldn’t.
How many drinks should you order for a product shoot?
More than you plan to show. For two drinks on camera, ask for at least one spare, so one mistake doesn’t end the shoot.
For the Jacaranda shoot my first ask was three drinks: two for the camera and one spare. Later that day I changed it to four, to be safe: the two purple drinks we were featuring, the Grape Yogurt Slushie and the Grape Tea Slushie w/ Cream Cheese, plus two more.
I also asked for the topping to be packed separately so it could be poured on location.
What shots keep people watching a drink reel?
Shots where the drink is doing something: something going on top, a pour, a spoon going in. I plan those first, keep the camera on the product, and treat everything else as extra.
My plan for the Jacaranda reel was product first: both drinks with jacaranda flowers on top, the cream cheese being poured, a spoonful of cream cheese. The aim was to stop people scrolling away by keeping the camera on the drinks. There was a picnic in the plan as well, but only for a shot or two. I told the team to set it up the way they’d actually have a picnic and not to stress about it, because the reel would work without it.
Check what’s covering the product, too. On a hotteok video for my own account, pressing the pancake with a spatula hid it from the camera, so I switched to a spoon. With a drink it’s the same question: is anything in your hand in the way of what people should be looking at?
Should you bring a light for an indoor drink shoot?
Pack one if you can. For the Sparkling White Peach launch, filmed inside Jian Cha’s shop, I packed a Godox light and a soft light.
On The Art, for FAVE, I stood beside the barista and lit the shot while they filmed.
Should a drink reel go on the brand’s account or the creator’s?
If the account isn’t settled before the shoot, decide after it. For the Jacaranda shoot I filmed a few different framings, looked through all of it, then asked one question: am I in it? If I’m not, it belongs on the brand’s account.
Before the Jacaranda shoot I told the shop it would end up as one of two things: a reel for @jiancha.au, the account Jian Cha shares across its Melbourne and Brisbane stores, or a version from my point of view on my creator account, @waitwhatmj, posted as a collab. That evening, looking through the footage, I wasn’t in any of it. So it went to @jiancha.au.
The Thai Milk Tea Cocoa reel later in October was planned the other way from the start: a collab on @waitwhatmj with @jiancha.au, and I’m in it.
How do you make drink reels look like a series?
Keep what worked last time: the scene structure, the on-screen text style and the end card.
For the Sparkling White Peach Tea With Grape Jelly launch, filmed three days after the Jacaranda shoot, I started from that reel’s scene structure, because I liked how it was built to hold attention. Both reels keep one sentence on screen in white capitals from the first frame, then cut to the same end card: the shop name, a pin, and 187 George St, Brisbane City.
Everything from the Jacaranda shoot, 54 photos and 32 clips, went to the team in a shared folder for the shop to use. The finished reels are on the Jian Cha Brisbane case study. If you’re planning the reel itself, the first 3 seconds is the note to read next, or see how I work with venues.
