Who this guide is for: yacht owners, management companies and charter brokers who need new video for a yacht in Italy or the Mediterranean before the next charter season.
A yacht listing used to live on photos alone. Today brokers, charter portals and social channels also expect moving images, and the questions are usually the same: which kind of video does the yacht really need, how long should it be, and how do you plan a shooting day so that one session produces everything? This guide answers them one by one. I'm Andrea Sartore, a professional photographer and videographer based in Turin, Italy, and I am active today on yachts, catamarans and sailing boats in Italy and abroad, together with my wife Daniela, who is also a photographer and videographer.
What kinds of video does a charter yacht need?
Most charter yachts need three things: a walkthrough that shows the layout, a short cinematic film that sells the experience, and vertical clips for social media. They answer different questions, so one video rarely does all three jobs well.
The walkthrough answers the practical question of a guest who is comparing yachts: where will I sleep, where will we eat, how big is the deck? The cinematic film answers the emotional one: what will a day on board feel like? The social clips keep the yacht visible between bookings, on the owner's, the manager's and the brokers' channels. Planning all three from the start is what makes a single shooting day efficient.
What is a yacht walkthrough video and what should it show?
A walkthrough is a guided tour of the yacht, filmed in a logical order so the viewer understands the layout. It should show every space a guest will use, from the boarding area to the last cabin, without skipping anything.
A practical running order that works for most yachts:
- the yacht from outside, at anchor or under way;
- boarding, aft deck and cockpit;
- saloon and dining area;
- galley, if it is part of the guest experience;
- each guest cabin with its bathroom, then the master cabin;
- flybridge or sundeck, bow and sunbathing areas;
- tender, water toys and swimming platform.
A simple rule: if a space exists and the guest will use it, it belongs in the walkthrough. A missing cabin raises a question, and a client comparing several yachts often doesn't ask it: they move on to the next listing.
How is a cinematic yacht film different from a walkthrough?
A cinematic film is short, edited to music and built around moments rather than rooms. It shows the yacht under way, the light on the water, guests at breakfast or at sunset, and leaves the viewer wanting to be on board.
It is the video that works on the homepage of a management company, at the top of a broker's listing or in a presentation to a client. It needs more planning than a walkthrough: the yacht has to move, the light has to be right, and if people appear on board, their presence has to look natural. This is where our background in fashion and advertising helps: over more than 19 years I have worked with brands such as Lamborghini, Coca-Cola, Fiat, Bacardi, Mizuno, Santero, Nicole Spose, Papeete, Polar, Mia Make-up, Choies and GLOBElife, and my photographs have been published in Vogue Italia, Glamour, Amica, Playboy Spain, Lui, Style, Donna and many international fashion magazines. We bring the same elegant, cinematic approach to a yacht.
What makes a yacht video "broker friendly"?
A broker-friendly video can be shown by any broker to their own clients: no phone numbers, websites or agency logos burned into the images. It is the version charter portals want to receive.
The charter portal YachtCharterFleet, for example, states on its yacht media supply page that it publishes only broker-friendly videos and asks for HD 1080p (1920 x 1080) or the highest format available. If the owner or management company also wants a branded version, it can be edited separately, keeping the neutral one for brokers. Editing both from the same footage avoids a second shooting day.
Do you need vertical video for Instagram and other social media?
Yes, if the yacht will be promoted on social media. Vertical clips are a separate format, and they work best when they are planned on the day of the shoot, not cut out of a horizontal film afterwards.
Filming at a higher resolution leaves room to crop, but some shots must be composed for vertical from the start: a person walking along the side deck, a slow move from the saloon to the aft deck, the tender leaving the swimming platform. That is why the list of vertical clips should be agreed before the shooting day, so they are ready together with the walkthrough and the film.
When should you film a yacht for the next charter season?
As early as possible before the season starts, so that the video is online when clients start searching and booking. The shooting day itself depends on the weather, the yacht's schedule and the light, so it is best agreed well in advance with the captain.
Within the day, light matters more than anything. Exteriors and running shots usually look best with the low sun of the early morning or late afternoon; interiors look better with soft, even light. A good plan splits the day accordingly instead of trying to film everything in the same hour. The yacht should be prepared as if guests were boarding an hour later: clean, tidy, with no personal items in view. We describe the photo side of this preparation in our Italian guide to photos and video for yacht charter listings.
Can you film a yacht with a drone in Italy?
Yes, and the drone is often the most powerful shot in a yacht film: it shows the lines of the yacht and the colour of the water around her. In Italy drones are flown under the European rules applied by ENAC, the Italian civil aviation authority, which include registering the operator.
Ports, marinas, protected areas and zones near airports can have restrictions or require specific authorisations, which must be checked before the shoot, not on the day. At sea, the route, speed and distances are agreed with the captain. Our Italian article on drone filming rules in Italy explains how a professional flight is prepared.
How do you brief a yacht videographer?
Send the yacht's name, type and length, the port where she will be, your preferred dates, and the list of videos you need: walkthrough, film, social clips, branded or broker-friendly versions. Add where the videos will be published, because that decides the formats.
It also helps to say whether guests or models should appear on board, whether the crew can be involved, and if photos are needed on the same day. Photo and video can be combined in one session: you will find our yacht work on the page dedicated to our yacht and boat photography, and our video work on the page videographer in Turin. We are based in Turin and work wherever the yacht is, in Italy and abroad.
Planning video for the next charter season? Write to us from the contact page with the yacht model, the port and the period: we will reply with a proposal and a tailored quote.
FAQ
How long should a yacht charter video be?
It depends on the use. A walkthrough needs enough time to show every space in order; a cinematic film and social clips are much shorter. Lengths are best agreed before the shoot, based on where each video will be published.
What resolution should a yacht video be delivered in?
At least HD 1080p, or the highest format available: this is what charter portals such as YachtCharterFleet ask for. Filming at a higher resolution also leaves room for vertical versions.
Can photos and video be shot on the same day?
Yes. Andrea and Daniela both work as photographers and videographers, so one shooting day can cover photos, video and drone footage, planned around the same light and the same preparation of the yacht.
Do you film yachts outside Italy?
Yes. We are based in Turin, Italy, and work in the ports where the yacht is, in Italy and abroad.
Is a drone always allowed when filming a yacht in Italy?
Not everywhere. Drone flights follow the European rules applied by ENAC, and ports, marinas, protected areas and zones near airports may have restrictions or need authorisations, which must be checked before the shooting day.
In short
- A charter yacht usually needs three videos: a walkthrough for the layout, a cinematic film for the experience, and vertical clips for social media.
- The broker-friendly version, with no agency logos or contacts, is the one portals and brokers can actually use; YachtCharterFleet asks for HD 1080p or the highest format available.
- Planning everything for one shooting day, with the right light and drone rules checked in advance, saves time and money.
Updated October 2026 – Andrea Sartore, photographer and videographer based in Turin, Italy.
