Things to do and check beforehand:

• Clean lens to avoid any glare or spots on your
  recordings, in particular in sunny conditions during
  out door recording.
• Check every feature of your camcorder.
• Sensor check DSLR - Photo of blue sky / check for
  any dot's in playback.
  
• Test recording and playback. Check sound, colour,
  outdoor (bright light) and indoor recording (low light).
• Familiarise yourself with the camera any accessory
  you want to use.
• If you want or need to use any manual adjustments
  like manual focus or exposure, learn how use it
  effectively. When the occasion arises it’s too late
  to learn and practice.
• Check back up battery and set date and time.
• Plan your shoots and write it down if necessary.
  

Things to pack:

• At least two charged batteries. Remember – use one
  until flat before swapping with spare battery.
• Sufficient recording media (tape, disc or flash memory).                                                                             

• Have media prepared:
•      labeled / formatted disc/flash memory or tapes cued
       to the spot where the recordings should start.

• Just in case, your cleaning kit.
• Charger and cables in case you have to recharge your
  batteries or want to see your footage on a big screen.
• For your convenience and professional touch a tripod,
  monopod or small table tripod.

• Check your recordings from time to time by switching your camcorder into playback mode and watch colour exposure and listen to sound.
  If there is a problem, you most likely can’t
  do anything to your camera, but you may change our vantage points or change cameras if equired.

• Time date on/off
• Compose image – rehearse – shoot!
  If you want o get it right.