1) We just produced two spots for Hidden Valley Ranch for mcgarrybowen in Chicago. Harvest Films helmed the shoot with Baker Smith directing and Matt Walsh from Cutters was our editor. We shot in mid-September in L.A. with agency and client working remote. Our cast included 6 OCP’s, 3 Extras (including a minor), and multiple actors on set at the same time, as well as streaming 2 live camera feeds across the country.
COVID has definitely added a myriad of important tasks that requires producers to really get in the weeds. And the same applies for our creative teams and our clients who are strapped to a computer screen WFH during the 12+ hours we’re on set. The list is arduous and includes items like disinfecting ‘everything’ all day long, to separating our crews in pods, to maximizing wireless transmissions (and uninterruptible ones) via (i.e Zoom, Q-take, etc.). 8’ tables house 2 people for lunch and Craft Service feels like a camp store (when you were 9) and ordered what you wanted and waited for it to appear on the counter. No legal tender exchanged. No touching anything except the food/drink you inhale. And of course the masks that steam up your glasses, need to be changed after lunch and make it difficult to recognize those you’ve done a myriad of projects with.
2) Communication is the key to a successful COVID shoot in my humble opinion. We often joke on set (or we used to) that we are in the business of communicating and often find ourselves wondering what happened? Today we’re in a heightened mode of not only communicating on set to our department heads, director and curious neighbors, but we are responsible for effectively communicating with a group of 10-12 people appearing on our laptop screen. Making sure everyones boxes are virtually checked and allowing the creative process to breathe, requires all hands on deck, a good makeover at 5:30 A.M. for your onscreen Zoom performance and the ability to be a great listener remotely. Then of course, communicating all of that in the middle of a set to your director.
COVID is serious and while we’re back shooting, we cannot relax our protocols and guidelines we’ve spent 7 months figuring out. We’ve always known great producers are control freaks and with COVID imagine that x 200%. We have crazy brains that propel us and challenge us to rise to any and all occasions to execute what we love doing and that includes shooting during COVID. To walk into set, grab a burrito and have crew come up and thank you for getting them back to work just feels right. However, I won’t be sad when COVID is behind us.
3) We found it very helpful while working in pods to be able to dress sets earlier, cable and park vehicles the day before and have the agency and client with us via remote feed during this prep. They could see what we were doing in real time and we were able to get approvals before we showed up on our shoot days.
4) Our director, Baker Smith and our crew worked well during production. We all knew that COVID was going to slow us down and that the ‘asks’ on set needed time to be implemented to ensure the safety of our cast and crew. Everything takes longer because we’re committed to adhering to 27 pages of protocols and guidelines. Agencies and clients have been extremely resilient by working remote and at the end of the day, I think they recognize how hard it is. On the post side, I’d have to check with Matt from Cutters about his process but for us it was seamless. He and Baker collaborated and were able to work the way they always have. While it didn’t feel different on our end, I assure you Matt might have a different POV on this.
5) Every production requires a fresh eye to determine the approach; there are never two shoots that are exactly the same. So, as you build with experience you follow your gut on how to achieve the best outcome in putting all of the pieces together for that specific production. The best advice I might share is something that was told to me during pre-COVID shooting from Jason Wolk@Spears and Arrows and that is with working alongside an agency and client remotely, make sure whomever is communicating with your remote screen is someone you want to be the face of your company. Unlike being able to be present on set, this one person becomes everything to your remote partners.
1) I imagine that all new directors should be able to share a reel that looks and feels 2021. It’s imperative we can see and feel this tone and clarity; it’s what separates this generation of filmmakers from the rest.
2) Work as much as you can and continue to put yourself in situations that are out of your comfort zone. This will lead to growth and while you may not find the exact gig you imagined yourself in, go with it and try everything.
4) Yes, to all of the above!
5) This was a COVID shoot and to create some comedy during this time was refreshing: https://wdrv.it/c8d8ef45f
