Just weeks after the pandemic hit, production departments across agencies were struggling to figure out how to break free from the played-out stock footage content that was flooding the channels. Clients (Brands) still wanted content, but they wanted it to feel fresh, new and ownable. Agency producers quickly turned towards our beloved production partners to help us figure out ways to make new work–how do we make content when there are strict orders to stay home and gatherings of more than 10 were practically outlawed all over the world? Production companies were fast to pivot and what we’ve witnessed over the past six months has become an evolution on how live-action productions are being done. And if there’s one takeaway, it’s this: Remote shoots may become the new norm, but being remote doesn’t mean things are easier.
The production model will now rely heavily on the pre-production phase to set up a successful shot. Early on in the pandemic, we had an assignment from our client Realtor.com where we were asked to create original content before the U.S. had moved out of Phase 1. We partnered with ContagiousLA and their director Brandon Bray (a 2017 SHOOT New Directors Showcase alum) to shoot spots from his home. Since he and his extended family were quarantined together–we cast his family as the talent, his home as the location and Brandon as the lead, the director, the DP and the entire crew. While they were under one roof–and everyone else was on Zoom–the prep involved the agency talking through camera set ups and helping to frame shots. Between having one person, heroically, wear so many hats and to coach non-actors on delivering lines, it took longer to get to the end goal, but ultimately was worth it. It was our first try producing a live action shoot while many were still doing stock and animation. It was a new challenge for all of us to navigate.
Remote production may appear to have a smaller physical footprint, but the layers of logistics add a new level of complexity making producers long for the days when we’re all in one place. Most recently, for AIG, we shot a spot that launched during the PGA tournament with Henry-Alex Rubin and SMUGGLER. The film was done remotely and had 12 locations, each location receiving a drop kit with cameras and mics. For the non-on camera principal actors, the digital imaging tech could control the camera remotely. For the lead talent, there was one camera person on site to ensure no malfunctions, with the director of photography, Ken Seng, running the camera remote. We did several tech prep days to walk everyone through the equipment, how to set up lights and microphones and getting all the shots framed before our first shoot day. Being able to all be together on set feels like a luxury that we’re all anxious to get back to.
A-list directors have become slightly more accessible due to changing landscape. These directors have had to pivot in their approach as well. Previously, they may have seemed untouchable–booked out for months, years in advance. Now, we’ve had a little bit more access to the top tier. And when that happens, pandemic or not, you jump at the opportunity to work with these directors regardless of costs. As the production world begins to adapt and the new becomes the norm, I imagine this access will change, but for now, it’s been reinvigorating for our teams to have the possibilities when previously it often felt like a long shot. In the last few months we’ve worked with a lot of all-star talent, such as Henry-Alex Rubin, Vallée Duhamel and Judith Veenendaal who are backed by killer production companies, and we hope our streak of working with amazing directors continues.
It’s been a wild ride navigating the new production landscape, but there’s a lot of promise for the future. Remote shooting is becoming more seamless as time goes by and everyone is evolving in real time, keeping skills sharp. And while we’re confident that the COVID landscape and restrictions won’t be forever, we’ve been forced to adapt in ways that will forever change how we manage productions in the future.
Kim Cortese is head of production at Huge.
