Life Behind the Lense
Posted by: Jess Chambers - 28.04.23
What’s the secret to perfecting a make-believe burst pipe? How do you make a dog look wistful? We sat down with our very own Senior Producer Jamie Franklin to get the lowdown on our recent shoot for home emergency repairs and improvements company Homeserve.
Hi Jamie, what’s occurring?
Hello there! Homeserve asked us to create a series of stills showing their utility workers in action around a family home. They wanted to showcase their employees fixing radiators, plumbing, sinks and electrics, along with a series of How To videos.
Location, location, location?
To deliver value for our client we scouted one location which offered everything we needed for the four-day shoot – a beautiful house in Bradford with an accessible and beautifully stored boiler. Plus, importantly, we had permission to make some changes to the house including make-shift walls, painting walls, and turning the gas supply off to achieve the how to videos.
The shoot lowdown?
With snow forecast, we were concerned the shoot might be disrupted, but we were lucky it let up and the shoot kicked off without any issues.
We got started just before 8 am; protecting the flooring, stairs and surfaces around the house. Our additional two teams were then let in and a full production briefing took place before they began setting up lighting for the first shots. Meanwhile, makeup, props and wardrobe all began getting the actors and the spaces ready for the shoot.
Sounds tricky, how did you fit it all in?
Shooting video and stills simultaneously meant we could offer added value to our client, but meant careful planning on the order of shots to ensure the two teams were kept apart. It’s a fast-paced environment and keeping to the schedule meant making some on-the-go adjustments to the shoot order to minimise the impact on the other team. This shoot was unique in that Homeserve engineers were available on-site to demonstrate the sequences we needed to capture.
Our Homeserve clients were on-set to review and sign off output as we progressed, which made the process swift and smooth. Client are always welcome on our shoots; we make sure they’re well taken care of with a comfy, designated area, flowing teas and coffee and catered lunches.
Highlight of the shoot?
We love having a dog on set, and the client decided on a huge Burmese Mountain dog for one of the shots on the first day. They were a brilliant addition to the shoot, stealing the limelight and the hearts of our crew.
Shoot days can always throw up challenges but with a great time by your side it’s also hugely rewarding when things run to plan and to see the fantastic output at the end of the day.