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Don’t travel. You’d have to quarantine and test and still there’d be a non zero risk to the crew. My team has done multiple remote shoots successfully. Zoom video village. Also set up a witness cam to see the studio. Expect things to go more slowly so plan and budget accordingly. Hire a crew member to be dedicated to communicating back to the remote team separately from the line producer moving around the set. Outline ahead of time the lines and methods of communication, and test that tech beforehand. Go for extra boosted internet. Be there for rehearsals and get a set walkthrough ahead of time.
Will the Director be there in person? If so, trust in them to get it done. Might even be better with limited people on set - easier for your Director to get that emotional connection. You can monitor remotely.
You are a hack if you can’t do it remote. Your being there puts more crew on and puts more people at risk. You and your ECD need to stop being so self important. You and the ECD are so integral to making this great why don’t you shoot it? Losers.
Be on the phone 24/7?! FUCK THAT!!! It’s a FUCKING COMMERCIAL.., you aren’t saving the planet 🌎 Pay the money hire a good director, not a hack/old school control ass like yourself and your ECD (how did he become and ECD) and trust the director to DIRECT!
Do not try to work around your agency travel policy by booking travel through the production company- everyone will know and you will likely face repercussions. What we can do remotely is frankly amazing at this point, trust your director, you hired them for a reason!
Use a director you trust, have a constant direct line to them, & have the production company set up a remote village with extra walk-around camera feeds? You can be big brother
If agency and holding co don’t allow you to travel, you really can’t. Some agencies are still suggesting don’t travel however if an employee at will chooses to travel, they can but should check in w HR as there might be a waiver you’d need to sign. We’ve had multiple successful zoom remote shoots, so it can happen. Check w your HR Dept.
I appreciate all the responses - well, maybe not the ones who needed to use insults to make their point - never did understand that move, good luck with your unhappy lives.
Reputable director and company for sure.
Furthermore, I definitely trust the process and the director. It’s more the creative who is feeling that we need to be there and I honestly don’t want them there by himself being annoying. If he goes, I have to go - that’s what a producer does. Is he the more old school creative , yes. (For the posters who need to add the ageism stuff to everything). But he has a bit of the line. I get It. I will gladly use some of the helpful advice and wording above as I make my case to him again to trust the team.
I
Frankly I don’t think this even falls to you or should be your problem- if you agency doesn’t allow it they don’t allow it, plain and simple. That’s his battle to fight with someone else if he wants to be there. The job will likely need to be his quite differently if you end up attending, but he absolutely can’t be there alone and frankly shouldn’t be there at all. Let someone from management tell him no.
If you trust your director remote is amazing. If it’s possible and sensible, you can look into whether agency/client can get together for a socially distanced remote video village. That’s really the in-person part that lacks over zoom IMO. Lots of good advice about preparation here. If you don’t trust your director and you/ECD really feel your input is necessary in person, now would be a good time to reflect on why that is.
I would push for remote. The second wave of the virus is just ramping up. Safety first.
There’s no tv commercial worth risking people’s health.
And if the commercial is slightly less “good” due to the ECD not there, so what?
I think that is true.
use QTake for the shoot
use Zoom or BlueJeans and FaceTime for the prep.
do not travel. even if you were allowed to travel the number of people on set should be at a minimum.
there is no need to put people at risk when there are great tools available.
We’ve been filming remotely for months and while it has its challenges it is certainly doable and we’ve made good work. Frankly it doesn’t matter if your CD wants to travel- it’s against policy and it drives the cost of the shoot and the risks exponentially. If he wants to travel he needs to get it cleared with HR. Otherwise you produce within the constraints of the new normal. Everything about production has changed again- it doesn’t matter how we USED to do it. Welcome to the new way we execute creative. It’s not ideal but we deal with it. Good luck! It will all work out just fine!
I’ve shot three TV campaigns during the pandemic using Q Take and Zoom. It’s very simple and it was seamless.
Part of your skill set as an EP is to know how to manage situations like these and having difficult conversations with clients, team members, creative partners, etc. I think that’s why you’re getting backlash.
I’ve done a few shoots like this where not only were the creatives and client remote, but the director was too. The results were surprisingly good. Credit goes to the directors as well as production teams on the projects. The directors were super involved in the pre-pro, having conversations and getting to know the real-people talent ahead of time. That relationship set up a good dynamic for shoot day. There’s no reason creatives or client need to be on set if the director and producers are strong.
Enthusiast
OP if you are using a reputable production shop with long-standing digital and remote capabilities then there shouldn’t be an issue. Trust them. Ask them more questions if you don’t understand the remote process and safeguards. If you’re not using a reputable production shop with long-standing digital and remote capabilities then your worry is warranted.
As producers we serve our creatives, clients, partners, and vendors. It’s not an easy role, and it’s a balancing act. OP asked a question about how to serve the needs of the ECD. No reason to come at him/her. No one knows anything about how the world and this virus is going to change tomorrow. Take your righteous indignation elsewhere. Are you really that flawless?
Be patient but precise but flexible and have a clear line of communication with the production team with one voice not by committee and keep your client in check especially with real people you have to let it happen their not trained so pre production has to be impeccable try to have separate channel to the director without anyone else. Good luck.
Use Zoom. We do everything on Zoom.