Memoirs of a Photoshoot

A lot of shows don’t use photos to market themselves.  

That puzzles me.  

Statistically speaking, photos are far more effective than illustrations (any book on direct marketing will tell you that).  A good photograph gives the audience a sense of who your actors are and what their energy is like.  

Not to mention that most actors are good-looking people.  Why not take advantage of it?

            So we had a photoshoot and got a lot of good shots (and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters).  But it was hectic, and I learned a lot about what to do and how to better plan for next time.  I figure I’d share my experiences with any would be producers out there:

•  However long you think you’ll need to set things up – add about 20% more time.
•  If any set pieces are being moved via elevator, make sure to call beforehand to find out if said elevators are currently in operation (yeah – this one cost me a good 45 minutes lol).
• Having a good photographer who has experience with these sorts of shoots is VITAL (thankfully I did).
• Having good helpers with a can-do attitude is VITAL (thankfully I did)
• Feeding your staff is VITAL (thankfully I did J)
• If you’re constructing any sort of set, make sure you have a clear and specific plan on how to do it.  If you don’t, you’ll waste a lot of time.
• If you need liability insurance, make sure you find it well in advance or you will wind up paying out the nose.
• Sit down and talk to the hair and makeup artists, and let them know exactly what you want before they start working on the actors.
• If someone upsets you, take a deep breath and calm down before handling the situation.  Lashing out at someone never helps things, and 9 times out of 10 it was a simple misunderstanding.
• However long you think you’ll need to set things up – add about 20% more time (I’m not kidding on this one)