It’s a tough time for the creative industry, for which the pandemic represents a disruption of seismic proportions. But it hasn’t taken us long to adapt to new ways of producing and directing during the lockdown.
One of the biggest challenges we have faced at Bloomberg Media Studios during Covid-19 has been producing video work, which is a huge part of what we do. We have had to think of new ways to be as productive as before, while being safe and delivering quality stories and campaigns.
The process remains the same, but we are using different approaches and technologies. At the beginning of the pandemic, gaining client trust was tricky and there was apprehension about producing content, but we acted fast to re-deploy new approaches to project narratives.
A typical shoot when we are not in lockdown involves being on the ground, being the eyes and ears, and being in control of every single element possible from lighting and sound, to direction and camera angles. But all of a sudden that has changed and we can’t even leave the house to attend filming, instead sending skeleton crews whilst we manage and direct everything remotely.
As a result, we have had to come up with inventive solutions to monitor shoots, like rigging our iPhones and creating inventive ways to listen in on interviews. These are all very different experiences when you’re used to being on the set and monitoring everything that’s going on.
Tips for remote shooting:
- Virtual recce: do a Facetime recce with the contributor the day before the shoot to find the best interview location and establish framing. It saves a lot of time on the day and it means you can be more in control of the surroundings.
- Clear lines of communication: set-up a WhatsApp chat with the crews and other members of the production team who are unable to attend the shoot. It allows quick responses and means you can be on standby ready to dial in to interviews as and when we are needed.
- In-ear headphones for interviews: are a great way to communicate clearly with your interviewee whilst you are using FaceTime to remotely direct. Make sure to sterilise equipment in-between use or buy new to avoid contamination.
At Bloomberg Media Studios the safety of talent and crew is in the forefront of our minds at all times. This means that production during Covid-19 involves lots of upfront work to set shoots up safely, as well as going above and beyond the guidelines. On all our shoots I work closely with our lawyers to ensure that we take all the necessary precautions to adapt how we organise our crews. This includes things like independent crew travel to location, ensuring we have the required PPE and safety equipment, and putting a well thought out plan in place so that scenes can be filmed without any physical contact with others.
Tips for safe Covid-19 shooting:
- Reduce the number of people on-site at any one time
- Minimise travel wherever possible
- Minimise physical contact between crew
- Improve the hygiene of work equipment
- Avoid anything physical exchanging hands
For more information on live-action shooting guidelines during Covid-19 you can visit the APA website which has lots of useful resources and materials.
