Filming four high-production-quality scenes — plus photography — for four separate broadcast spots in one day was the bold assignment we accepted from Anthology Marketing Group (AMG) — the ad agency for Hawaiian Telcom. The ad agency came to DS with the Fioptics concept, a script and direction on ideal roles for each spot. They were also looking for a way to film all four spots in one day without losing production quality.
Considering the budget and timeframe we had to work with, everything needed to work like clockwork. The process started long before shoot day, and in the end, everything was orchestrated down to the minute.
One of the biggest hurdles in filming four very different scenes in one day is moving from location to location. This takes away from on-set production time — which means the project would go over budget, or the video would have reduced production quality. Neither of which were acceptable. DS determined that the only viable solution was to find one location with a variety of styles and looks to ensure each spot felt like it was filmed in a different location.
After days of scouring the island and scouting multiple homes, DS secured a house on the foothills of Diamond Head that provided not only spacious interior areas, but four interiors with distinct styles to enhance each character’s persona. The home was the ideal find, eliminating any “company moves” — but that wasn’t the end of our challenges.
DS Camera & Lighting Diagram // Hawaiian Telcom Fioptic Spots
The production itself still had to run efficiently. As part of our usual pre-production planning, our Director and DP, Jon, spent time studying room layouts, creating shot angles, camera moves, and developing lighting schematics for each scene prior to the shoot to allow crew to seamlessly transition from one scene to the next. A key tactic he employed was dedicating specific lights for exterior use, which would move from scene to scene around the outside of the house. Similarly, on the inside, dedicated interior lights would move from room to room for each scene. Everything outside stayed outside; everything inside, stayed in.
DS also orchestrated the “video village” (aka the client viewing area) at the center of the home, enabling the production to orbit them with the least amount of intrusion. Another seemingly minor, yet crucial detail was designating key pathways as thoroughfares. Nothing could be placed in these areas — no props, no cases, no standing — as these areas were essential to moving camera and lighting equipment from one area to the next very quickly.
The final addition that kept the crew on schedule was actually a crew member that everyone hated. Read more about this whip-crackin’ timekeeper here.
At the end of a long, 14-hour day, we completed our goal on time, on budget, and on brand. See three of the four completed spots below as well as a few behind the scenes pics.
(Note: The fourth spot has not been released at the time of this post)
Film Production Services Provided
• Casting Assistance
• Location Management
• Shot List Development
• On-Set Direction
• Camera Work
• Grip and Lighting
Hawaiian Telcom // 0:15 “Frozen” Fioptics Internet
Hawaiian Telcom // 0:15 “Fiber” Fioptics Internet
Hawaiian Telcom // 0:15 “Dollar Stretcher” Fioptics Internet
Behind the Scenes
