Not all producers like quick turnaround projects. I LOVE them. Maybe it goes back to my days as a news reporter. I love the juice you get when you have no choice but to work quickly, efficiently and just as creatively. This project demanded them all.
On a Friday afternoon I learned our business development team was closing a deal with Star Concessions. Since 1995, Gilbert Aranza, through Star Concessions, Ltd. and its affiliates, has been one of the largest operators of food and beverage concessions at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field, owning and operating brands such as Cantina Laredo, Cool River Cafe, Rio Mambo Tex Mex y Mas, Whataburger, Pizza Hut and Chili’s.
That Monday I was given the green light with a deadline of one week. We were to produce two videos, each no longer than a minute and a half. The first video was a new concept created by Gilbert for Pizza Hut at DFW where they would serve alcohol. The second video was for a neat restaurant called Rio Mambo Tex Mex y Mas. Each of these restaurants was nominated for a global airport Food and Beverage award (FAB Awards). The videos would introduce the concepts to the judges.
I met Gilbert in his office on Tuesday and later formulated our pre-production plan based on the conversation. I wish I could tell you I had this amazing idea, but ultimately, I just wanted to make the food look beautiful.
Wednesday was all action. We planned shoots for 10:00 AM to noon at Pizza Hut and 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM at Rio Mambo. We arrived at the airport at 8:30 AM thinking it would be a nightmare getting through TSA, but if you know the right people not so much. Gilbert’s team and the airport PR team got us through in less than five minutes. Production Assistants Alex McMurtre and Trent Freeman shot beautiful video in cramped kitchen spaces. No food stylist needed here. We shot everything in slow motion and worked quickly to get every shot we needed and more. Interviews in crowded spaces? No problem. We shot two spots in four hours, closing with an incredible lunch at Rio Mambo.
By Thursday, the stories wrote themselves. Editor Evan Denton took the reins and we were off to the races. I returned to the office at 9:00 PM and Evan was already putting the finishing touches on the Pizza Hut video! There are some people in our business that are true WARRIORS. Evan Denton is one of them.
On Friday, Evan finished the second video and we delivered to the client a day early. The revisions requested were so minor that we took the weekend off, and by noon that Monday, we delivered the final product.
Like I said, I LOVE quick turnaround projects – especially when the client loves the video. Gilbert said it looked like a Super Bowl commercial. Wonder if I could do one of those in a week?
#food #DHDFilms #casestudies #pizzahut #professionalvideoproduction