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Behind-the-Scenes of a National Commercial Shoot

How much work goes into shooting a pizza commercial? A lot.

Watch this entertaining and educational, behind-the-scenes video!

I think a lot of people don’t realize the investment of time, gear, and people, that it takes to create a great video.

A couple nights ago I shot a short film (I was the cinematographer, my favorite role), and we only had a crew of seven. It wasn’t enough people. It seems like we never have enough people.

The problem with having too few people is that you end up having one person play two different roles. Sometimes when you play more than one role, it’s hard to do great at both of them. This is why it’s a good idea to separate the camera person from the audio person, for example.

When I watched this behind-the-scenes video above, I asked myself a couple questions:

  • Why so many people?
  • How many viewers realize what goes into making a video?

I highly recommend you read what Michael Forrester wrote about this video (which is how I discovered it). And then subscribe to his blog.

What thoughts do you have when you watch this video? I’d love to hear in the comments…

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  • http://www.thebitterestpill.com Dan Klass

    This is NOT what it takes to make a national commercial. This is what it takes to make about 4 seconds of a national commercial. This video only covers the sexy food photography at the end of the commercial. This doesn’t cover any of the writing, pitching, rewriting, bidding to production companies, hiring directors, storyboarding, casting, location scouting, props, wardrobe, set dressing, catering, transportation, make-up or ANY of the principle photography for the shoot. And then there’s post…

    I admire the Domino’s guy for wanting to just photograph the pizzas as they come off the conveyor belt. The reason companies spend days just photographing the food is because if they don’t spend all that time and energy lighting and positioning and pulling and screwing down, the food looks dead. Next time you see a local commercial that includes food, notice how you react to it. I have never seen a local commercial for a restaurant that made me want to eat their food. BUT, that Domino’s pizza looks mighty tasty, doesn’t it?

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1273082955 Anonymous

    Interesting Izzy, I really think it comes down to two things, Money and or Time. IF money is not the major concern then I think the “resources” that one would need should be there. Then again looking at our government, I do believe that we often have too many people more times than not given the abundance of cash, video included. Now especially and as of late I think the tools and skill of many serious videographers can rival that of Hollywood with much less man power and costs. Give and take in both scenarios!

  • Mark

    Yep, that’s pretty much the way it goes … and you’re right – there are NEVER enough folks. Then there is the pre-production and/or post-production.
    Music has to be written (if the client wants original music) then there are the recording/tracking sessions (live or midi), the vocal sessions, mixing, a voice over session. But MAN – what a way to make a living. Great fun.

  • http://audiogirlproductions.com Lori

    We recently produced a National spot for Baja Fresh. And as Dan Klass says, it’s a lot of work.
    But it can be very fun work if you’re working with people who are skilled, nice, and truly care about pleasing the client and putting out an exceptional product.

  • John Leeke

    My thoughts? It is possible to spend any amount of money on any piece of work. This looks like the shoot must be costing between $10k and $100k (possibly more?), and the entire production must be between $100k and $1m plus.

    It takes a lot of money to create the lie that pizza off a conveyor belt looks better than it really does. No wonder fast food sells so well, so much money is going into marketing that it is possible to bamboozle unwary consumers into buying anything, even factory made fast food.

    So, we can think about what we do with our video work. Can we shoot and produce a video that tells the truth at little cost? I hope so.

    John
    http://www.HistoricHomeWorks.com

  • Susanne Bernard

    Interesting – but this is NOT a behind-the-scenes video! This is the commercial itself! Known as viral marketing … using social networks to spread the video. I’m pretty convinced this is not real …

  • http://www.squashhouse.net jeff hoffman

    Back in the heydey 90′s I produced and shot commercials for a South Carolina Ad Agency and their hospital clients. In 35mm, on location, posted in Atlanta. The key was PRE-PRODUCTION PLANNING, in—- that in order to do A level work for C level money, we had to go in knowing exactly where and what we would shoot. Storyboarded in advance. Rehearsals so 2-3 takes were all that was required. Prod/UPM, DP, AC, Key Grip and one, Gaffer and one, Makeup/Hair, a Sound Mixer and a few pas to handle props. The agency came with the Art Director and Account Exec. Thats it. Under 14 people. 10 hour days. We worked fast and efficiently making 35K look like 90k. And we flew a few crew from LA, the rest from Atlanta. Post was determined by three people in the edit room at most.

    On the other hand when I operated on other commercials there were a good 50 people including the agency staff (out in LA to get away from the east) 60+ takes and long days. I would not say there was no planning, it’s just the CYA syndrone all around.

    We also did the same for Promos for Showtime and The Movie Channel in NY.
    35mm on 16 budgets.

    THAT is the difference and key about experience in this industry. Unfortunately the wizes of today roll and roll and shoot and shoot and log and log. It’s a hard concept perhaps…but the film is made before turning on the switch.

  • Jhoffman

    ack in the heydey 90′s I produced and shot commercials for a South Carolina Ad Agency and their hospital clients. In 35mm, on location, posted in Atlanta. The key was PRE-PRODUCTION PLANNING, in—- that in order to do A level work for C level money, we had to go in knowing exactly where and what we would shoot. Storyboarded in advance. Rehearsals so 2-3 takes were all that was required. Prod/UPM, DP, AC, Key Grip and one, Gaffer and one, Makeup/Hair, a Sound Mixer and a few pas to handle props. The agency came with the Art Director and Account Exec. Thats it. Under 14 people. 10 hour days. We worked fast and efficiently making 35K look like 90k. And we flew a few crew from LA, the rest from Atlanta. And in post, there were 3 people max making decisions.

    On the other hand when I operated on other commercials there were a good 50 people including the agency staff (out in LA to get away from the east) 60+ takes and long days. I would not say there was no planning, it’s just the CYA syndrone all around.

    We also did the same for Promos for Showtime and The Movie Channel in NY.
    35mm on 16 budgets.

    THAT is the difference and key about experience in this industry. Unfortunately the wizes of today roll and roll and shoot and shoot and log and log. It’s a hard concept perhaps…but the film is made before turning on the switch.

  • Anonymous

    This behind the scenes video is great. I love watching videos that explain how things work. The pizza guy is fantastic in his own right.

    When attorneys create video to market their law practice, they don’t understand what it takes to do a video shoot. This type of video is perfect to explain to anyone looking to create video what goes into shooting what appears to be a very simple commercial. If they only knew.

    I wish more companies create behind the scenes videos like these to sell their products rather than having a pitch man do it for them.

  • http://www.thewoodhaven.co.uk HavenTom

    That’s an interesting spin on a commercial. It was obviously all very tongue in cheek, but clearly that is the sort of work these companies are putting into their commercials. I’m not keen on companies trying too hard on ‘viral’ type ads. But I guess it’s interesting from a media point of view. Oddly, I feel like ordering pizza…. ;)

  • H Quintana

    Now I know the rest of the story! This was great info, I liked it very much.

  • Carl olson

    The assertion that food looks dead if you don’t pimp it up has me scratching my head a bit. Tell me, why is that when I watch Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives – the food looks fabulous and I’m so hungry after watching an episode that I have to raid the refrigerator?

    :)

  • Sophtware

    I got an idea. Why don’t you, Izzy, run a contest to see who can shoot pizza cheese stretching that looks as good as this infomercial for next to nothing? We can post our finial productions on your site and everyone can judge. Contestants would have to write up how they did it and what the final cost in time and money was to them. The winner would get a free 1-year subscription to your site. How’s that sound?

  • Slomarc

    I found this insightful. Not so much for the ‘behind the scenes’ aspect (which I doubt is sincere), but more for the humor of the entire thing. Screwing pizza down to keep it steady, I almost wanna try that just to see how difficult it really is to get right. Thanks for the diversion Izzy, as always a welcomed break.

  • Del Gibbs

    I may be a bit of a sceptic but I wonder how much time they spent pimping that pizza that’s rolling out of the oven.

  • http://www.mommyreporter.com Mommy Reporter

    Ok, that lady had very “average” (and old) looking hands and I cannot believe she is getting paid as a hand model…

    But seriously, this is not very surprising. It really does take a team to make any type of production look good. The question is: How are us amateur “one man (or woman) band” folks supposed to compete with this? Or should we even try? I’m just trying to get decent lighting and sound in my vids. LOL But this was a very educational video, thanks for sharing!!

  • Frank@TheStudioCenter

    We once had an LA 35mm crew in my studio just to do a statewide political spot… crew of 30 (all on headsets), 8 production trucks…and a full-time chef just to cook for them. Just insane!

  • Oscar wright

    Hi Iz…man your stuff always has that enthusiasm which I hear in your voice on foolish adventure…I know what you mean. Here is one of my videos which took me 50 HOURS OF WORK but has been selected as as a “featured video” by UTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xW_R0UQ5fo I got here zero to 6 months of learning, alot of it coming from your advise. Thanks

  • Oscar wright

    ah, excellent point…the whole thing is a commercial…in a real shoot, perhaps people aren’t so jolly and maybe there is a bit of shouting and cussin and maybe somebody will get fired “you’ll never work in this town again”….”Ethel, get me another cup of coffe, damnit!”…oscar wright, rome

  • Shamakudza

    Hi there mommy reporter? This is in reply to the question of lighting go to this website it should at least help you in many ways. http://www.lowel.com/edu/foundations_softlight.html

    For sound? Mhhh. Did you mean sound as in a commercial voice over? Or did you mean sound as in live sound when there is live action? For commercial voice overs you may need to look at Douglass Spotted Eagle’s DVD’s. Or should I you look at VASST on their website http://www.sundancemediagroup.com/aboutvasst.htm

    Wish you the best your Shamakudza@yahoo.com

  • MH

    Bingo! This is the commercial. “whatcha see is whatcha get”

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SFGAL6PVPKOQ2K2QEQ34L26DOE Sage

    Now cut that video into 30 seconds and you have one great commercial :-)

  • not a guest

    BUT, Dominos pizza IS mighty tasty isnt it? lol