TV Commercial Production Neighborly Style


TV commercial production work took me to many remote and fascinating locations within and a few outside of the USA. Between 1973 and 2005 (my most recent distant location shoot in California) I traveled to and produced or shot film or video in at least twenty-five states and two foreign lands, about 70% of which was for TV commercial production jobs.

While watching The Late Show recently I saw a NY politician discussing how she needed to adjust her “high intensity New York City style” to deal with congressional colleagues from more low key parts of the country – which is nearly everywhere else. Her comments were resonant with my experience and brought to mind this (somewhat edited) section of my TV commercial production book, Circumstances Beyond My Control.

On many location shoots I needed to rent items such as cranes, scissor-lifts (like the one I’m on in the shot below) and other industrial gear which was not cinema specific.

Film Production @ KS State Penitentiary

@ KS State Penitentiary w Don Guy

Here’s the spot we were shooting. The shot made with the scissor-lift is at about 32 seconds.

Every town of any size has heavy equipment rental companies. Whether they’re parts of a national franchise such as Abbey Rent All or private businesses, they are locally operated. The first time I popped into one of these places in a small town with my high energy, get-it-done, New York attitude I was met with – if not outright hostility – a not very cooperative response. It took me a while to figure it out but I finally realized that in Middle America that’s not how things are done. Folks are a lot more laid back and chatty in the heartland and I needed an attitude adjustment. I had to adapt to my environment.

After this realization when I found myself in such a situation I would stroll into a place with a neighborly “How you doin’?” I even allowed myself to slip into a bit of my youthful Tennessee accent. It worked wonders, sometimes even got me better prices. My intention was not to be manipulative but to adjust to local conditions. When in Rome … etc.

But that’s merely the business side of this transformational lesson. Without calculation or even thought, the lower intensity attitude carried over to my entire on location persona and made life in the provinces much easier and more fun.

We all, wittingly or unwittingly, project our personality, attitude and style wherever we go and with whomever we come into contact. So I propose doing so wittingly. I write this as advice to you and – just as importantly – to myself. Mindfulness and self-awareness need to be practiced constantly and reminders are necessary to prevent slippage into that other “unconscious” state.

Many more tales of TV commercial production, both mindful and not will be found when you click here and get Circumstances Beyond My Control.

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