THE WORLD OF REMOTE SHOOTING

Hei Arkies! 

Knee-deep in creative video production and working them legs on set for the past couple of months have never felt better! The lockdown enforced sabbatical got us all rested and raring to go.

[Behind the scenes: post Circuit Breaker shoot - a wild αrkie ninja spotted relishing every moment on set]

But there is one thing that we oh, so dearly miss - our occasional jaunts overseas; especially our ‘Asia Tour’ that we’ve come to look forward to every year. Flying across the oceans, hearts brimming with excitement, just working it - filming, capturing, creating content in brand new environments.. and the adrenaline rush that comes with - now, that feeling is gold.

[Behind the scenes: not so long ago… enroute to shoot & enamoured by the sights & sounds in Bangkok]

So what happens when our creative juices and energies are still called upon over the mighty seas? And for a quarantini of reasons, we cannot simply teleport over. We don’t pride ourselves for agility and dexterity in handling multi-lingual and multi-regional campaigns, event video production and photography for nothing. We’ve got another solution up our sleeves…

🎵 TADA 🎵 

Arkchetype proudly presents.. THE WORLD OF REMOTE SHOOTING

[Behind the scenes: αrkchetypal magic made on screen between Singapore & Korea]

To be perfectly honest, we’re not exactly playing a brand new tune; remote shoots have been possible since wayyy back and we’ve been conducting them for a while now.

But with travel restrictions currently in place, the advent and adoption of new tools and technologies have also been accelerated. As a result, while remote shoots are slowly becoming a necessity, the plethora of solutions available have also widened considerably and have become much more accessible than ever before.

So, what does this mean for all of us?

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In all things production, communication is everything. 

Here in the ARK, we relish the opportunity to connect, call upon and activate our superpowers from all over the world the moment the occasion calls for it.

[Behind the scenes: Throwback to pre-pandemic team αrk - activated & combining powers for an epic green screen adventure]

But video calls alone aren’t enough to generate enough power to ensure that everything rolls on set smoothly enough for world domination. We’ve had our fair share of remote missions and collected some secret weapons along the way; it’s probably time to accumulate those karma points by sharing them with you here and now!

[Behind the scenes: Team αrk + Superheros in the Philippines in the not too distant past, when we could physically  join forces for world domination!]

Not being able to be physically present on site to solve problems there and then, we have to anticipate all things that could happen, and be prepared for it. You may know the answer to 1+1, but what if you get hit with a surprise quiz on how to find x and y? 

This brings us to the golden rule of all video productions - PLANNING AHEAD. 

This is important for every production, whether executed locally or remotely. But for remote shoots, an extra mile is absolutely necessary for everything to be near immaculate. And what exactly is this ‘extra mile’? At Arkchetype, it means leaving absolutely no stones unturned. There is no room for any assumptions! Here are some steps to achieving this:

Stone to Turn #1: Solid Superheroes

Everyone in the team - both remote and local should be solid. 

Be sure that the remote Superheroes are craftsmen of the right calibre with integrity. Your mind should be set at ease that these are artisans that take pride in delivering quality and will make magic on time and on target. 

Oft neglected, the local crew conducting the orchestra remotely is a core component too. They provide reliable pillars of support for our superheros in distant lands to lean on. More importantly, stay on standby to answer distant queries speedily in time sensitive situations. 

This solid teamwork will translate to very tangible results on screen! 

[Behind the scenes: αrkie crew ensuring perfection in everything tangible on screen. Peekaboo! ]

Stone to Turn #2: Clarity on everyone’s role

When your team is ready, identify each and every one’s specific role on set. Who is the lead producer on ground? Who is the director? How and who manages communications between respective parties? Who is in charge of the technical set up? The list goes on - and when a person is assigned a role, make sure that he/she is fully aware of their job as well! This has to be as clear cut as possible - any major confusions on the day itself could likewise cause major complications.

“You think... I thought... Who confirm?” (A Singapore Adage) is a no-no!!!

This is important for all video productions, but it is a step crucialfor remote shoots where half of your team is in a galaxy land far far away. Clarity brings us closer, while ambiguity sets us further apart.

[Behind the scenes: Are you an αrkie crew or talent? Sometimes a bit of both.. But only after we wrap!]

Stone to Turn #3: PPM PPM PPM - Stay aligned!

During our remote shoots, communication between our team based in Singapore and our crew overseas bounced non-stop like ping-pong - both parties not hesitating to ask + answer questions, and updating each other whenever something new happens.

Via digital platforms, we were able to thoroughly run through moodboards, storyboards, shoot boards, production schedules, equipment lists, style references and all aspects related to the shoot together, step-by-step. These Remote Pre-Production Meetings ensured that everyone was aligned and well-prepared for the big day/s.

(our team in the ARK and our regional crew soon reached the point of being able to memorise and list out all the scenes, the respective orders for which they were meant to be shot, with our eyes closed)

[Behind the scenes: Eyes closed? Or head covered in Hong Kong? Doesn't matter as long as we lock down all the scenes!]

Stone to Turn #4: Map out and test out how/when/where to communicate during shoot

With D-Day coming close, imagine how the shoot day will flow. Ask questions such as “how will the footage/images be reviewed?” or “is there a way to oversee the set?”. 

Here are some communication options that we’ve previously used, depending on the nature and complexity of the shoot: 

i. Whatsapp / WeChat / Line / Mobile Device messaging platforms - these are more traditional, and less invasive. During our remote shoots, Whatsapp was one of our best friends as we were able to send and receive footage clips (and even some interesting behind-the-scenes pictures).

[Behind the scenes photo received via Whatsapp: αrk crew or talent? Sometimes a bit of both.. but only when the DP has that handsome mug!]

However, be sure to sync up with all parties and make sure that you are communicating on the favoured chat platform of the region your remote teammate is at, otherwise, your messages may stand a higher chance of being unread in the most crucial of moments. 

Beyond that, communication processes are also inevitably slower, as typing takes time. With the fast and endless typing taking a toll on our fingers, we had to resort to sending voice messages instead at certain times - just so that the message could go over faster, while we recovered from a near death thumb cramp. 

If you happen to choose this mode of communication, remember that sometimes, the intended recipient is not available to answer the urgent barrage of messages.  So be sure to factor in potential time gaps; slow and steady may not necessarily win the race this time...

ii. Video conferencing - in-vogue at the moment, these are more immediate, allowing parties to speak to each other without delay. The ability to see one another’s faces also adds a feeling of camaraderie - we are in this together!

Beyond the immediacy, we found the screen share functions in video conferencing platforms extremely useful.During the remote shoot, our regional crew were able to share footage clips and images immediately via screen share for everyone to see. All stakeholders were able to review and discuss the scenes, clips and images shot on the spot, without delay.

[Behind the scenes: αrkchetypal inception moment in Hong Kong - Remotely reviewing the review]

But take note - when using video conferencing, make sure that tech wizards are on standby to troubleshoot and the systems are built with sufficient dedicated internet bandwidth and speed. Frozen / laggy screens at crunchtime are a no.. no…!

iii. Live Streaming - live streaming allows for everyone on the project and all stakeholders to be as close as possible to being virtually present on set in real time, giving valuable insight to the flow and progress of the shoot.

[Behind the scenes: Live streaming for one of our recent remote shoots in Korea]

As live streaming is, well, live, anticipate all things that could happen, and be prepared for it (déjà vu?). Be ready to conjure up solutions on the spot for any possible shortcomings, so you have something to fall back on (and not just the hard floor!) should something happen halfway. 

Of course, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ modus operandi, as every project is different with their own unique requirements and circumstances. Know your project’s unique needs, and map out your digital channels in a medley of ways that would best suit your shoot.

When you have it all planned, don’t get too confident just yet - if you have the bandwidth, do some dry runs, so that on the day itself your system will be purring like a kitten.

 [Behind the scenes: All systems up and running in a beastly multi-platform and multi-screen setup!]

Left no stones unturned? Ready to go? Well, go on and SLAY on the very shoot day everyone’s been looking forward to! You know you’ve prepped all the necessary down to the finest of details - but be on the lookout for any unforeseen circumstances that may arise. If any of it should arise, don’t be afraid - keep calm and carry on as a team!  

Remote shoots can be as short or as long as normal shoots can be. Depending on the project, the shoot may end in a day, or the shoot may go on for multiple days on end. For the latter, treat it as a cooperative marathon, or a relay race. Teamwork makes the dream work, you're not in this alone!

During our previous 7 day long remote shoot, we took the end of each day as checkpoints and held daily debriefs with our regional crew. Going through the footage from the day’s shoot, and also refreshing important to-dos for the next day.

[Behind the scenes: Rigorously taking notes on set always comes in handy at the end of the day!]

Final Stone to Turn: Post Production Matters 

Believe us when we say this: once the remote shoot begins, no matter how long it is, it will be over in a blink of an eye. And before bidding adieu (for the time being) to our beloved regional crew, discuss what way would be most suitable for the footage to travel from that country to the post-production team.

Courier? Mail? Pigeon? The options are on the table. At Arkchetype, we’re all set up with a super sweet dedicated professional-grade transfer portal to receive bulky uncompressed media files like the precious valuable footage files (our treasureee..). It has helped save a great deal of time all round!

[Behind the scenes: Gratuitous food photo from our Taipei adventure. We miss mixing business with pleasure; partaking in delectable delicacies after we wrap!]

Do we still miss being on shoot overseas? Of course we still do! (We also miss being able to go abroad for fun filled adventures tis’ jolly end of the year season; but that can wait for next time…) Just knowing that we are still able to breathe life into visuals and and create content against all odds, gives us strength like no other to keep innovating and continuing our craft here in the Ark. 

Don’t let your regional production and remote shoot dreams be merely dreams - make it a reality. Don’t worry if you feel that the process is too tough and complex - it is Team Arkchetype’s specialty to guide and walk with you through this vast journey across distances. We know what it takes, and we are just a call away!

As long as ideas are flowing, Don’t Stop Creating!