HOTlanta, it was!

I took a really quick trip to Atlanta this week to shoot an installation video and product feature video for a new car seat Graco has coming out later this year.  I don't know what it is about the product development cycle of Graco's car seats, but I feel like we are always filming in the heat.  I think the high was 98 yesterday, and just imagine how it's magnified even more with all of the lighting and being in and out of a mini-van for a majority of the day.  I know I'm from Texas and should be used to it (considering we've already had several days over 100), but that's why our electric bills are through the roof for at least 6 months out of the year...WE LOVE OUR AIR CONDITIONERS!

Anyway, I wore khakis instead of skinny jeans this time, in hopes that they would feel a little cooler.  And they did, I just felt a little frumpier that usual.  The heat was quite brutal though, but Todd at Fraser Films was really great about letting me hang out in the house whenever we weren't shooting.  He kept saying, "we've got to keep you fresh".  Well, I was far from feeling fresh, but hopefully I looked fresh....enough, anyway.

It was a long day, reporting to set at 8 am, wrapping at 6:30 pm and catching a flight back to the ATX and returning home at midnight.  I've done enough of these that the process has become kind of like habit, but the poor makeup stylist, Stacey, had a little more work than normal touching me up every 10 minutes, it felt like since I was basically melting.

Lunch is always a great break, though, when Chef Jaye is cooking.  We had a tortellini pasta salad with feta, flank steak, salmon, chilled cucumber soup, and hearty chocolate chip cookies.  Yummy, to put it lightly and  great perk of working with this team.

Here's a quick look at the setup:

 

 it just looks hot, doesn't it?

 this is the monitor the Graco team and the producer watch to ensure all looks good...hopefully this shot doesn't make the cut.

 prepping for the product feature video

closeup!!

demoing with a crash dummy how to properly use the harness

So what it comes down to, is the work still has to get done, whatever the conditions. Oh and how could I forget to mention the bee hive located inside the brick column of the carport, just a couple feet from the van.  Thankfully they were nice and didn't sting anyone!

The Final Product

My apologies for forgetting to post these, but I have been reminded about them as I prepare to film a few more for Graco later this month. I guess you could say this is Reese's claim to fame (at least for now)!

Even though every new Graco car seat comes with detailed installation instructions, Graco also understands that many of us learn better (and quicker) by actually seeing the seat being installed and quite frankly they want parents to have all of the resources they need to ensure their children are safe.  And with the fabulous technology we have today, these videos are just a click away on Graco's YouTube page and product pages on http://www.gracobaby.com/. 

Reese was such a champ during the filming--you can find a full recap here or here.  I love looking back at these and seeing how much she's grown since then and I can't wait to share these with her when she is older.  Enjoy! (and I hope that these may even be helpful for a few of you)

Atlanta Shoot

The trip to Atlanta was a great one.  Reese was such a trooper!  I will write more about our travels soon, but this is about what we went to Atlanta to do.  Many of you guys know how passionate I have become about child passenger safety and part of it is because Graco is so passionate about it, I couldn't help but be immersed in it when I worked for them.  They go the extra mile to provide consumers with how-to videos to assist in the installation process, because we all know how overwhelming it can be for new parents trying to get this new contraption into their vehicle correctly.

So, Reese and I set out for Atlanta to film the installation video for the SnugRide, our most popular seat.  Of course it is top-rated and more moms rely on the SnugRide to protect their little one than any other seat. 

We started the day on location at 9 am...well, let's say 9:15 for us since traffic was horrific and we were a tad bit late.  I'm so glad I don't have to battle that mess everyday...my commute took me almost 2 hours that morning.  Thankfully, Reese had a full belly and slept through it all.

First thing was hair and makeup.  Considering they shoot with hi-def cameras and such, you're normal everyday mask usually isn't enough.  Then once I got dressed it was onto the demo part of the series.  We shot outside in a mini-van and went through the steps of how to install the seat using the seatbelt and LATCH. 

We had Reese buckled in the seat to show putting the baby in the car , but as soon as I clipped the seat into the vehicle she began to fuss because the bright lights were shining directly into her eyes.  We did several takes of it though, so hopefully there is a take that works.

The actual demo took a majority of the morning, so we finished up and then broke for lunch.  During the short hour or so timeframe Miss Reese had two blowouts and went through the two pink outfits we had, so the majority of her camera time was wearing jeans and a yellow sweater...our last option since dresses don't really show well buckled into a car seat.  You never know what you're going to get with a baby on set!

Then we moved on to shooting the informational/Vanna White-style video.  I had done the installation demo videos before, but never this one, so I was a little nervous at how I would do.  Of course, our producer along with the Graco staff that was there were great coaches and the teleprompter made it so easy, so I feel fairly confident that it will turn out ok.

We wrapped up the day recording the voice-over for the installation demo.  It is amazing that two simple videos lasting less than 2 minutes can take a whole 8 hour day of filming.  Like I said earlier, Reese was such a trooper and had several naps throughout the day.  When it was her turn to be on camera as we were showing how to adjust the harness around her, she was really hamming it up with the camera guy...hopefully we'll see a few smiles in the finished product.

Final videos to come...as soon as they are edited and in their final state online.  Thanks, Graco for a great day!  I look forward to recapping this again with Reese one day when she can really appreciate it!

Oh, and check out the Graco blog for their take on the day.