Time, tide and shooting schedules wait for no man nor woman nor icy blasts. So said no-one. Ever.
With this in mind, this week Felicia and some of the team travelled to an absolutely freezing (-23ºF/-35ºC) Chicago. As every day is a school day at Casual Films - and because you never know when such things might be helpful - here we share some of the dos and don'ts of shooting in the Arctic winter.
Do work with a top notch crew. The more things you can depend on the better. Particularly when the hotel door lets you down too...
Don't trust that your flight will get you to Chicago during a Polar Vortex. Felicia had 2 tickets booked on 2 separate airlines, just in case.
Do have a safety briefing before the crew starts for the day. Crew safety above all else.
Don't panic when the - decidedly not top notch - snow removal guy quits at 5 am on the morning of the shoot.
Do hire a different snow remover guy who was better, friendlier and cheaper than the original guy was any way.
Don't tell your mom where you are or what you're doing because she will worry and ask you to text her every night when you're back at the hotel (true story).
Do make sure you keep hands, ears and batteries warm before use. Cold drastically reduces their operating time, particularly the batteries.
Do hire as many powerful lights as possible in an attempt to make it look and feel sunny inside.
Don't touch bare metal without gloves on - you've seen Dumb and Dumber right?
Do check the minimal operational temperature of the equipment you're using, realise you're well below what it's supposed to be able to handle and embrace the fact there is only so much you can do when it comes to outsmarting Mother Nature.
She will always always win. But you might just get what you need from your shoot before she does.
If you're unsure about how to light and film a house in the freezing cold of the Northern Arctic winter, or a street near you, you can book a call with an excellent producer, like our very own Felicia, by clicking right here.
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