Ten Degrees, High Wind, and a Surprise Interview

A few years back, a regular client asked me to capture b-roll of their product in use along a roadway. One hour of shooting, that was the whole job. The forecast said 10°F with strong wind — a normal Wisconsin assignment — so I packed light on purpose: camera, batteries, and a monopod so I could move fast and stay warm. The day before the shoot, I confirmed the plan with the client one more time: b-roll only.

Surprise Interview

I made the long drive, arrived on site, and the client said: "We may wish to capture an interview as well."

I had nothing for an interview. No microphones, no lighting, no reflectors — not even headphones to check the audio. The client understood completely; we had planned this together, and the plan had changed. I could have scheduled the interview for another day, and no one would have blamed me. Instead, I looked at what I had.

The sun became my light. I positioned the interviewee so it lit his face, since there was no other option, and I brought the camera in close — close enough that the built-in microphone would favor his voice over the wind. With no headphones, I couldn't hear what I was recording. I wouldn't know if the audio survived until I got back and played it.

It survived. The interview was clean, the client was thrilled, and the finished video did its job.

The lesson stuck. Since that day, my vehicle carries nearly every piece of gear I own, even when the brief calls for a camera and nothing else. Shoots change on site — someone important happens to be there, a moment appears that no one planned. When that happens now, the answer is yes, and the gear is twenty feet away.

Planning a shoot where the plan might change? That's most shoots. Contact us.