We just wrapped post on a series of PSA’s we shot for United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona. The spots feature members of the Financial Education Collaborative of Southern Arizona (FECSA) presenting important advice on financial stability. United Way program coordinator Kimberly Jaeger early on referenced the NBC “The More You Know” PSA series as a model for the content delivery. Unlike NBC’s spots, we would be working with non-actors in a tightly scheduled one day shoot. We wanted to keep the stress low and the presentations natural, hence the two cameras and a slightly off camera eye line. Each presenter was basically interviewed about their chosen topic, and then cut into tight 30 second spots.
The spots were shot using two Canon 7Ds with Canon L Series primes hovering around f2. I wanted to create the feeling of a large window source, so gaffer Paul Stapleton Smith went with a variation of the “book” light; bouncing 3 Mighty Moles bounced into a 6’x6′ Ultrabounce, and shot through an 8’x8′ silk. We dusted off Misty’s celo cookie to strafe the unbleached muslin background, the final look reminiscent of Mother of Pearl. Bookman’s Entertainment of Tucson graciously donated the magnificent space to stage the set. Lots of room with drive-in access.
Bob Demers 