Top five moments: Healthcare videoshoots

Surprises and challenges abound while working on location

Shooting video talent is never predictable. Filming non-professional subjects on-location opens the door even wider to unexpected moments.

The following are my “Favorite Five” highlights from one season of shooting healthcare patient interviews:

5) The wife of an oncology patient who came with him for moral support–toting her camera to capture the memories. Brought home that this is a once-in-a-lifetime event for most of our subjects–we were all stars that day!

4) Shooting a cardiac patient in the home-improvement center where he works–a traffic control nightmare. One shopper was so intent on her cell phone conversation, she missed my flailing arms and walked directly into the center of our set. Cue startled look and embarrassment!

3) Same home improvement center, same shoot–I explained to the staff in the area that they could walk past the aisle but to look natural and not stare down the aisle. Forgot to mention that included looking natural while driving fork trucks–cue slow moving fork truck, gawking employee yelling catcalls to the interviewee. Cut (again!)

2) The mom we filmed for a maternity campaign who had two adorable sons, ages 2 and 3 months, with no one to help watch the children while she was interviewed on camera. I caught up on kids videos, and was EXHAUSTED by the end of the shoot!

And the number one moment, hands down?

1) Loading in the set with my all-male crew to film ob/gyn’s in a labor delivery wing, when the sound of a woman obviously in labor came echoing through the hall. The director asked me if I could do anything about the noise, to which I replied “No WAY am I going to ask that woman to be quiet! But by the sounds of it, she will be done by the time we start filming!” She was.