Over the last few years, the Vagrants have morphed into destination production specialists.  Thanks to the trust of our clients, we’ve been privileged to produce in some pretty far-flung places. From the rainforests in Belize to the streets of London, Rocky Mountain vistas, and desert overlanding, we have met some incredible collaborators who have allowed us to navigate some ambitious creative asks.

 

Our most recent adventure in Hawaii was a real treat, and along the way, it put into focus some valuable lessons that I’ve learned to make these shoots a success.

 

#1 - Lean on the Locals – as a production company, there’s always an inclination to save money by bootstrapping aspects of production like locations, or by flying in equipment and crew rather than working locally.  This usually comes out of an arrogance of a producer feeling like they may know better, or have access to better resources than the locals do.  By my estimation, this never works.  The baseline intel you get from a local is always going to outweigh the ingenuity of a out of towner regardless of experience. 

 

#2 - Do as the Locals do – let the fabric of each place soak into every part of the production.  So, yes, eat the local fare, and visit the local landmarks, but also respect the local production community.  For instance, in Hawaii, our local producer advised we start the week-long production with a traditional Hawaiian ceremony.  (reference picture) Not only was this one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had on set, it set a tone of respect for the local crew and led to a symbiotic, collaborative working experience for the duration of the shoot.

 

#3 – Bring Vacation Vibes - and what I really mean is: have fun and don’t be an a-hole.  While you’re in the midst of a production it’s easy to get stressed with the pressure cooker of production.  We’re up early in the morning and grinding late at night squaring away every detail.  But, you can’t let that stress overcome you and infect the overall experience for the crew and your clients.  I have found that the vibe of a shoot will directly correlate to the product on screen.  As a director and EP,  I take it upon myself to set an example for the rest of the crew to follow: just be cool.  There are going to be difficult challenges to navigate and stressful pickles to pull out of, but by creating a fun and welcoming environment you are far more likely to deal with those challenges in a positive and effective manner.  

 

It has dawned on me how truly lucky I am to have these experiences in the first place.  As awesome as it is to go to these far-flung places, it’s the people you get to hang with along the way that makes it memorable. I walk away from every adventure with a handful of new friends bonded for life. Thanks to all the folks who enable these unbelievable productions and all the incredibly talented producers, creatives, and crew that have supported me along the way.

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- Dustin Devlin