Floating Genies, Sunset Windows, and Organized Chaos
A few years back I got a call from a local production company—One Twenty Nine Films. They were prepping a Toyota commercial here in the Bay Area and needed a very specific location.
Of course they did.
The ask: a hilltop overlooking the ocean. Flat. Private. Big enough for a car, a rig suspending talent (yes…floating genie-style), and a crew of about 50.
Simple, right?
Yeah…no.
The team was solid—Nick Seuser producing, Steven Condiotti behind the lens, Christopher Knox running the show, Doug Freeman building the look, and even his daughter London on as a PA. When you get a crew like that, you know it’s going to be a good ride.
Now we just needed the impossible location.
I dug through my database—nothing. Not even close. So I did what actually works in this business: I called my people.
And once again…community saves the day.
Someone pointed me to a hill with a killer ocean view. Flat enough. Accessible. Big enough. Owned by the water company.
I made the call, started the permit process, and—somehow—they were willing to play ball.
Location locked.
Game Day
Call time: noon.
Important detail—this was a sunset shot.
Which means we had hours of setup for about a 20-minute window where everything had to be perfect.
No pressure.
We had massive HMIs, generators to power them, dolly track to lay, rigs to suspend talent, wardrobe, makeup—the full circus. And on top of that, 50 crew members all showing up with vehicles that needed to go somewhere.
Parking alone took over an hour.
At one point, a grip decided he was going to take over parking.
I shut that down—nicely, but quickly.
Not because he was wrong to help, but because if everyone starts doing everyone else’s job, the whole thing falls apart. Load-in is critical. If that gets sloppy, you’re behind before you even start.
We got it under control. Everyone parked. Gear in. Build started.
The Hurry Up and Wait
We sat all afternoon waiting for the sun to do its thing.
This is where experience matters.
If your call time is noon and it’s a sunset shoot, you already know—you’re wrapping in the dark. So come prepared. Flashlight. Layers. Plan ahead.
No one likes the person who didn’t think that through.
Magic Hour
When the light hit…we moved.
The shot: a floating genie beside a car, selling that “Toyota magic” with a perfect sunset behind it.
It took coordination—camera on dolly, talent on a rig, lighting dialed in—but they nailed it.
One of those moments where everything clicks.
Wrap
We started wrapping around 9:30pm. Wheels up by 10:15.
And then the real last step: leaving the place exactly how we found it.
No trash. No leftover gear. No “we’ll grab it later.”
That’s how you get invited back.
PA’s and locations are always the last ones out. That’s just the deal.
I handed off the garbage run to a seasoned PA—she had plastic laid out in her car, ready to go. Smart. Garbage smells. Planning matters, even for the jobs no one wants.
And yeah—those are the jobs people remember.
Lessons from the Set
Your network is everything. Use it.
Stay in your lane. Chaos loves overlap.
Keep your cool. Always. This job will test it.
Read the call sheet before you show up. Not in the parking lot.
Take the ugly jobs (like garbage duty) and crush them. That’s how you get hired again.
Vocab
Scout – Finds the locations. The treasure hunter of the job.
Rig – Custom-built gear for specific effects (like, say…floating a human).
Location Database – Your secret weapon. If it’s good, it saves you.
Grips – The muscle. They build, lift, rig, and make things happen.
HMI – Big, powerful daylight-balanced lights. Expensive, heavy, necessary.
DP (Director of Photography) – The person shaping the visual look. They paint with light.
Load-In – Organized chaos. Trucks arrive, everything hits the ground fast.
Dolly – Camera movement system on wheels or track. Smooth shots, if done right.
Call Time – When you’re expected on set, not pulling into the lot.
Creative – The idea, the concept, the “why we’re doing this.”
Garbage Duty – The least glamorous job…that everyone notices when done well.
Wheels Up – Done. Gone. Rolling out.
