There’s a reason why Grey House Productions shows up with a cargo van of production supplies for each shoot. Call it their “bag of tricks,” if you will. It contains all of their must-haves to ensure any production they’re running is done as efficiently as possible, and the people involved have everything they need for a successful job. Curious what’s in their bag of tricks? Here’s a sneak peek, and see the full blog post here.
1. Neoprene floor runners: This is one of the biggest items in their production storage locker, and they make it onto every set. Neoprene is the material that wetsuits are made of, and the thickness provides a level of cushion to the location floor. Traditionally, people buy gator or ram board to cover the main walkways, but then you’re running a higher risk of damaging floors. Others hire Simflex to cover a house inch-by-inch. But it’s super-expensive, and it takes half a day just to set up. Grey House Productions did their research, and while these were a big investment up front, they can now protect the heck out of any location, move it quickly, store it easily, and it’s a greener option because they re-use it time and time again.
2. Tennis balls: It used to be photo assistants would always have to bring these. Now, Grey House Productions just keeps two dozen balls in their bag. They use them on every stand, every chair – anything that scrapes – to protect floors and walls. Even the most careful crew can accidentally slide a stand or chair and wreck an otherwise pristine floor.
3. Catering and craft services supplies: Grey House Productions brings extra sternos – those little gel cans of fuel that you re-light under chafing dishes – because every once in a blue moon, a caterer will forget to bring those. So, they have either cold food, or they’re 20 minutes late on lunch because someone has to run to the store. Along those lines, they pack a sterno key, the tool specifically designed to turn those off, so no production assistants have to risk burning their hands. They always have extra dishes and platters for presenting craft service, and they also have all compostable paper goods for either serving, just in case catering doesn’t provide those. So, whether they are doing a run-and-gun shoot with several company moves, or if we have three sets running in different studios, they have the tricks to keep everyone’s taste buds happy.
4. Shower curtain: Along the same line as the floor runners, this is a great home protection hack they always have on hand. They use it as a base layer on counter surfaces, followed by a moving blanket on top of that, and then they lay a tablecloth on top the whole set up. Sure, the moving blanket is heavy and protects surfaces from dings, but what if something spills and seeps through the blanket, especially if we don’t notice and it’s sitting there all day? The shower curtain will protect the surface from potential liquids. Many homeowners have high end and custom surfaces in their kitchens, and one spill can end up being quite costly.
5. Off! mosquito coils: These do such a good job of keeping bugs away – better than any bug spray. They protect from 30 to 50 square feet as a mosquito repellant, and people don’t mind them as much as having to be sprayed down. These are super handy if they’re staging oo eating outside or near a garage, etc.
6. Bathroom amenities: Obviously, bringing in their own toilet paper or bathroom spray is pretty common. But they always like to have a few more amenities, such as Kleenex hand towels (they’re much nicer than standard paper towels, and they don’t get soggy sitting on a counter), Charmin Wet Wipes (great to have on hand — just in case), and they bring in our own hand soap . For the soap, they always ask our location scout if they need to use a particular brand. If a homeowner has a specialty copper sink, traditional soaps can be too harsh and leave a stain in the basin.
7. Portable phone chargers: Not just iPhone chargers, but as many different versions as they can find. People are using phones constantly on set, and spare cords and portable batteries are hot commodities.
8. Extra catering items: Not just standards like salt and pepper, but also hot sauce, honey, Cholula sauce, sriracha sauce, and so forth. Caterers may bring some of their own hot sauces, but some of their crew may be particular. People are serious about their sriracha! They even recently had a photo assistant travel with a special homemade hot sauce to share with the crew.
9. Water dispenser: A must! Our water dispenser set up was one of the first things they tackled upon going green. And now, in addition to their traditional water dispenser (like those in an office) that can dispense hot and cold water, they also have portable electric water pumps that travel the country when they don’t have the option to rent a full dispenser.
10. Fire extinguishers: Grey House Productions brings three. It’s funny – people always assume that they’ll be on location, or they don’t need them. Thankfully, they have never had a fire on set, but if that were to happen, it’s not something you want to spend even two minutes asking where they are. So, they bring three and spread them out among stations on set.
