I’m thinking if I give the blog name a title that sounds like a Cormac McCarthy novel, our key audience will be more inclined to read it. And who is that key audience? For It’s How You Get There, our key demographic is men, age 18 to 49, who love cars, trucks, motors and more. Enter me, the lead producer – a 25-year-old female whose first adjective I will give you when it comes to vehicles is the color.
It can be intimidating to be working on this show, now on its 3rd season. The show is not fledgling, it has a voice, a tone, established characters, dedicated fans and a clear aesthetic. This can be daunting to jump into, but mostly- it’s exciting. Production for It’s How You Get There now is focused on building upon existing themes, deepening the relationships of the characters, and finding even more exciting places to see and vehicles to drive.
Also, I’m lucky enough to be working with a cast and crew who know exactly what they’re doing- and exactly what they’re doing when it comes to this show. Our audio guys know which mics will work for when talent is wearing helmets. Our DPs and videographers know the angles to position themselves in to capture the mud flying off the ATV tires as Sam whips round the bend- without getting run over I might add. During these driving shots I force myself to look only at the monitor and not at Julian trying to pop a wheel-y on a North Dakota highway.
My head of post-production arms me with information essential for success on the back end, telling what we will need to make the show become a show. What I’ve learned is that he truly can “fix it in post” but the less time he spends fixing, the more time our editors can focus on piecing together a great show. Timing, continuity, realisticness of certain scenarios- Mike schools me on all of it as he rips apart gives feedback on my episode breakdowns.
I’m especially lucky enough to have Max on my first couple shoots for the season. Even though he is the head honcho, he comes on these shoots to offer guidance and support for the whole team. Max knows what the show should look like, and he knows exactly when we need a chop of dialogue, or when to re-do an OTF. He knows how to walk the line of making sure sponsors get mention, but that the episode doesn’t come off like an infomercial.
But Max also gives me the freedom to take some creative chances. Which is exactly how we ended up in a corn field with Julian emerging from the crops like the children of the corn during our most recent shoot. You’ll have to wait for season three to find out more about that though. And most importantly- he makes for a damn good PA. Just kidding (but not really.)
I may be biased but season three of It’s How You Get There is setting out to be the best yet. More updates of the adventures to come. And remember, you can always catch up on season 1 AND 2 on Amazon Prime.