From idea to execution, our team managed every aspect of this campaign—from casting to final delivery. With a tight schedule and a one-day shoot window, precision and collaboration were essential. Here’s how it all came together:

Casting
We sourced local talent with a strong focus on variety—seeking standout personalities across ages and styles. I tapped into previous connections and brought in a talent consultant to help round out our dream team.

Wardrobe
Stylist Leslie Ramos took our creative deck and sketches and ran with them—reviewing headshots and socials to pick color palettes that complimented each subject. She also coordinated directly with talent, asking them to bring their own pants (since we were only shooting waist-up), saving the production hundreds on full wardrobe builds.

Hair & Makeup
Marinella Infante joined the pre-pro conversation early and helped shape the visual direction for styling. Her collaboration made sure each look felt intentional and expressive. She coordinated directly with talent to streamline prep and ensure readiness on shoot day.

Food Styling
I worked closely with Allison Hamilton to translate sketch details into real ingredient lists. She came fully prepped with smoothie base components and an arsenal of toppings (including extra seeds and texture bits for those perfectly imperfect post-bite smiles).

Props
Keeping it budget-friendly, we brought in Lisa Malott for a “prop & drop”—a great low-lift option when we don’t need on-set styling, just solid items to work with. Lisa sourced and delivered our essentials: eco-conscious disposable spoons, insulated smoothie bowls, and a variety of colorful backdrop rolls. We mixed and matched the backdrops across talent and wardrobe, creating simple, punchy setups with plenty of personality.

Lighting
To support our stop-motion bursts, we needed speed, power, and reliability. I rented a fleet of five Profoto D2s from Doug Sperling at Pro Gear Orlando—fast, consistent strobes ideal for freezing motion without compromising image quality. Working with gaffer Daniel Bostrom, we built a hard light setup with subtle edge accents to define facial structure and enhance our bold, stylized aesthetic.

Location
We kept things nimble by booking the smallest studio at NFocus Productions in Lakeland—just the right fit for our crew and shoot needs. It offered convenient access for our Orlando/Tampa talent pool, a full grip equipment roster, and on-site support from studio manager Martin Restrepo. Small, efficient, and exactly what we needed.

Production Coordination
Producer Carol Matlock built a rock-solid shoot schedule, factoring in hair and makeup timing, talent arrivals, pacing for key setups—and yes, even lunch. It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes magic that keeps everything (and everyone) running smoothly. With logistics in her hands, I was able to stay focused on the creative.

Photography & Creative Direction
As both photographer and creative director, I toggled between macro and micro decisions all day long. On set, I worked closely with my assistant/digi-tech Tom Pitera and gaffer to nail lighting and tech, while directing talent to hit key moments across our three signature frames. I kept a sharp eye on details—stray hairs, crumpled fabric, bowl styling, and background pairings—ensuring every frame stayed campaign-worthy.

As CD, I made final calls on wardrobe once talent arrived, coordinated bowl and backdrop pairings, and signed off on each look before we stepped on set. It’s a balance of prep and intuition—and that’s where the fun happens.

Post Production
I handled initial selects and movement tests, ensuring our photo bursts translated into smooth animations. From there, I crafted a consistent, natural polish across every final, selected frame—balancing color, refining texture, and making sure nothing felt too perfect. These were meant to feel cheeky, real, and effortless—even though every frame was anything but.