Just wanted to chat through a few order-of-operations points.
Time is of the essence with these kids. I have worked with children many times on set, and usually you have a solid two-hour window with them if you make sure they are having fun.
That’s a big reason why I believe in this approach: we get the kids into their setups on time, for a set window, so we can capture what we need and release them — bringing them back at a specific time for a group shot.
With a 12-hour day, the studio approach allows us to adequately prepare for set turnovers while staying in the same location. That equates to about 10 hours of shooting time — so we could set up the day that if we have 6 hero talent, we do 3 in the AM, 3 in the PM, and have a crossover at the mid point in the day where we get everyone in for the hero portrait!
We maximise our time, put our money on screen, and keep our focus on making sure the kids are having fun.
‘cause after all...
TIME IS MONEY