How We Plan our Episodes.
Well…there are some aspects of our process that are more formalized and structured than others.
For the video / audio side of an episode we break the components down into Pre-production / Production / Post-production. It helps that Kirk and I (Jeff) have been doing video production/storytelling for 20 plus years, and that I have a background in Project Management. So breaking down the workload into those three elements is a fairly common practice for Kirk and myself.
When we are filming (Production), we approach the process from a "film" perspective. Meaning we do not film everything in a linear fashion. So, if we are in the barrel storage area, we try to film all the pieces in that area that we know we want for an episode. Regardless of where they are in the episode. We piece it all together in Post-Production.
In Pre-Production, we work to determine the story, and what it is that we are wanting to find out. This helps us to determine what elements need to be filmed in what areas, and when. Our Pre-production meetings are also where we determine what distilleries and when we are going to film. We generally have two to three meetings a week for Pre-Production where we are working out all the details of the filming. They can be pretty loose and at times you need a tough skin. (we have known each other for a long time). Of course, we always have a bit of whiskey in front of us, so we sometimes take a left turn and it takes us a while to get back on track.
Of course, during filming, there are often times things that come up or that we discover that we choose to follow, and that might lead us down the proverbial rabbit hole. (Oooo, speaking of Rabbit Hole, my Rabbit Hole bourbon finished is PX Zimenz casks is about out. I need to get another. And try the others. If you haven't tried this, you should. Sorry back to the content of this blog post) So, we might find ourselves onto a completely new storyline by chance. A large part of keeping us on track is the responsibility of the on-site Producer. This person is responsible to make sure we have captured all that we said we “wanted” and any new identified shots.
So….when it comes to the distillery's we pick to showcase in an episode, well….that's a little more haphazard. I am constantly looking for new distilleries and listening to podcasts to find distilleries. We are located in the Mid-West, so for the time being, our concentration is on distilleries in this regional area. Partly because we can get to them fairly easy, and partly due to $$$. Getting to some of the craft distilleries on either coast right now is a little difficult and costly. Our hope is that we get enough viewers, and support (either from viewers or sponsors) that we can afford to film at distilleries all across the U.S.
If you like the show and know of a distillery you would like us to visit, send us an email and we will put it on the list of potential's and work to get it slotted in. If you would like to donate, please do so via our Patreon page. Any support you can give us would be great and will help us to be able to film at more distilleries. And, if you have any input on what you would like to see us discuss or topics you want more info on, drop us a line.
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