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Production
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The VIP treatment
How to prep for presidents (and other honored guests)
Jul 21, 2005
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by Chuck Gloman
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I recently had the opportunity to tape former President Bill Clinton when he spoke at a chamber of commerce dinner. As government video professionals, you may find yourself on crew for taping a VIP. The story that follows should give you an idea of what you can expect in similar situations.
Clinton was to speak at the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce dinner in front of 3,000 invited guests. I got the job through a colleague of mine, Don Barley of RCTV Productions. The shoot involved having three cameras record the former president, with Don switching live to two Jumbotron monitors that flanked the staging area.
Camera one was positioned on a riser more than 100 feet away from the stage. The invited press pool would also be set up in the rear of the auditorium.
Camera two, my camera, was stage left about 10 feet from Clinton’s podium. Camera three was tripod mounted stage right and would capture the Doc Gibbs Band (from Emeril Live). The switcher, a Grass Valley 110, was in the remote truck, and an ISO feed from each camera went to a Beta SP VTR. Audio was captured through a plethora of wired and wireless microphones on the stage.
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| Former President Clinton delivered a flawless speech, but he didn’t enter the event as rehearsed. |
The crew was to arrive the late afternoon before the event to learn our places and movements. I had to provide my pertinent information (including age and Social Security number) to Don to pass along to the Secret Service. They needed to know everyone on the crew so a background check could be made and then a detailed list could be created.
Practice Makes Perfect
The venue was at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, and the auditorium was massive. The entire crew rehearsed the program from start to finish twice, with every speaker stepping up to the plate, every award recipient noted, and every music cue played live. If the timing was not exact, we would repeat that event until it was perfect.
The Secret Service had told Don precisely when Clinton would arrive, through which doorway, the direction he would walk, and where he would plant himself on stage. We even had a stand-in who was Clinton’s approximate height so our shots would be framed perfectly.
Before Clinton was to arrive, local dignitaries would be asked to stand when their names were called. In the rehearsal, I had to approximate where they would be seated in a room of 90 empty tables. In a darkened room at the extreme telephoto setting, I had to find my table, get a focus, and move to my next shot. In moves like this, it’s helpful to know which way to rotate the focus for near or distance. The camera was rigged in studio configuration, so it made my job easier.
With a stand-in, we rehearsed Clinton’s walk from a black curtained area to a table stationed five feet from me. Directly behind my camera station, the area was roped off so other guests couldn’t approach the stage. As the double walked in and waved, I rolled focus and the camera shader adjusted the iris — I was ready for my move.
The Secret Service had a few clear rules. Once the President sat down, I was not to videotape or even point the camera at him while he was eating. My camera physically had to be turned away, and I was to move myself a distance of 10 feet away — a good shower gone to waste.
Clinton’s exact movements were rehearsed again and again until I knew what he was going to do better than he did. Later that evening, we removed the cameras from the area (before the lockdown and security sweep) and were told to arrive four hours before the event.
Best Laid Plans
The day of the big show, the Secret Service arrived and swept the area for possible bombs. We weren’t allowed in the building during this time. Several hours later, we were asked to come in, and the camera crew received lapel pins that signified we were “cleared” and could tape the President. The dress code was suit and tie, so we all had plenty of places to hang our “all access” badges.
Now in a secure area, we were asked to remain at our camera positions two hours before Clinton’s arrival. Five Secret Service agents were in front of the stage, standing at attention, as the room filled with guests.
With all of the guests inside, the time came for Clinton to make his entrance. Unfortunately, his plane was still in the air and he would be at least one hour late. That information was announced and the backup plan was put into effect. We recorded the awards ceremony.
Without warning, the master of ceremonies approached the podium and said the President had arrived. Within two seconds, Clinton was walking through his door. But instead of walking directly to his table as we had rehearsed, he walked into the room to greet people.
Because I was the “live” camera, I followed his movements. And on extreme telephoto, I got about a quarter-inch of his left ear. One thing I hadn’t counted on was that everyone would stand up when he walked in, and the table directly in front of me was loaded with six-footers. Frantically trying to pick him out of the crowd with one eye and following him in a viewfinder with the other, I zoomed and racked to the best of my ability.
As soon as Clinton sat at his table, three Secret Service agents stood in front of my camera; it was time for me to turn the camera and move away. During the 45-minute meal, I could look in his direction, but the camera could not.
It’s Showtime
When he finished eating, Clinton immediately moved to the podium and I had to get my camera in position quickly. I had assumed I would be told I could go back to my position, but that was not an option.
An excellent, charismatic speaker, Clinton gave his exactly 60-minute speech without any notes or a single “um.” He even looked directly into the camera lens at times. When it came time for the Q&A, he spoke 10 minutes on a single question.
What a breeze to tape. After all the rehearsal, it was great to have professional talent, even if he didn’t follow the plan.
When Clinton’s part of the evening was over, the audience was told to remain in the building. No one could enter or exit until his motorcade was safely away.
It amazed me how much work is involved when taping the President. Even after too much rehearsal, we still had to guess what he might do and use our skills to make the program happen. Former presidents are allowed to change the plan — but you don’t get to complain to them about it later.
Chuck Gloman is an award-winning producer/director of photography with more than 800 commercials to his credit. He is also a member of the faculty at DeSales University. Contact him at chuck.gloman@desales.edu.
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