Shooting commercials indoors was no easy feat as the team may have to deal with ambient noise, cross-room communication, and real-time cue-giving. With these challenges to tackle in a beer commercial shoot, Shedrack Salami, a Nigerian filmmaker/cinematographer/editor/visual artist, chose WiTalk9 to streamline his on-set communication, contributing to the smooth shooting experience for a local beer brand.
(Shedrack Salami, director of photography, in a Lagos bar for the beer commercial shoot.)
Noisy Bar
Set in an an Irish bar in Lagos, the film set was a noisy place in its nature — it was filled with music, chatter, and ambient sounds. "Communicating effectively in such an environment is a huge challenge," says Shedrack, who was the director of photography for this project.
(The actors, actress, and the film crew at the bar.)
Messaging Within A Spread-out Team
The beer commercial was shot with the effort of an 8-person team, covering lighting, camera operation, production assistants, and the director. "With lighting, camera setups, and props spread out across the location, it's hard to coordinate everyone, especially when they're in different parts of the set."
Timing Needs to Be Perfect
Included in the commercial are scenes where beer needs to be poured from the container and people cheer and toast together at the right moment. Coordination between the camera crew and the rest of the departments means the make or break of the scenes.
To tackle the challenges mentioned above, Shedrack's team used to rely on walkie-talkies and WhatsApp for coordinated teamwork. Though proved to be effective to some extent, there were less than ideal for team talks at a film set — WhatsApp needs to operate on a data subscription. In areas where the network is poor, communication suffers. Walkie-talkies provide instant communication but are prone to interferences, resulting in unclear message delivery.
"Clear audio and strong connection"
Out of the 8 people involved in the commercial shoot, 5 were using WiTalk9 — the director, DOP, assistant director, gaffer, and camera assistant. When talking about shooting the commercial in the noisy bar, Shedrack says: "WiTalk9’s clear audio and strong connection, even in the noisy bar, made a big difference. It allowed us to stay focused, avoid delays, and deliver a polished commercial on time. It really helped us overcome all these challenges."
“Kept everything moving smoothly”
Spread out in and out of the bar are departments of the filmmaking crew. The production assistant, who was in the staging area outdoors, used WiTalk9 to let the rest of the team know when additional props and equipment were ready to be brought in. "...which kept everything moving smoothly," says Shedrack.
"Everyone was ready on cue"
In the commercial, there are scenes that require coordinated efforts to make. "While setting up the hero shot of the draught beer being poured, the gaffer needed to fine-tune the backlighting to highlight the golden liquid. With WiTalk9, I could give precise instructions instantly, saving us time and ensuring the shot was perfect. For the last toast scene, extras needed to cheer and toast their glasses at the exact moment the camera rolled. The assistant director used WiTalk9 to communicate with me and other key crew members, ensuring that everyone was ready and on cue."
(Shedrack Salami in the middle of the shoot where the extras toasted.)
As of December 2024, the WiTalk9 and WiTalk9 SE are available in 36 countries and regions worldwide, with their availability continuing to expand.
Any content creation teams, filmmakers, and rental companies are encouraged to head to https://www.saramonic.com/buy/find-the-city to find their local distributor for a free demo and hands-on experience.
