EPISODE
58
Season 2, Episode 19: 12 Part Series - The Creative Process - Logistics
EPISODE LINKS.
SHOW NOTES.
Natalie McFarland introduces McFarland Minutes and explains the show’s weekly Sunday release, then continues the 12-step creative process at step six: logistics. She and Ryan discuss coordinating logistics across clients, crew, and talent, including travel, scheduling, permitting, and contingency planning, while noting legal considerations (logos, site rules, copyrights) but skipping them since they aren’t lawyers. Ryan describes learning a “poke holes” mentality from student government to anticipate what can go wrong, prompting stories about unexpected disruptions like a seagull stealing a hot dog and a peacock interrupting an interview. They emphasize planning for external factors (weather, noise, locations), staying calm under pressure, and ensuring a logistics lead is on-site and aligned with the director and talent. They also highlight cross-trained crews and the need to pivot quickly when plans change, and preview step seven: onsite execution.
00:00 Welcome to McFarland Minutes
00:35 Step Six Logistics Begins
00:51 What Logistics Covers
01:55 Skipping the Legal Talk
02:34 Poke Holes Mindset
05:04 Seagull Hot Dog Lesson
06:44 Weather and Backup Plans
07:52 Peacock Interview Chaos
10:28 Who Owns Logistics
14:00 Cross Training the Crew
16:25 When the Client Changes Plans
19:10 Prep Builds Confidence
21:31 Calm Leadership Under Pressure
25:07 Rewriting the Story Onsite
28:28 Wrap Up and Next Step
ABOUT THIS EPISODE.
Mastering Logistics: A Behind-The-Scenes Look at the Creative Process
Welcome to McFarland Minutes! In this edition, we delve into the often-overlooked yet critically essential stage of the creative process: logistics. Hosted by Natalie McFarland, founder and president of McFarland Productions and director at Off Your Rocker Films, join us as we explore how logistics serve as the backbone of successful productions.
Introduction to McFarland Minutes
In each episode of McFarland Minutes, Natalie guides us through the nitty-gritty of filmmaking, from deleted scenes and in-depth campaign reviews to invaluable lessons on mentorship and leadership in the creative industry. Released every Sunday, these episodes offer a soft launch to your week, preparing you for the challenging yet rewarding world of creative production.
Step Six of the 12-Step Creative Process: Logistics
As we reach the sixth step in our 12-step creative process, we dive into logistics, which is often considered the most challenging part. We’ve journeyed through problem identification, ideation, goal determination, strategy, and storyboarding, leading us to this complex phase. Logistics involves planning on multiple fronts—client coordination, team mobilization, talent management, travel, scheduling, permitting, and more.
The Importance of Poking Holes in Plans
Ryan, a team member at McFarland Productions, shares invaluable insights from his past experiences in student government, where he learned the critical skill of identifying potential problems in plans. This “poke holes” mentality helps anticipate and accommodate unforeseen factors, enabling quick adaptation when plans inevitably deviate.
Unexpected Challenges and Adaptability
Logistics involve preparing for the unexpected, whether it’s unpredictable weather, equipment malfunctions, or even peculiar occurrences like a peacock with perfect comedic timing disrupting a crucial interview. As Natalie and Ryan discuss, having backup plans and staying flexible is crucial to navigating these unanticipated hurdles on set.
Balancing Team Roles and Communication
One key to effective logistics is clear communication and understanding the capabilities of every team member. Whether dealing with food poisoning that sidelines a crew member or needing an extra camera operator unexpectedly, knowing who can step in where is invaluable. Ryan emphasizes the importance of knowing each team member’s skills and the necessity of having cross-trained individuals who can adapt as required.
The Calm Amidst the Storm: Leadership in Logistics
A critical aspect of logistics is maintaining calm, composed leadership on set, even when plans go awry. Natalie highlights how essential it is to instill confidence in clients and talent by staying calm, even if chaos is simmering beneath the surface. The ability to guide a team through shifts and changes with a sense of urgency without panic is vital to keeping the production on track.
Conclusion: Preparing for Onsite Productions
This exploration of logistics marks the midpoint of our series. We’ve covered problem identification, ideation, goal determination, strategy, storyboarding, and logistics. Next, we’ll delve into onsite production management, where limited time and coordination take center stage. Join us for our upcoming episode in July as we continue our deep dive into the creative process, promising an insightful exploration of onsite logistics.
Until then, thank you for joining McFarland Minutes as we dissect logistics, an essential gear in the production machine that ensures the seamless execution of creative visions. Stay tuned for a jingle in the next round!
IN THIS EPISODE.
Ryan Lee
Creative Content Manager, McFarland Productions
Starting as the Intern in 2023, Ryan is now the Post-Production Editor and has joined the team full time. His creativity and organization play a crucial role in quickly creating unique content all across the board, however with a core focus on video production. Ryan grew up in Gladstone, OR, where he spent time playing sports, on the water, and in the mountains. He attended Oregon State University where he got his Bachelors Degree in Digital Communication Arts. Although Oregon will always be his home, he spent previous years in Tennessee, and now lives in Connecticut. In his free time he enjoys cooking just as much as eating, and if you can do both outside, all is good in the world.
After spending time filming and editing countless events, sports, adventures and more, Ryan’s main action in the company is to organize, edit, and export content. Whether it’s 30 minutes and horizontal or 30 seconds and vertical, moving or still, he’ll take care of it.
ABOUT YOUR HOSTS.
NATALIE MCFARLAND
PRESIDENT, FOUNDER
MCFARLAND PRODUCTIONS
After freelancing her way through college, Natalie established McFarland Productions in 2014, which has continued to grow rapidly over the last few years. Her passion and focus have always remained the same; capturing, understanding, preserving and promoting Ranching, Farming, Western Lifestyle and AgriBusiness. She has always had a love for the western culture and even at a young age it was unmistakably clear she would someday find a career serving the industry.
Natalie grew up on a small ranch, rodeoed, showed horses in a variety of disciplines, showed livestock, and participated in 4H and Oregon High School Equestrian Teams. She has trained herding dogs and started colts, worked with sheep and cattle and has had the experience of racing to finish up a hayfield before a rainstorm hit. She understands the joys, sorrows, wins, losses and hard work of ranchers and farmers. That’s why McFarland Productions can produce authentic marketing campaigns for the businesses, organizations, events, and brands of the western and agriculture industry – it’s who she is.
With a passion for building community surrounding brands, Natalie focuses on building real connections between companies/brands and the people that make up their community. Telling the stories of your customers and making them apart of the brand’s story is her main focus. Creating real, human, meaningful connections and strengthening community within the western and agriculture industry through strategic marketing services.
SCOUT FOSTER
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC STORYTELLING
MCFARLAND PRODUCTIONS
Scout’s faithfulness to the agriculture and western sports industry is rooted in tradition. Growing up in Central Florida, she stood by her family as they supported different sectors of the industry, including raising beef cattle, bucking bulls for local rodeos, and spending weekends with her grandparents who lived on Disney’s Wilderness Preserve.
Moving away from The Mouse, Scout graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Nation’s top agricultural communications college at Texas Tech University in 2022.
Now residing in Crockett, she and her husband, Lane, keep busy raising beef cattle and bucking bulls with her family. Scout also loves gardening, raising chickens, reading, and her two dogs: Rue and Dill.
