Have you ever wondered how those beautiful shots make it to our YouTube channel? Well, even though I work for Pasta Grannies, I was a little blind to it. This week, I got to witness the magic first-hand and what I discovered was a lot of unexpected. Did you know about these things.
Rearranging the Kitchen
We often have to so a little bit of a furniture re-arrange. Tables are moved deliberately, to make room for cameras, tripods, and crew, as well as where our grandmothers will have the most space to roam and cook as they normally would, yet we can capture the whole thing with ease.
Often the table has to be turned to face the right aspect of lighting. Of course we always remember to move it back when we’re done, and take extra care not to damage sentimental pots or ceramics while doing so. It’s the unofficial work-out of our camera men; their arms are strong as well sturdy.
Lights, Parchment Paper, Action!
Italian homes are beautiful, but often aren’t best set up for filming. The natural light tends to not be bright enough, and the overhead bulbs tend to have too much glare for filming.
Sheets of baking paper are clipped to the lights to soften the glare and reduce harsh shadows. It’s an improvised solution, but it works! Once this is done, we’ll use a sheet of the paper or a napkin to check the white balance.
Livia’s Recipe Bible Notebook
Granny Finder Livia arrives with her notebook already open, pages filled with quick sketches and tightly written notes.
Her fingers move quickly as she overhears specific verbal instructions the grannies given.
And she adds measurements, small corrections, or specific methods as they’re uttered. It’s something that can absolutely never be left behind.
Fluffy friends
The household’s fluffy friends are much loved and very alert to activity. Of course, they want to sniff out the action (especially if it’s a delicious ragu).
Once we have given them a cuddle, sometimes they have to be taken to other rooms; a pasta pup can ruin a take with one big bark. They’re let out as soon as though as we always want them to come back.
Extendable Antics
Running through the kitchen is a surprisingly complicated series of extension cables. They trail across the floor and behind furniture, carefully arranged to power cameras, sound equipment, and lights. By the end of the day we’re often all limited on charge.
It’s something viewers never see, but it underpins everything that happens on screen.
Liked this? For more longer reads from our travels, visit our blog archive.
