When should a Producer think like a Grip?

In short - when it comes to safety. This was an Ad I produced for Swatch watches a few years

back. The idea had been sold to the client with no consideration of how to accomplish it.

That's where my former experience as a grip prove valuable. I devised a way of rigging the

camera assistant (we couldn't find an actor willing to take the job) to the helicopter with black

full body harness and braided nylon rope. The shot was taken from a second helicopter. Sometimes it's helpful to have a Producer that knows his knots.

#photo