Top Production Challenges During Comic-Con

San Diego Comic-Con 2017 is right around the corner and we’re in full pre-production mode. We’ll be producing live programming for 2 different clients at this year’s event. As we start to book resources and plan for each project, we felt it was appropriate to share what we’ve learned from prior years. Here’s our breakdown of the top production challenges during Comic-Con.

Rentals

Securing resources can be one of the biggest production challenges during Comic-Con. As with most projects, planning in advance is key. That’s especially true with equipment. Making sure you have everything you need PLUS spares is crucial. If you’re light on cabling or missing a converter, it can be very challenging to find what you need locally. We like to account for all of our cable runs, mics and IFBs and then ask our rental house to double down on the order.

Parking

Parking, parking, parking. Parking is a challenge for everyone during Comic-Con, including the production crew. The 1^st two days of Comic-Con are a little more manageable, but the weekends get downright crazy. We typically try to find a hotel that will let us rent a few spots for the week so we have space in our back pocket if needed. Otherwise, we encourage our crew to carpool or Lyft whenever possible.

Production Crews

Having worked Comic-Con before, we have local crew that we prefer to work with every year. But we know that bookings can fill up fast and people aren’t guaranteed to be available. Finding the right production crew during Comic-Con can be a challenge. It’s important to put people on hold early and if your “go-to” isn’t available, ask for referrals (and vet accordingly).

Travel

There aren’t a ton of direct flight options into San Diego from the east coast and at 4-months out, hotels are already going for $1,000/night. As with everything else, the key is to plan early. Most car rentals and hotels will let you cancel your reservation within a certain window. We try to book rooms as far in advance as we can, even if we’re still trying to finalize contracts with our clients. AirBnb’s are also great options in the event hotels are too outrageous. What better way to feel like a San Diegan than taking over a native’s home for the week?

Stay tuned for more updates over the next few weeks as Comic-Con quickly approaches.