San Carlos Studio Helps Out of Town Production
Brooklyn Filmmakers Thrive
The filmmaking community is vast, and while Meets the Eye Studios is a prominent location for Bay Area filmmakers, it’s also a preferred choice for many out-of-town productions as well. This was the case for Already Alive, a production studio based out of Brooklyn, New York. Spearheaded by filmmaker Michael Marantz,Already Alive specializes in short-format documentary films.
In this particular case, Already Alive was contracted out by a Bay Area client. The production had several constraints in addition to needing a local studio for shooting, including a large size, green screen, and meeting spaces. “We chose Meets the Eye particularly because the size of the space was perfect for our needs,” said Noah Meisner, a Producer with Already Alive. “Having green screen options and great client/holding areas was also an important factor that played into our decision. We also needed a space close to the client’s head office, which worked out perfectly with Meets The Eye.”
The production was booked for two days; during that time, the entire facility — both Studio A and Studio B — and the rest of the amenities (holding areas, conference room, green rooms, offices, commercial-quality kitchen) were used by Already Alive. Before the actual shooting time, though, Meets the Eye’s team was already working to accommodate Already Alive’s needs, starting with a pre-production tech scout at the facility. In addition, Meets the Eye accommodated several specific pre-shoot requests from Already Alive: “We had a bunch of gear that needed to be shipped from the East coast, they received our gear ahead of the shoot for us,” said Meisner. “They painted the floor for us and matched the color scheme we needed.”
As for the actual shoot, things went exceedingly well for Already Alive, and part of that came from Meets the Eye’s on-the-fly support. “I would say the best part about our experience was the flexibility and a genuine support we got from Marshall and the Meets The Eye Studios team,” said Meisner. “They were quick to accommodate us with a number of requests and helped to make the entire shoot as painless as possible.”
All of this occurred while keeping an eye on the bottom line. Meets the Eye Studioslikes to view itself as the studio that’s for filmmakers, by filmmakers. Because of that, Meets the Eye works to be flexible for a production’s special needs, and this case was no different. In addition to the logistical support, Meets the Eye worked with Already Alive’s budget constraints. “They gave us a great deal on both studios and helped us to stay with in our budget,” said Meisner.
Having never worked with a Bay Area studio before, Meisner and the Already Alive team left Meets the Eye with a great first impression. Should they come back to the Bay Area for a production, they know who to call. “Honestly,” said Meisner, “everything was perfect for our needs.”
Whether you’re in the Bay Area or arriving for a location shoot, San Carlos-based Meets the Eye Studios is the premiere choice for filmmakers. Featuring one of the Bay Area’s largest pre-lit green screens and an immaculate facility with commercial-quality kitchen, Meets the Eye is available for booking single sound stages or the entire facility. See for yourself by scheduling a free tour today.
