“Breathe First, Then Act” – Laura Diez on Bringing Clarity, Diligence, and Razor-Sharp Problem-Solving to Set

Laura Diez is an executive producer and founder of Camino, a new-generation service production company based in Spain, Portugal, and Poland.

With over 15 years of experience in the advertising industry across Spain, Portugal, and South Africa, she has produced work for leading brands and production companies worldwide.

Her work at Camino is grounded in a practical and caring approach to production: addressing complex, high-profile projects through structured support, collaborative processes, efficient workflows, and adaptive problem-solving.

LBB> Can you walk us through your journey in the production service industry?

Laura> I started as an intern, and I never looked back. From day one, I was hooked. After a brief adventure in Cape Town, I returned to Spain, where I’ve been fully immersed in service production ever since, and now in Portugal and Poland too.

I take pride in crafting smart, agile solutions for even the most challenging shoots, with heart, hustle, and a deep love for this beautiful industry.

LBB> What are some of the most challenging productions you’ve worked on and how did you overcome those challenges?

Laura> Orchestrating a full-speed horse race down Madrid’s iconic Gran Vía is up there, but we’ve seen it all. Every high-stakes shoot is a puzzle, and I love the thrill of finding creative and efficient solutions to the biggest challenges.

LBB> What key qualities do you believe set your company apart from others in the industry?

Laura> We’re a young, passionate, and detail-obsessed team. We care about every frame, every location, and every crew member. We believe that warmth and dedication translate into top-tier results. For us, it is about creating something extraordinary together. Also, we are super proud to say that we are one of the few women-owned service companies in Spain.

LBB> Can you share the most extreme example of a major issue that arose during a shoot and how your team resolved it?

Laura> We once had a 70-crew-member shoot planned on the coast: permits secured, gear loaded, crew ready, golden hour perfectly timed. But the usually very reliable Spanish weather had other plans: a freak torrential rainstorm hit the area, flooding access roads hours before the first shot.

We took four hours to rearrange, scouting and securing an alternative location, reworking the schedule, redirecting all logistics, and communicating the changes to every department.

The entire crew pivoted with us, and we arrived in time to capture the golden hour, making the new location as visually striking as the original one.

LBB> What strategies do you employ to maintain calm during high-pressure situations?

Laura> Breathe first, then act.

Staying calm is about curating a team you can trust, knowing the plan inside out and being flexible enough to change it in a heartbeat. When things go sideways, panic helps no one. We cultivate presence, clarity, and a sense of humour.

LBB> How do you approach location scouting, and what factors are most important to you in this process?

Laura> Scouting is part instinct, part experience, and part obsession. We love the hunt. Sometimes, from the moment you read a brief or a script, very specific places come to mind right away.

Then the challenge evolves: the place you imagined needs to be completely private and secure as you are shooting with a celebrity. Suddenly, it’s not just about the site, but everything it needs to hold. Location scouting is one of the most creative parts of what we do. It’s where imagination meets problem-solving in real-time.

LBB> Are there any principles you always go back to manage budget constraints without compromising on production quality?

Laura> Knowing where things are and where they need to be is a big part of what we do. In other words, we know how to read the room when it comes to money. We understand what a budget can do, and more importantly, what it needs to do to protect a creative vision. That comes from a mix of experience and a strong awareness of how fast the industry can evolve.

For us, it’s about working smart, not big. With the right team, you find smart efficiencies: casting local talent, building agile crews, choosing adaptable locations, nimble units for simultaneous B-roll or social media, and planning tightly to get the most out of every shoot day.

LBB> What’s most important to ensure you’re working well with local crews and talent?

Laura> It starts with bringing in the right people, not just for their skills, but for how they think, collaborate, and adapt. We look for crew and talent who are generous with their craft, who understand the rhythm of a shoot, and who take pride in what they contribute.

From there, it’s about creating a space where people feel respected, well-informed, and part of something worthwhile. If those two things are in place – the right people and the right atmosphere – everything else tends to follow.

LBB> How do you foster strong relationships with clients to encourage repeat partnerships?

Laura> We’re helping clients feel grounded in a new country, often while facing pressure and tight deadlines. That means we bring clarity, diligence, and razor-sharp problem-solving to issues before they even surface. What we build is confidence, and that confidence is what allows the experience to be enjoyable. I believe clients return not just because the shoot ran smoothly, but because they felt genuinely looked after in a way that goes beyond production.

LBB> There are of course fundamentals that remain, but all industries are changing rapidly these days. How do you see the production service industry evolving in the next five years?

Laura> I see faster timelines, evolving workflows, and tighter budgets but also a growing demand for transparency, agility, and smarter use of resources. Clients are looking for partners who can adapt quickly, think clearly under pressure, and deliver high-quality work without unnecessary overhead. I believe Camino fits naturally into that future.

LBB> If you could give one piece of advice to clients looking for production services, what would it be?

Laura> Find a partner who knows how to deliver, not just technically, but with care, clarity, and consistency. There’s a lot at stake in any production, and the right team doesn’t add noise, they bring solutions.

Like any smart decision, it comes down to valuing proven experience, creative thinking, reliability, and cost-efficiency. That’s what makes the difference, and in this industry, that’s what earns trust.