Graffiti Among the Stars

Image credit: Unsplash

The media industry is a rather demanding line of business. It’s hard to deny that being a part of it gives us all a lot of joy and splendour. We work in an environment that for many people seems to be glamorous and mysterious, unapproachable and perhaps even a bit magical. For those who work behind the scenes, it is rather obvious that facing constant challenges and sorting out issues one-by-one gives an addictive dose of adrenaline. It is also known that we pay a fair price for it. On a daily basis, we have to deal with a constantly changing reality, with high demands and even higher expectations, stressful situations and tight deadlines. And still, it is our job to keep the workspace as calm and friendly as possible. It is also our responsibility to make it heaven for those who work under higher pressure than anyone else on the set – the celebrities. 

Sport and motorsport celebrities

I remember when I was on the set of a commercial starring Manchester City players. It was essential to the producer that crew members had experience with working with sports celebrities. First of all, it’s not that obvious that performing in front of a camera is a very different experience from playing a football game. A professional member of a crew understands that footballers are human beings who know how to handle pressure of playing a game, but can still be intimidated by a camera pointed at them from a short distance. 

Graffiti offers highly experienced staff who have worked with sport stars like Robert Lewandowski, Robert Kubica, Jakub Przygoński, Maja Włoszczowska or Justyna Wojciechowska. 

Olek, production manager – about working with Robert Lewandowski, "I have one word in my mind describing Robert Lewandowski – Terminator. Working with him means that you have to present extraordinary organisational skills. Schedule is hectic. Every second counts. Timing has to be perfect. Robert values his time. No wonder, as he has to share it between training and games, his family and other challenging activities like shooting a commercial".  

Marta, producer – about working with Robert Kubica, "First of all, he is very down-to-earth, very kind and modest. He appreciates a sense of humour. Regarding work – he is an extremely busy man with lots of responsibilities and obligations, so working with him means perfect planning and 100% effectiveness on the set. Like with every sportsperson – time is precious". 

Actors, models and singers

Polish productions usually feature Polish actors, models and singers but there were many projects with international, world-known talent. I have in my mind Polish commercials starring Cindy Crawford, Bruce Willis, Sophia Loren, Monica Bellucci, Jean Reno, Robbie Williams, Danny DeVito, John Cleese and many others. We know how important it is to take care of them, to understand and respect their personal needs. They can shine brighter than stars but they are still human beings living under massive pressure, so they need proper care. 

2009 saw a legendary Graffiti project with Danny DeVito. Our entire team was on full alert, when it turned out that Graffiti was going to host a production with the iconic Hollywood star. Right before Danny’s arrival, the crew was quite stressed and ready to give 200% of their best effort and personal skills to make sure the special guest feels good. After about half an hour after he had shown up, it became obvious that Danny DeVito was a cool, relaxed, open-minded and friendly person. They all found common ground immediately. Danny spread his positive energy and it was a really great working experience for every member of the crew. The production team was very well prepared. They even purchased a special sofa for Danny. Apparently, he enjoyed the hospitality and the team’s engagement, because right after the shoot, he invited the producer and PM over to California. And the sofa is still with us in the studio, we call it Danny DeVito’s sofa.

Influencers, gamers and other celebrities

It’s funny that sometimes celebrities are only recognisable for a certain group of people or a certain environment. It may be less stressful for members of a crew to cooperate with the talent, however we must remember that the pressure for a star is probably enormously strong anyway. Everyone on the set deserves respect and understanding as far as their personal needs are concerned. Everyone has a role to play and we always do our best to create an environment in which they can perform the roles in the best possible way.

Kacper, CEO – about working with Leah Alexandra and Jonah Scott: "I was personally involved in this project, so I had a chance to work with Leah and Jonah. It was an amazing experience, where both sides were on the same wavelength. I still remember how I was captivated by their professionalism, propriety and quality of work. Jonah’s travel from the USA took four days, because of pandemic issues. He did not complain even once. It was high quality performance in every single take. Immediately, they both are friendly, kind, warm and modest people who love what they do and can share the passion. I would say that they are not only top-class influencers but most of all top-class people".

Andrzej, production manager – about working with Gamers: Filip 'NEO' Kubski, Michał MICHU Müller and Kuba 'KubiK' Kubiak: "A very friendly and open-minded team. It was a great experience, as they were super interested in everything that was happening on the set. And it was our pleasure to show them everything and make them feel comfortable and relaxed. They were comparing the world of film with the world of video games: how the technology was different or how great it was to experience creating moving images with a camera instead of graphic software. I believe it was quite interesting for everybody. 

The issue with inexperienced crew is that they usually cannot resist the temptation of showing too much affection for a celebrity. Sometimes, they may act like groupies, which is not acceptable on a professional set.  It’s a matter of interpersonal skills, experience and professionalism to know the boundaries and respect them, so that everyone can feel comfortable and safe. We can imagine how hard it is to work under pressure, far from one’s home and close ones, how emotionally exhausting it may be to impersonate different characters. That is why we put hospitality and safety first, so if you’d like to invite a world-famous talent to your project and shoot it in Poland with our Graffiti Team – you could not make a better choice.