Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/466366
www.postmagazine.com 16 POST FEBRUARY 2015 n an issue focused on unscripted television and the unique chal- lenges of producing and posting shows for the genre, it only seems fi tting to look at one of Food Network's most highly-rated series. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, starring culinary host Guy Fieri, is twice nominated for the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Reality Program. Food Network rolled out the series in 2006, with Fieri at the wheel of his red '68 Camaro, driving cross coun- try, visiting some of America's favorite self-proclaimed diners, drive-ins and dives. There, he spends time with each establishment's owners in their respec- tive kitchens and samples the signature dishes along the way. While the show gives off a casual, easy/breezy vibe, with the laid-back, spikey-haired California host enjoying some good food with friends and seem- ingly driving himself to and from each destination, what goes on behind the scenes is a diff erent story. Literally from soup to nuts (an analogy just too perfect here to pass up), tackling everything from talent relations and network relations, scheduling, logistics and research to the production, post, managing the deliver- ables and creating behind-the-scenes extras, blooper specials and other online exclusives, is full-service, Denver-based production and post house Citizen Pic- tures (www.citizenpictures.com). "We literally do everything on the show," says Kat Higgins, executive producer, who points out that while the show began in 2006, "Citizen acquired it about four-and-a-half years ago, and since then, we've managed every aspect of the production. There isn't any single piece or part of this show that is pro- duced out of the Citizen umbrella." This, of course, includes the logistics of that red Camaro. "We can be on a shoot in New York and literally 10 days later be shooting in San Francisco, so the car has to get transported across the country," adds Frank Matson, CEO, who continues that the production "is a well-oiled machine. That's the one comment we get from so many people, 'I can't believe how tight your crew is,' and 'I can't believe what you get accom- plished in a day.' We sort of have to, be- cause we have a limited time with Guy. We just came back from Bakersfi eld, CA. We shot nine restaurants in three days." In order to pull off the production and post, as well as some of its other projects, the 15,000-square-foot Cit- izen Pictures relies on its roughly 15 edit suites, stages, sound sweetening services, graphics, FX, editing and more (there's an estimated 100 full-time and independent staff ers), with around 20 staff in the fi eld and another 10 to 15 in post, dedicated to Diners, Drive Ins and Dives ("Triple D") exclusively. "It's a very extensive process — it takes a long time before we come into a town, to narrow it down to restaurants that meet the criteria of the show," says Matson. Once they do, two full crews are work- ing in tandem. So, two full crews that are assigned to their own individual shoot locations or restaurants go out and shoot several days of B roll before Fieri even comes to town. "We have a fi eld pro- ducer, a DP, a second camera, audio, an associate producer, and production assis- tant on each crew," says Higgins. "Then that is duplicated for a second crew. In FOOD NETWORK'S DINERS, DRIVE-INS AND DIVES BY LINDA ROMANELLO PRODUCING AND POSTING A CULINARY TREAT I Host Guy Fieri sampling local grub and (opposite page) touring in his '68 Camaro. The show shoots on Panasonic HDX-500s and Canon 5Ds. PRIMETIME PHOTO COURTESY OF FOOD NETWORK