Operations – Behind the Scenes at Recce Atelier

At Recce Atelier, our operations are grounded in discipline, discretion, and an obsessive attention to detail. We believe that a flawless shoot is built long before the first take. Our team orchestrates every layer of production logistics — from scouting to staging, clearing to clean-up — to allow directors, photographers, and brands to focus on what matters: the frame.

This page unpacks our operational approach, using the language of the industry. Whether you're prepping a stills shoot or a full TVC, here's how we think, move, and deliver.

Location Scouting

Every project starts with a location scout — a dedicated team member who interprets the creative brief and finds real-world environments to match. Our scouts are part fixer, part creative, part logistician.

Through recce (or go-see) sessions, we document multiple environments through panoramic photography, light orientation studies, and reference angles to build a shortlist that anticipates your shot list and storyboard.

Scouting is not just about visuals. It's about understanding ambient sound, potential for crew access, basecamp feasibility, and the surrounding logistics. Our location scouts work with assistant location managers to prep the terrain before any technical team sets foot on it.

We scout for:

  • Daylight control (dawn/dusk orientation)

  • Parking and unit base setup

  • Power needs and access

  • Foreground/background composition opportunities

Location Management

Once the location is shortlisted, our location manager steps in. They are responsible for location management from A to Z — including negotiations, agreements, and on-site supervision.

They lead the charge in clearing the location, working with municipal offices, private owners and regulatory bodies to secure your filming permit, complete resident letters, and initiate all notifications.

Once ready, we proceed to locking down the location:

  • Final confirmation of availability and control

  • Signatures on location agreements

  • Confirmation of location fees and payment schedule

The location manager is also responsible for:

  • Site breakdown (analysis of each scene's needs by location)

  • Managing the holding/staging area for equipment and talent

  • Maintaining the space during the shoot (noise, privacy, traffic)

  • Supervising the return to original state post-shoot

Throughout this process, we liaise daily with the director, producer, line producer and 1st AD to ensure alignment with the working schedule.

Tech Recces & Production Logistics

A tech scout (or technical recce) is critical. It’s the moment when heads of department (DOP, gaffer, art director, 1st AD) visit the location with our crew to test and anticipate the technical flow.

We prepare:

  • Full call sheet for all departments

  • Ground maps for blocking, parking, and camera placement

  • Test footage for cutaway shots, dirty frames, or crowd shots if needed

  • Light and sun path documentation

  • Audio assessment of ambient sound (for sync sound shoots)

The fixer acts as the local anchor — streamlining communications with owners, city officials and vendors, and unblocking anything that slows production.

On-the-Ground Execution

During the shoot, the location manager and assistant location manager are the first in and last out. Their job is to hold the space, manage any changes, and keep the production stress-free.

They coordinate:

  • Crew / film unit access

  • Clean restrooms, set water, trash protocol

  • Quiet zones, crowd control

  • Back-up plans in case of weather, sound, or daylight shifts

We provide:

  • Power (genny trucks, cables, silence mode setups)

  • Shade / shelter / security

  • Check-ins with city or location owners when needed

Every day ends with an update to the call sheet, noting changes in call time, crew movement, or location notes.

Post-Shoot & Close Out

After wrap, we manage all return operations:

  • Final walk-through with property owners

  • Damage reporting and repairs if necessary

  • Return to original state protocol

  • Final payment settlements for location fee and crew

Our team closes the file with full transparency, including:

  • Invoices and permits archive

  • Insurance letters

  • Digital report with continuity shots for future use

Our Philosophy

Running operations is not just about permits or parking. It’s about creating an environment where creative risk can happen without technical stress.

We do this through a mindset that blends:

  • The elegance of set dressing

  • The structure of military-grade scheduling

  • The warmth of local understanding

  • The precision of continuity and logistics

We are not a vendor. We are part of your unit.

Whether you shoot in a villa at golden hour or on a windswept alpine pass, we make sure the take happens clean, safe, and as briefed.

Recce Atelier. Nothing left to chance — and nothing in the frame by accident.