“There’s no better sense of accomplishment than finishing up season one of a renovation show. The transformation of each home never gets old.” Our Texas Director of Photography, Roger Woodruff, raved about shooting for HGTV’s newest home reno show, “Flip or Flop Ft. Worth. He shot nine episodes (ten including the pilot) and is really proud of it.
From Fixer Upper to Flip or Flop Ft. Worth
Our Texas Director of Photography is no stranger to home renovation shows. He shot the sizzle, pilot and first three seasons of Fixer Upper with none other than Chip and Joanna Gaines. So he was in his comfort zone when he got the call to shoot another show like Fixer – respectfully HGTV’s top reno show. Ashley and Andy Williams are hopefully next in line.
Creating Consistency for Flip or Flop Ft. Worth
What did he find to be one of the most important aspects of shooting Flip or Flop Ft. Worth? Creating a consistent look throughout the entire season. One method he used for this was using only primes lenses for on-the-fly interviews. If he was outdoors or in a large room he used the Canon F1.2 85mm. If he was indoors he used the Canon F1.2 50mm lens. The interviews are sharp and the background has the bokeh (milky/out of focus look) that everyone loves.
How Is Flip or Flop Ft. Worth Different?
He says “Flip or Flop Ft. Worth” will stand out from the other Flip or Flop shows is because of how he covered the open houses. To get a genuine and real reaction from potential buyers he set up GoPros throughout the houses. It had a Big Brother feel to it. He felt that by backing off from covering all the action with the larger cameras, he could capture more real reactions “secretly.”
GoPro Karma Drones and DJI Ronins
“We brought out all the toys for this show.” He said on top of awesome prime lenses and creative GoPro placement, he used the GoPro Karma Drone and a DJI Ronin. The drone was used for scenics, before and afters of the homes and B-roll. The ronin was used for scene work throughout the season like house walkthroughs. The shot from behind Ashley and Andy as they walk up to the front door of each house is a visual staple to the show.
Our Texas Director of Photography had so much fun working on this show for RTR Media – the crew, Ashley and Andy, the experience – all highlights of the season for him. He hopes that the viewers love Ashley and Andy as much as he does. As they say at the end of every Flip or Flop… “On to the next one.”