Grinder Films is Cape Town’s only dedicated tabletop studio: specialists in food, liquid and product commercials. Home to
Tabletop and performance director/DOP Rob Payton, the studio is available for both full-service productions and dry-hire rentals.
WHERE WERE YOU TEN YEARS AGO? Living and working in Munich as a producer, bringing Tabletop work from Pepsico to Alchemy in Cape Town. Rob was shooting and directing documentaries and commercials in London. I was aware of his work but it wasn’t till I moved back to Cape Town and Rob emigrated here that we actually met. That’s when the idea for Grinder was born.
HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED IN THE LAST DECADE? In the tabletop world, it has changed beyond recognition. We used to shoot high speed on PhotoSonics, which were un-wealdy beasts developed for military testing. They would churn through I 000 ft of 35mm film in 18 seconds and the lighting requirements were unbelievable. For a producer, it was nerve racking, and a far cry from the Phantom Flex systems here today. Artistically there is now much more integration of product and live action, so we enjoy much more creative input.
BIGGEST LEARNING CURVE? Starting Grinder after being a photographer and producer all my life has been a near vertical learning curve – between us we need to keep on top of the ever-changing landscape of cameras, post, and shooting styles.
BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT? Digital cameras. You can see what you get on set. Risk and costs have come down and quality has gone up. The food technology and the substitutes we use have also improved greatly.
HIGHLIGHT? Having clients watch our show reel montage and ask if it’s lunchtime. That’s the emotion great tabletop’s supposed to evoke.
TEN YEAR GOAL? To become one of the most respected food and product facilities in the world – a real centre for excellence. To streamline productions so they do not split their shoots but film their product and food shots at Grinder while doing the live action in Cape Town.
David Rowley, Executive producer
david@grinderfilms.com
Rob Payton
director/DOProb@grinderfilms.com
tel: +27 21 486 8610
fax: +27 86 651 3577
www.grinderfilms.com
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