Implemented COVID safety protocols across departments for Discovery+’s food truck competition series.
Burger Truck Brawl is a Discovery+ reality competition series in which food truck teams face off to build the best burger. As COVID-19 Compliance Production Manager, I implemented COVID safety protocols across departments, managing testing logistics, scheduling, and safety resources to protect cast and crew.
Behind the Scenes
Where were you?
Started in San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle, and Oregon
What’s the moment things went sideways?
This was a travel show during the pandemic, so any day could change in an instant. I had to make sure the whole crew stayed safe during our travels, and if a test ever came back positive, it was up to me to isolate that person and work with the production crew and producers to find a solution. I always had to have a plan B up my sleeve and ready to go.
A crew or cast story that still gets told
Our last city was Seattle, and during that final week of filming before we had to pack everything up, a group of us would walk to the public market in the morning to see the city, wander around, grab some coffee, and enjoy the morning before the heat set in. That summer had some record heat waves, so the morning was really our only window to explore the city and escape the heat.
What would a viewer never guess?
We had to film and interview around 30 people just to get the footage we wanted. Not everyone wants to be on television, so it takes a lot of “no’s” before you get a “yes.” Filming with food adds another layer of “camera ready” too. Before any dish goes on camera, it goes through a styling phase so the plate we want to showcase looks good and delicious on screen.
What were you actually running day to day?
I had to report to the production crew daily to let them know if there were any issues with the tests. Once that was confirmed, we would go over the day’s plan to make sure all cast and crew were following CDC guidelines. Because we were traveling to different cities, we also had to make sure the crew stayed isolated so we didn’t start any domino effects.
What are you proudest of on this one?
Traveling up the coast from San Diego to Seattle made for a great summer. We were a cast and crew of about 30 people, and we traveled together and stayed safe the whole way. We relied on each other to stay in our bubble and keep both the cities and ourselves safe. It was a great way to spend a summer and see the golden coast.