Yellowstone Live Promo
Role: Production Coordinator
Client: National Geographic
Type: Branded Content / Broadcast Promo
Scope: Multi-unit production across Yellowstone National Park
Team: Evolve Studios
The Challenge
The Yellowstone Live Promo was developed to promote an upcoming live event airing on National Geographic. The promo needed to evoke the scale, energy, and immersive experience of the future event, using cinematic landscapes and staged “behind-the-scenes” moments to simulate anticipation.
Filming took place in one of the most heavily visited national parks in the United States during its busiest season, creating complications around accommodations, travel, and access to key locations. The shooting schedule required multiple production units to operate across different regions of the park simultaneously, occasionally rotating talent and crew between units to maximize coverage and efficiency. The complexity of geography, timing, and personnel required highly structured coordination to keep the production on track.
Approach & Execution
To manage the complex schedule, I built a production matrix that mapped each crew member’s daily start and end locations, and cross-unit rotations. This system allowed leadership to visualize the entire production flow at a glance, anticipate conflicts, and strategically deploy talent across locations. The matrix became a central operational tool that ensured efficient movement across the park’s expansive terrain.
Addressing the lodging shortage required persistence and adaptability. I contacted every available hotel in the surrounding areas daily, tracking cancellations and securing accommodations as availability opened. This proactive strategy ultimately allowed us to house the full crew despite peak-season constraints. In parallel, I developed a detailed pre-production book and travel kit to streamline on-site execution and minimize uncertainty once the team arrived.