This month we have interviewed for first time a professional from the advertising production industry; Olga Jabal, executive producer for Twenty-Four Seven. This service company based in Barcelona and Madrid has over 10 years experience working on projects from big budget film productions to small viral. Samsung: The Delveloper; Nivea: Bring it on; Nike: Winner stays or Smart: Skate for two, are some of the last spots produced by this company and shot in Barcelona.

During the Last years, Barcelona Film Commission has been increasingly involved with commercial shootings. What has this meant to you?

For us it has been a great help. The Film Commissions play an important role in features film productions and they should play the same role in some commercial shootings. The support that the Film Commissions gives us as well as the dialogue with the institutions is Key to do some commercial shootings with high complexity.

The commercial shootings in Barcelona rose by 22’5% between 2012 and 2013 (from 982 to 1.203 productions). What do you think is the reason for this increase? What advice would you give us to improve coexistence between the shooting and the city?

Barcelona is a superb set for both its locations and the quality of its professionals (technical and artistic) and the suppliers, so it’s logical to think that commercial shootings will keep increasing.
In my opinion, to improve coexistence between the city and shooting we have to make use of our empathy and logic. Many things are possible to do, you should know when and where you can do it. There are thinks you cannot do on Monday morning, but you will be able to do them Sunday. Once we have found this balance, the institutions should encourage the shooting permits according to these assumptions.

What kind of locations are the most requested by the foreign customers? When you choose Barcelona, for what locations usually yo do?

The truth is that Barcelona offers all types of locations; beaches, parks, streets or unique buildings. There is always a good reason to come rolling in Barcelona.

What is the most surprising and spectacular shooting you have filmed in Barcelona?

It’s a long list; we had them in all sizes and colours! But from the last years I remember a Ford’s shooting in the diving pool with Martin Campbell; a Microsoft shooting with Erich Joiner and Bob Richardson; the first Qatar Airways campaign as a FCB’s sponsor with Nick Gordon; or the last Nike’s campaign for the world cup with Ringan Ledwige.

What do you propose to keep attractive Barcelona as a commercial productions’ set?

In my opinion, to be more competitive than other Spanish cities or from other countries, we should expedite the permits’ process, in the broadest sense of the word. We should be quicker with the shooting permits for the city, seashore, parks, roads and also the authorization to work with minors. We have to give value to all we already have.