When Venezia’s Pizza approached me about a content refresh, I expected a full production day. What I didn’t expect was the most intense deliverables list I’ve ever seen.
52 unique pieces of content—photos, video, gifs, styled product shots, and even a portrait—all from one shoot day.
Even my food stylist Joanna looked at the schedule and said flatly, “There’s no way.”
And honestly? I didn’t blame her.
The Ask: A Full-Scale Content Library in a Day
Venezia’s is an Arizona favorite, known for their oversized NY-style pizzas and wings that hit hard. They were overdue for a full photo and video overhaul to support their website, social, print materials, and in-store signage.
Their deliverables list included:
9 videos, edited for both web and social
17 dishes, each photographed 2 to 5 different ways
Multiple gifs of key food moments (cheese pulls, wing dips, etc.)
1 environmental portrait of the founder
Everything shot in a variety of angles, lighting setups, and backgrounds
All of it needed to look polished, cohesive, and brand-forward. And it had to be done in a single day.
The Challenge: No Time, No Breaks, No Do-Overs
This was the type of shoot where even taking a lunch break would have cost us critical setup time. The production schedule allowed zero margin for error. We couldn’t waste a minute switching lights or fumbling with camera gear.
So I came back to the team with one message:
“If we’re going to pull this off, I need to build two full sets and run three cameras simultaneously.”
The Solution: Systems Over Stress
Here’s how we transformed an overwhelming ask into a smooth, high-output production day:
Two Fully Built Sets
We converted the studio into two simultaneous shooting zones—one clean and high-key, one moody and styled for depth and warmth. While Set A was being staged and styled, Set B was in full production mode. The flow was constant.
Three-Camera Workflow
To eliminate downtime:
One camera captured overhead and hero photos
A second was dialed in for vertical reels and behind-the-scenes
The third was dedicated to cinematic video and motion macros
We switched seamlessly between stills and video without ever moving a light stand.
Styling Relay
Joanna, our food stylist, ran a tight ship. While I shot one item, she and a PA prepped the next, rotated garnishes, and strategized plating changes on the fly. Some dishes got as many as five distinct looks.
Pre-Storyboarded Motion Moments
Gifs and slow-motion food shots were storyboarded in advance: think gooey slices, dips, pours, and grabs. Every one of those “in-the-moment” shots? Fully planned and executed with precision.
The Outcome: Organized Chaos, Exceptional Results
By the end of the shoot, we had:
A stunning portrait of the founder
9 video cuts ready for multi-platform use
Dozens of stills capturing 17 dishes in completely unique styles
Branded gifs ready to loop on socials
And enough content to power Venezia’s marketing for months
Final Thoughts: The Right Team Makes It Possible
This shoot wasn’t just about speed. It was about systems, precision, and building a production engine that could run at full throttle all day without burning out.
Whether you're a legacy brand like Venezia’s or a fast-scaling startup, great content doesn’t have to take weeks to produce —
it just takes the right game plan.
Thank you to the incredible team that made this project happen!
Agency: Zion and Zion
Food Stylist: Joanna Meyer
Assist: Nader Abushhab