Producing a One-Day Commercial Shoot in Albania
Reflections from the center of a fast-moving production
When we kicked off the project for KFC Albania, together with the agency LeSpot, we knew immediately that this would be one of those productions where clarity and decisiveness matter more than ever. The campaign was planned as a one-year rollout, covering TV, online, cutdowns, and key visuals. All of it had to come together fast. From first call on December 5th to shooting on December 14th, the timeline left little room for hesitation.
This was a local production, filmed in Albania, with an ambitious creative idea and a tight budget. That combination is familiar territory. Film production in Albania often comes with the advantage of flexibility and speed, but those benefits only materialize if decisions are made early and everyone understands the priorities from the start. As Executive Producer, that responsibility sat squarely with me. I had to oversee the full process and make sure we delivered, no matter what surfaced along the way.
One location instead of four
Early on, the agency’s creative direction envisioned four different locations to tell four parallel stories. On paper, it was strong. In practice, it simply wasn’t feasible within a one-day shoot. More importantly, it risked diluting the campaign’s core line: In the center of our lives. Together with our director Charles Copsey, we proposed a structural shift: translating all four stories into a single location and letting the KFC restaurant itself become the literal and narrative center.
This wasn’t an easy sell at first. It required explaining that the change wasn’t driven by logistics alone, but by storytelling. By staging all four scenarios around the KFC bucket and building the film around a circular camera movement, the concept became more focused, more cinematic, and more aligned with the campaign idea. Once the approach was clearly laid out, the agency fully came on board and successfully carried the idea through to the client. That moment of shared understanding set the tone for the rest of the project.
Pre-production under pressure
Pre-production moved at full speed. We had our PPM five days after kickoff, with just one week of prep in total. In situations like this, there’s no space for over-engineering. What matters is locking the right people early. Director, DOP, and key crew had to understand not only the creative goal but also the constraints of a quick turnaround and a budget-friendly setup.
Filming in Albania makes this kind of speed possible, but only if the production team knows how to prioritize. Tasks were streamlined, decisions were taken quickly, and everyone focused on what genuinely impacted the final result.
Taking over an Albanian KFC branch
The entire shoot took place inside a single KFC branch. That came with its own challenges. The restaurant stayed operational, the space was tight, and set planning had to be meticulous. Location management became just as important as camera work.
The location allowed us to transform the same physical space into multiple narrative worlds: an office setup, a festive Christmas moment, everyday life intersecting with the brand. A reminder of how flexible filming locations in Albania can be when time and budget are tight. From a scheduling and budget perspective, keeping everything in one place was the only way to deliver the scope of assets required in one day.
Set life as choreography
Once on set, the rhythm became almost choreographed. The camera setup remained consistent throughout the day, while cast, props, and art direction rotated in and out: less like resetting scenes and more like changing acts in a performance. In a way, the set life began to mirror the film itself: quick movement, fast decisions, and a constant need to stay in motion. That structure only works when everyone is aligned and trusts the process. For example, when one talent failed to show up on the day, quick reactions and local backup options kept the flow intact and the shoot moving.
The crew was truly international. With heads of department from across Europe and team members from Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, the UK, the Netherlands, and Austria. Despite the pressure, the atmosphere stayed collaborative. The agency was a genuine partner on the ground, the client was present and supportive (and famously fed the entire crew), and the energy on set stayed high.
The most critical pressure point came from VFX. The circular dolly move had to remain perfectly stable in order for the KFC bucket to be precisely in the center of the frame, but motion control wasn’t an option. Shooting on curved tracks introduced risk, and everyone knew it. An editor assembling a rough cut on set helped flag potential issues early. In post, the VFX team ultimately pulled off impressive work that elevated the final film.
You can see behind-the-scenes material from post-production here
Hybrid production, in practice
This project was hybrid by necessity. I was producing remotely from Austria during prep, relying heavily on a trusted team on the ground. The director and DOP were also working from abroad. Clear digital communication, fast decision loops, and shared tools were essential and they worked.
Post-production was handled from Vienna, ensuring a high and consistent quality standard. At the same time, the shoot itself reaffirmed something that hasn’t changed: traditional production still matters most once cameras roll. Human connection, trust, and problem-solving on set are what ultimately carry a project across the line.
A quick turnaround, and a quiet takeaway
From idea to delivery, the entire campaign came together in roughly two and a half weeks. That kind of quick turnaround only works when everyone does their job well and stays focused. The collaboration wrapped with tired smiles and a strong sense of shared achievement. The kind you only get when the work speaks for itself.
Looking back, this project reinforced why filming in Albania can be such a powerful option for commercial work: not because it’s cheap or easy, but because it allows for smart, agile production when time is tight. At the same time, it also reminded me that even successful sprints come at a cost. If there’s one thing I’d do differently, it’s giving a project like this more breathing room. Less sleep shouldn’t be part of the process: even when the result is worth it.
Watch the final KFC Albania film here.
Written by Nikita Leibovici, Executive Producer, Caravan.