How Food Commercials Are Made

This video explores the complex, high-tech, and expensive world of food commercials, specifically focusing on the production of a Burger King test shoot at Steve Giralt’s studio, The Garage.

The production process involves several specialized roles and techniques:

The Food Stylist

• Preparation: Food stylists use real food but treat it to maintain its appearance. Meat is often undercooked to prevent shrinking and preserve volume.
• Enhancements: Stylists use “tricks of the trade” such as painting patties with gravy darkener and soap for a charred look, using metal skewers to sear grill marks, and applying Vaseline mixed with pulverized meat to fill holes.
• Construction: Ingredients like onions and tomatoes are cut on a slant to lie flatter. Denture cream is used to hold ingredients in place, while glycerin mimics condensation on cans and bottles.

Engineering and Robotics

• Precision Robots: The studio uses sophisticated robots (similar to those used in car manufacturing) costing upwards of $150,000. These robots allow for identical, high-speed camera movements that would be impossible for a human to replicate.
• Custom Rigs: Riggers build “machines” from scratch, such as air-powered pistons and catapults, to launch food into the air or make it “dance” across the screen.
• Lighting: Specialized water-cooled lights are used to provide the necessary brightness for slow-motion filming without melting or wilting the food immediately.

The Set and Logistics

• Production Design: Prop budgets can reach $40,000 per shoot. Every detail, from tile walls to the specific angle of a ketchup bottle, is curated to make the environment feel like a real commercial kitchen.
• The Race Against Time: Because they use real food, the team must work quickly before ingredients like lettuce wilt or ice cream melts.
• The “Burger Drop”: The studio gained fame for a viral video of a burger’s components falling perfectly into place, a move achieved by tying ingredients with fishing line and using a robot to slice the strings at the exact moment the camera moves.

The Business of Food Styling

• High Stakes: A single 30-second ad can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• Market Impact: The industry is massive, with fast-food companies spending billions annually on advertising. These visual cues are scientifically designed to trigger cravings and influence consumer behavior.
• Success: Steve Giralt’s production company now bills over $5 million annually, proving the immense value of making food look “larger than life” through a blend of technology and artistry.