Children of the 80’s and 90’s are sure to remember ReBoot, the first completely CGI-animated TV show that aired in the early 1990’s. The groundbreaking show has maintained a reputation as a cult-classic, but what only the most tuned-in fans know is that Netflix has recently released ReBoot: The Guardian Code – a 2018 successor to the original series that features a mix of CGI animation and live-action.
The entire first season is live and available to stream on Netflix now, but we’ve gotten the chance to hear from Vancouver-based photographer Erich Saide who worked with Kirk Media Group to create a series of portraits of the ReBoot: The Guardian Code cast.
First off, can you tell me about this project and how you got involved with it?
The project came about when the show’s publicist, Colleen Kirk, contacted me to see if I would like to take on photographing the gallery images for the new Netflix series ReBoot: The Guardian Code.
The goal was to create some dynamic and impactful images of the five key cast members and to capture the personality and essence of each of those characters from the show.
What was involved in planning/preproduction?
The shoot took place on the set of the show just outside Victoria, BC. The shot list was relatively straightforward, but it was the groundwork, like having to transport a full 12ft seamless backdrop set-up in (or should I say on top of) my SUV over land and ferry to Victoria on Vancouver Island from the mainland that really posed a challenge.
Unfortunately, it was raining and so had to come up with a way of keeping the paper dry. We purchased a huge length of plumbing pipe to the exact size of the backdrop and strapped it to the roof of the car. Problem solved! It looked like we were driving around with a missile on the roof and we had some very interesting looks while traveling there and back.
Were there any other issues you had to overcome?
The only other glitch was that upon arrival, the original large warehouse area that we planned to shoot in was unavailable. The only other space was a small carpeted conference room elsewhere on the property. We did some quick problem solving to fit the whole set-up in a much smaller space, and still got the high quality images that the production expected.
What was the shoot itself like?
The shoot itself was great and very well organized. The cast of the show consisted of really fun teens who were very relaxed and easy to shoot. They were really into their roles so the personality of the characters showed through in the images.
What has the reaction to the images been so far?
The show has just been released so we are waiting for the images to filter into the show’s marketing materials. Everyone involved with the project, from the Publicity team to Rainmaker Studios, loved the images and we are all happy how they turned out.
What was your favorite part of the project?
I really love interacting with and being able to work with an amazing cast and crew. Getting out of the city and on location is always a bonus, especially when you are traveling around beautiful British Columbia, Canada.
Any future plans for this project?
No future plans just yet. We are looking forward to more of the images popping up periodically as the show gathers momentum and more marketing materials are rolled out.
Credits:
Produced by: RainMaker Studios
Executive Producers: Larry Raskin, Michael Hefferon
Unit Publicist: Colleen Kirk
Photography Assistant: Vicente Ferreira
Hair Stylist: Carmel Graham
Make-up Artist: Angela Nair
See more of Erich at erichsaide.com!
Check out our other great photographers on our Find Photographers page.