The Quiet Power Move Smart Producers Make Before Every Holiday Campaign
Every holiday season, producers everywhere are trying to pull off great work on tight timelines. Deadlines move up. Budgets get squeezed. Everyone wants the campaign to feel emotional, cozy, high-end… and it all has to go live yesterday.
The producers who handle it best are those who know a quiet little trick. They bring audio post in early. Not at the end. Not after the edit is locked. Early.
Here’s why that small move makes a big difference.
What the Smartest Producers Know That Others Don’t
If you’ve worked on holiday campaigns before, you know they can get intense fast. There are a lot of people involved, clients want a million versions, and it’s one of the busiest times of the year.
Smart producers get ahead of the chaos. They reach out to us—the audio team—before things pile up. Not to lock in a session, but just to talk. Sometimes even before the shoot. They ask things like:
“Do you think this script needs a VO?”
“Can we talk about sound before we cut?”
“Would it help to build a sound world early?”
This kind of early thinking is what helps campaigns feel polished without being rushed. It’s the difference between reacting and leading.
Why Audio Post Isn’t Just a Finishing Touch
A lot of people think audio post is just the last step in the process. Record the VO, add music, clean up the mix, etc. But in truth, it shapes the whole story.
The right VO read can shift the tone of a spot entirely. A bit of ambient sound or custom design can turn a simple visual into something layered and emotional. Even something as small as how music is edited can change how a scene feels.
All of that is easier and better when we’re involved early.
How Early Audio Booking Saves Time, Budget, and Sanity
We’ve seen it happen over and over again: producers who plan ahead have fewer surprises. When we talk early, we can flag things that might become problems later. Maybe a music license issue. Maybe a tricky VO casting. Maybe the script needs to leave space for sound.
It’s always better to catch that stuff early than try to fix it last-minute with six people on the call and no time left.
Also: studios (like us) book up fast around the holidays. Even just penciling in a date can give you a little breathing room when things get busy.
What Most Agencies Miss (Until It’s Too Late)
We get it, audio isn’t always top of mind. You’ve got to manage the shoot, the client, the creative, the budget. But when audio gets pushed to the very end, it creates real problems.
Here’s what we see all the time:
The music doesn’t quite work, but there’s no time to find another track.
The VO doesn’t hit the tone, but re-recording isn’t an option.
The spot sounds “off,” but nobody can say why and there’s no time to fix it.
All of these could’ve been avoided with one short convo earlier in the process.
Make the Call Before the Cut: How to Set Up a Win
You don’t have to know exactly what you need yet. Just reach out early. A short email or call is all it takes. We’re here to help think it through:
Is it a VO-driven spot? Should you be thinking about sound design? Is there a way to build in flexibility for different versions?
We love being brought in early, because it means we can actually make the work better, not just fix it up. So this holiday season, give yourself a break. Reach out early. It’s a small move, but it’s the one smart producers make again and again. And it works.
Want to lock a spot on our calendar or just talk through an upcoming campaign? Contact us today.
Let’s make your work smoother, better, and way less stressful.
