It’s not hyperbole when I say that fries from Checkers and Rally’s are sublime. Simply put, they’re hot, seasoned morsels of potato goodness. And while it’s easy to lose yourself in the culinary ecstasy, those fries are prepared and doled out by people who have been standing over a hot fryer for hours on end. Simply put, working in a fast-food restaurant is hard work and that was our biggest takeaway from this experience.

This project was shot over the course of two nights in a location on the east side of Orlando. Like many Checkers and Rally’s restaurants, it was nestled next to a six-lane highway which in this case happened to be a favorite drag for local street racers. Not the ideal location for a production that required us to shoot outside. That said, we endured many blown takes, but came away with great footage and sound that was just usable. Fortunately, we had a wonderfully patient crew and our lead actor, Carlos Navarro, absolutely hit it out of the park.

The client on this project was someone I had worked with back in the aughts during my days at Publix and partnering with him again was like putting on an old pair of Chuck Taylors. Have a look at his take on the experience and enjoy a side of delicious production stills.