How We Filmed Inside a Live Harris Teeter Store

At the start of this year, we partnered with Harris Teeter to film a series of internal communication videos—capturing real customer interviews inside a live store.

No closed sets. No controlled environment. Just a working grocery store.

Above: Still frames from our video shoot with Harris Teeter (2026).

The Challenge

Filming in a live retail environment comes with real constraints:

  • We couldn’t interrupt the flow of customers

  • No access to store power—everything had to be battery-operated

  • Ambient noise and store announcements were unpredictable

  • Every setup had to be quick, efficient, and unobtrusive

The Approach

We kept things lean: a small crew made up of a producer, director, DP, G&E, and sound.

Instead of trying to control the environment, we adapted to it.

A minimal footprint allowed us to move quickly, stay out of the way, and capture authentic interactions—without disrupting the customer experience.

The Result

A smooth production day and a full set of authentic, usable footage that delivered on Harris Teeter’s internal communication goals.

Behind the Scenes

Below are a few stills and BTS moments from the shoot to give you a sense of how we approached production in a live environment:

Above: Behind-the-scenes photos from our shoot with Harris Teeter (2026).

Filming in real-world environments—whether it’s retail, offices, or active spaces—requires a different mindset. It’s less about control and more about awareness, efficiency, and trust in your team.

If you're exploring something similar, we’re always happy to share more.

Crew:
Client: Harris Teeter
Agency: ITG
Producer: Leah Kehl
Director: Ben Allison
Production: Benco
DP: Patrick Lebby
G&E: Nellis Overton
Sound: Scott Graham

Ben @ Benco

Ben is a Creative Executive and founder of Benco Production. He oversees new client acquisition and supervises all part of the video production process.

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