VAST TRAVEL
Mum of two, Lauren
You know what the dream is? The real, absolute, ultimate dream? It’s working with one of your best friends. When Fiona Vokes (then Baldwin) called me one icy January morning to offer me a travel job, I hesitated. Everyone in my current office warned me off. After all, travel is the worst job in Production isn’t it? It’s the one we all cross the road and sprint around the block to avoid. Despite the cautions of much more experienced beings than myself, I took the job. It was one of the best things I ever did (trumped only by getting my dog. Obviously). We spent years together in the Star Wars galaxy, shooting Jedi and cosmic beings across the skies. Little did we know this was the beginning of VAST.
Since becoming Mums we’ve been determined to stay involved in an industry we both love; to be close to the best creative minds and the most exciting worlds. Luckily, we have both been able to lend our services as virtual Travel Coordinators in the last few years across several productions. Between us, we have four kids, all under five. Obviously, it’s tough being working Mums but we’ve found that Travel and Accommodation can fit in with a balanced family life. We can tackle any urgent requests from our phones, we can organise paperwork whilst the kids play Lego, we can talk to LA when the kids are in bed. When we entered the world of motherhood we were overwhelmed at how different life was but our recent working experiences have affirmed one thing for us: this is our career and we can still make it work for us and our children.
Our new venture, VAST provides virtual Travel and Accommodation coordinators to the film and tv industry on an ad-hoc basis. We can alleviate the coordinator’s concerns by picking up bits of travel without the production having to unnecessarily employ someone full-time. We understand the industry and we can accumulate hours throughout a week to relieve the strain on your belt, like a hairband after Christmas dinner. We can offer your cast, directors, and producers the best guidance in terms of the London property market. We’re here to help and we’re happy to help.
We’re working in an industry we love, in jobs we enjoy and we’re getting to do it all together. VAST is not only a useful, cost-efficient service, it’s a passion project and if you give your travel needs to VAST you can be assured that we will coordinate the pants off your Travel and Accommodation.
1) What inspired you to get into the industry?
F: When I was young I visited Universal and MGM Studios in Florida and distinctly remember being fascinated by all the ‘behind the scenes’ tours. The prospect of working at an actual film studio one day blew my 12-year-old mind!
L: Growing up I was obsessed with film. The whole world suddenly opens to you in a 90minute window. As I grew I became less intrigued by the worlds alone and more fixated by how they were created, wanting to know all the details of how they were built. Being a logistical part of this creative machine has been a huge honour.
2) What are the best and worst parts about being a Travel and Accommodation Coordinator?
F: I enjoy the whole process of arranging travel and accommodation especially for a big unit move. From scouting hotels, securing rooms/flights to juggling the hotel allocation - it’s a bit like solving a big jigsaw puzzle. Once the puzzle is complete I do feel a big sense of achievement (plus relief!). I find the role to be a lot less micro-managed than other jobs within the Production Department which is definitely an upside for me. Being responsible for coordinating 500 crew members’ travel is challenging, rewarding and never dull. My least favourite aspect of the job is being on call 24/7. Travel changes are of course inevitable when contending with different time zones so my evenings and weekends can sometimes be interrupted, eating into valuable family time.
L: I think I have the same answer for both. The worst is when there’s a last minute airline change and you have to pull out all the stops to ensure that your crew member can still travel. Once it’s done the sense of accomplishment is HUGE. Such a high.
Running around mansions on viewings is also fun… OBVIOUSLY!
3) Does this role allow you more flexibility to be with your children, and does it ultimately offer you a better work/life balance?
F: Being a Virtual Travel Coordinator absolutely allows me to spend more time with my children which I’m incredibly grateful for. Thanks to the trusty iPhone, I’m able to do the nursery/school run and still access work emails or book flights over the phone while on the go. Working remotely is certainly more convenient with regards to juggling family and work-life however I do find myself working quite late after the children have gone to bed. If honest I probably end up working more hours than if I was based at the film studio but it’s the price I happily pay to be able to see my children at the start and end of their day.
L: Yes - you have to obviously be super organised and get your work done. I accomplish this by dealing with the physical travel in the day and then arranging paperwork at night. It means I rarely get downtime by the time I get with my kids is so worth it.
4) What advice would you give to any aspiring Travel and Accommodation Coordinators out there?
F: I would advise them to always use a well-respected and experienced flight/hotel booking agent because ultimately you are only as good as your agent. Having a strong relationship with the travel/hotel agent is so key. I always push to use my preferred agents as it can literally be the difference between a slick operation and a total nightmare. Personally, I believe that arranging Travel and Accommodation on a show is a two-man job (sometimes three on big feature films) so if anyone is expected to do it all on their own it can feel like an impossible task. They should always have the confidence to ask for additional help (before it’s too late) and not feel inadequate if they’re struggling with the workload.
L: Fly high (too easy). Be organised, write down everything, ask if you don’t understand, and never presume ANYTHING.
5) Are there any traits that you think a Travel and Accommodation coordinator must-have? Is there anything that would make your job easier to do?
F: I think having a calm head, buckets of patience and a good sense of humour is an absolute must when doing travel. At the start of each job, it’s always helpful to be presented with the relevant international Cast and Crew travel stipulations as soon as possible so you’re not wasting time searching for the wrong flight/accommodation as it’s a time-consuming exercise at the best of times. To have a glance breakdown highlighting what each individual is entitled to and their maximum budget would save a lot of time.
L: As with any production role, organisational skills. Patience and the understanding that things will change and that’s okay. It’s actually what keeps you employed so take it all in your stride.
Fiona and her little one
6) Do you think being mothers has made you better at your jobs?
F: Being a mother perhaps has made me more assertive and better at multi-tasking. I don’t think it has made me better at my job as such but it has forced me to perfect the art of time management for sure!
L: Yes because the escape from the children is so appreciated that I absolutely love sitting down, using a different part of my brain and getting the job done.
7) What's vital to a successful working partnership?
F: Trust is key. I know I can trust my Business Partner, Lauren, to act on my behalf and handle Productions with exactly the same professionalism and dedication as I do. Communication, respect and appreciation is very important too but having fun along the way is equally essential!
L: Honesty, communication, and laughter
8) What sets Vast Travel aside from other companies?
F: VAST Travel Services provide expert Virtual Travel & Accommodation Coordinators to support Productions throughout all stages of their shoot but on a more cost effective basis.
▫️Pre-Production: during early prep, before a full-time Travel Coordinator is perhaps budgeted or available to start, VAST Travel Services can be used as an interim measure as and when required, assisting with any travel and accommodation requirements - big or small.
▫️Mid Shoot: VAST Travel Services can provide additional support during particularly busy travel periods and cover unexpected sickness. We can assist with all the usual flight and hotel bookings, location moves, apartment searches, private jet enquiries and lots more.
▫️Post-Production: If needing a part-time Travel Coordinator to book the occasional flight/hotel and assist with apartment check outs, VAST Travel Services offers support on an ad-hoc basis saving the Production time and money.
L: The ADHOC nature. That you can employ an experienced travel coordinator for three days for the equivalent time worked across the week, rather than commit to full weeks when it may not be necessary. It saves the production money and allows us to find a work/life balance. Win-win
If you’d like to find out more about Vast Travel, you can visit their website:
Website - vasttravel.co.uk
Emails: lauren@vasttravel.co.uk / fi@vasttravel.co.uk