Top 5 Travel Hacks Every Producer Needs to Know
Posted on: Mar 04, 2025
Photo Credit: Igor Pavluzhenkov // ShutterstockWhile the current state of the world is making me wonder about the future of air travel and a sustainable creative career in Los Angeles, traveling and producing visual stories remain two of my favorite things.
Prepping for either of those is not easy. Producing TV is more than a full-time job, and adding a travel component to that job means that you must apply the same preparation to your travel organization that you would to your producorial efforts.
Fear not! Preparation does not mean you need to spend hours thinking about what you want to pack. In fact, by focusing on five major areas—packing and clothing, apps to manage money and daily needs, managing self-care, closing out the trip, and preparing for the return—you’ll be a relaxed, jet-setting creative in no time.
Key Insights:
•Pack Smart & Plan Ahead – Create a packing list and research laundry options in advance to avoid last-minute stress.
•Use Apps for Money & Daily Needs – Banking, currency conversion, and delivery apps can save time and hassle abroad.
•Prioritize Self-Care – Pre-trip grooming and wellness routines help maintain balance during long workdays.
•Explore & Network – Take time to visit local spots and build relationships with colleagues for a more fulfilling experience.
1. Make a Packing List
The clock for preparing for work travel happens the moment the terms of your employment contract are confirmed. This is not the time to leave things to the last minute. Procrastination is not your friend, so temper that voice that says you can “put it off until tomorrow.” I’m not saying jump headfirst into your closet and throw whatever in your suitcase immediately, but taking a few minutes to plan what you need will help you so much.
For me, writing down a list of things I think I will need helps me not forget anything, but also prevents me from overpacking. We can thrive and survive with less than what we think we need. After packing far too much for a shoot in the Yukon Territory, I have since pared down my packing list. The list isn’t something I use anymore, but having an initial list helped me visualize the best packing scenario for future trips.
Don’t fear creating a list, because the list must fit your needs, not the other way around. The list doesn’t have to be long or very detailed. It simply helps to get that mess of a to-do list out of your head and into a real plan.
Managing Laundry
As you’re packing, find out what your laundry options are and choose the best one based on cost, time invested by you, and turnaround time. Your best laundry options should be the most reliable, the least labor-intensive and the most cost-effective.
Laundry service recommendations from local colleagues or contacts, and websites like Yelp, are great for finding alternatives. Discussing mundane, occupational needs is a good way to break the ice with new colleagues if you’re not sure what to discuss.
When I asked about laundry services weeks before, all I heard was “there will be something set up.” Unless your production is associated with a large, well-established production company, do the research about laundry services before you leave. Hell had no fury like me steaming in my hotel room after a 12-hour flight trying to find laundry options in Manila. Learn from me: know what your options are before you land, so you can spend your time producing TV and not playing domestic thousands of miles away from where you live.
Laundry is one area I don’t mind spending a little more money on, providing the drop off and pick up processes are easy, and payment seems fair and easy to execute.
For a producing job, doing your own laundry is not ideal because the most important tasks are working on the show and fostering relationships with the cast and crew. For busy schedules, laundry services can be very convenient. Hotel laundry services, however, are notorious for charging exorbitant fees. This is where local laundry services come in handy. Get recommendations from locals, and if that isn’t successful, review Yelp opinions and talk to them over WhatsApp if they speak English.
Makeup
For my makeup gals and guys, keep it simple. You won’t have the time or the energy to get yourself into full glam every single day. The goal here is to look one step above barely awake. I’m not joking: some lip tint, a nicely pigmented eyeshadow and clean brows will go a long way. This way you can look cute while you hustle your way out of your hotel room on your way to the production van.
2. Managing Money and Exchanging Currencies
Banking
Mobile apps are great for making overseas travel less stressful. Banking apps, including your personal bank and internationally recognized brands (like Charles Schwab), help you track your transactions and balances with ease. I used the app Wise to translate how much something would cost in PHP [Philippine peso] or U.S. dollars. This is useful when asking myself, “Do I really need this?”
Delivery
When I was in the Philippines, my bank card would not attach to the Grab app I wanted to use to pay for food, laundry and transportation. The best advice I can offer is to order something in advance that will arrive when you’re already at your destination. Perhaps you want to send yourself a fruit basket along with your favorite champagne. Get creative and consider this your welcome gift.
Grab and many other delivery apps allow people to order goods and services ahead of time. You’ll know before you leave your home country if your method of payment connects to the app of your choice. If it doesn’t, at least you’ll know ahead of time and you’ll know to use alternative payment options, like paying cash or making point-of-sale purchases.
3. Communications
For making calls, WhatsApp is helpful for keeping in touch with friends, family and colleagues if you have a local data plan. I used Globe to purchase local data in the Philippines, and purchasing a robust local mobile data plan was enough to use WhatsApp for phone calls. Zoom is another option for connecting on your mobile and desktop. I tried to add a local talk-and-text plan to my phone using a number from the Philippines, but that was a failure. It’s okay if you cannot get a local talk-and-text plan, just make sure you have a local data plan so you can use the apps mentioned above.
Please make sure you get enough cash in local currency either before or after departure. Confirm with your bank that you can use your card overseas and whether or not it has international transaction fees. In smaller countries, cash is still king and can save you money on taxes.
4. Documents, Visas, Passports
Make sure your documents are up-to-date months before they expire. As a traveling producer, this should be something that’s on your mind, anyway. Give yourself three to six months to renew your passport, and 60 days minimum to renew your driver’s license before expiration. It’s imperative to give yourself plenty of time, because you don’t want to get caught up in whatever government instability may go on. For extra money, you can pay to get your passport expedited, if necessary.
Two weeks before your departure, make sure your visa hasn’t expired by the time you leave. It costs a lot of money to pay the penalty, and you must come to the airport at least four hours early to settle the visa debt (in the Philippines it was cash only) and get to your plane on time.
My suggestion is to go to the local visa office and extend your visa before you leave. Find the time. Usually, larger companies have entire departments who do these, so producers don’t have to, but on smaller shoots you have to be more proactive.
You don’t want to have problems leaving or getting back into your country of origin.
5. Preparing to Return
Please take the day before you leave to focus on packing only. Devote a morning or afternoon to organize and pack your things. I’ve never been a chuck-it-in-the-bag-and-go person, and I don’t see that changing. Double check your baggage and make sure you’re not bringing back any plants or seeds. Or anything else illegal. Always keep an eye on your bag. That’s my producer travel check list. I hope this hard-fought wisdom benefits you on your own creative entrepreneurial journey. Take care, and the dream isn’t over until you say it is.
Gabrielle Glenn is an unscripted TV producer and development professional.
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