September 8, 2010
Finding good crew is one of the biggest challenges of producing a low-budget film. As far as I know there isn’t a magic solution, but these guidelines have helped me get quality people for my films without going over-budget.
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1) Figure out who you really need
On The Drawing my camera and lighting department consisted of Ben Conley (cinematographer), Jesse Skogh (gaffer), and Rob Cristiano (assistant camera/grip/media manager). It would have been typical to have four or five people doing the work of these three, but the shoot took place in one location and only required a small lighting package. I figured I could have Rob help out in a variety of areas and save myself the cost of transporting, housing, and feeding extra people. He did a great job and the crew was just the right size.
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2) Remember that you’re offering an opportunity
Whenever I offer someone a job I pitch it as an opportunity to gain experience and earn a valuable credit. I always send a synopsis, (if not the complete script), and any other information that will illustrate that the project is worth working on. I’ve never had a large enough budget to pay standard day rates, so I need people to be invested in the film. This also frames who I approach for each position and how I budget pay. In general, I’ll approach people who have enough knowledge to do the job well, but who are eager to gain experience and be part of the film.
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3) Take care of your crew
It takes patience to see this pay off, but assuming you’re making multiple films it’s very important. On The Drawing I was able to get a chef to prepare all of our meals for the shoot. We had delicious food and it made a big difference to everyone. Not only were people in a good mood, (and therefore ready to work hard), but next time I ask them if they want to work on one of my films, they know they’ll be fed well. This may not seem like a make or break issue, but I’ve found that particularly when I can’t afford to pay people much, the difference between serving good food and serving pizza is enormous.