Hello Michelle, As part of my University course, I am working as a 1st AD on our first short film. Some of my fellow co-workers seem to have a distinct lack of a professional attitude and commitment to the project. How do I get them to pull their weight, so that we can get a top quality film? I want to make the best film possible, and I want to remain professional whilst doing so, but I don't want to end up having half of my crew thinking I'm just being bossy and arrogant - Help!?

Let me fill you in on a little secret from the AD/professional production world: If you’re an AD, your crew is going to think you’re bossy and arrogant no matter what.

Ok, so that’s not always the truth, but a big reality of this job is that someone has to play the annoying facilitator and that is the unfortunate situation of being the 1st AD. You can’t please everyone all the time, even if you very much want to.

The best situation is to pull your weight as best as possible. Set a protocol that you stick to and the crew will pick up on it. Don’t let people wander in past call time - make a point to get crew call up at crew call. Don’t let breakfast hang around. That shit is done when crew call is up. Call lunch 6 hours from crew call - not a minute more. Hold yourself up as professional as possible - keep calm during crappy situations, try to offer solutions instead of just complaining (this is one all ADs struggle with from time to time), keep people working and motivated no matter what happens. Don’t be afraid to use your outside voice, but reserve those times for when absolutely needed. 

Be as visible and helpful as possible. Check in on every department during set up times and make sure they have what they need and they know how much time they have to work. Once that time’s up, make a point to get them to set. 

It’s a tough situation, but in the end, it’s their grade that will suffer from lack of professionalism. As well, if they carry these attitudes into the professional arena, they won’t get hired. 

16 October 3 filmmaker-thing

Notes

1. filmmaker-thing liked this
2. avgas said: 1st AD! You are da bawse. End of discussion.
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