AD Rates and the Indie Film World

So, I’ve gotten a lot of questions lately about rates for ADs on indies. This is an extremely hard question to answer. But I have to say this:

THERE ARE NO STANDARD RATES FOR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS ON INDIE FILMS.

I know this is annoying to say. A lot of folks like a nice, clean chart telling them exactly what they should charge. The problem is, every project is different. And every AD is in a different situation in their life. Unfortunately, the other thing about adulthood that sucks other than having to pay for everything is determining your own worth.

This is hard. You will always sweat about losing a gig if you quote too high of a dayrate. And then you will have an existential crisis because you start to wonder whether what you bring to the table is worth the amount you’ve quoted. And then you tell yourself that if they can’t afford you, then they’re not worth working for. And then you don’t get any other work for a month and start to reconsider. And then suddenly you get an amazing gig that pays you more than your day rate. And then you’re back to square one.

Repeat ad nauseum.

So what the hell do you do when a potential employer asks for a rate? Should you quote a day rate? A flat rate? Hourly? What amount are you worth?

Like I said, every situation is different. For me, I live in what is referred to as the “third coast”. Our rates are very different here from say, LA or NYC. Why? Because our cost of living is different. And that creates a significant effect in quoting a day rate.

Productions here are cheaper by and large. Which is a double edged sword. You can afford more, but the crews tend to get paid less than they’re worth (PLEASE STOP THIS, BTW).

But we also don’t pay crazy rents or utilities like folks do in huge cities. Our food and gas and water and electricity and housing is all much cheaper. This doesn’t mean you should lowball yourself in quoting a dayrate, but it does change what you need to quote in order to profit from the project.

Which is why I can’t give general advice on what an AD should be making. In indies, it’s really all budget and situation based. What you should do is:

• Look at your financial situation. Are you doing well? Are you having trouble paying your bills? This is where you should start when quoting a day rate.
• Ask about the budget of the project. Is it super low? is it decent sized?
• Find out everything you can about your position on the project. How much work will you be doing? Do they need you to do several weeks of pre-pro or only a couple days? Will you be getting a paid AD staff? How many PAs? How many locations and cast members? Is it distant or local? All of this determines how much work you’ll actually be doing.
• Ask yourself how much you want the project. We all end up doing passion projects. If you know it’s not going to be a high paid gig, figure out if it’s something you want to do. Is it a friend’s project? Is the script something you want to take part in?

You will not be able to set a rate the first time without really evaluating the situation. Once you’ve been ADing for some time, you’ll figure out your worth through trial and error. There will be gigs you’ll take that you really wish you had quoted more and then there will be gigs you’ll take that will have you laughing all the way to the bank because you did nothing and got paid a union rate (oh god, those are the BEST). But unless you’re about to be living in a cardboard box, don’t be afraid to evaluate the project and your finances and always quote higher than you think. They will probably talk you down or they will straight up say “yes”. I’ve even had a project tell me they will pay me more than I quoted.

I wish I could just tell you rates, but the truth is that no one can tell you how much you’re worth to a project other than your own self.

Now, get that cash.

6 February 12 Permalink

When the Director tries to make a 5 page scene a Oner…

1stassistantdirectors:

This has actually happened to me a few times and one of the times was actually a 7 page scene (YEAH, NO KIDDING). It ended up working out really well and was a lot of fun to watch come together and help plan. We used a complicated dolly & slider set up (YEAH, NO KIDDING) that wound through multiple points of blocking and created a system of angles without ever cutting the camera. And we did it in under 6 hours.

Sometimes, if you can afford to, it’s a real treat to embrace a challenge like this. Everyday as an AD, I’m challenged, annoyed, and then pleasantly surprised by unique set ups that actually take less time in the end than they seemed. We should allow ourselves to be a little open to the idea of less set ups, but more complicated shots from time to time, especially for scenes that don’t call for traditional coverage.

15 December 38 1stassistantdirectors Permalink

Hit Your Marks, Find Your Light, and Don’t Be a Diva - Advice to Aspiring Actors from a 1st AD

I bitch constantly about directors, producers, DPs, and various other creatives and their quirks that make independent filmmaking so much more difficult than it needs to be, but I often bite my tongue when it comes to criticizing actors. Mostly because I tend to throw actor issues towards the director or producer.

On this particular show, however, I’ve worked with some seriously pro actors who have been in the business for years, have been speaking roles (and supporting characters) in big films, and have been an absolute pleasure to work with. And it made me think of what about working with them is so much more pleasant than working with many younger, lesser experienced actors.

I have nothing against actors. We need your pretty faces and schizophrenic mindsets to bring characters to life and make the movie worth watching. But sometimes you do things that really set crew members (and directors) off in ways that make us resent you, not want to do things well for you, and hell, not even want to put you on screen at all.

Unless your name is Johnny Depp, Nicole Kidman, or Jack Nicholson, here’s some advice to making it in the industry that’s more than just where to get contacts from.

• SHOW UP AT YOUR CALL TIME. 

Running late once happens. Running late several times a week is a character flaw and can put the production into a lurch. Independent film usually doesn’t have OT and often has five pages a day to shoot and you showing up late consistently not only makes us not want to cast you again (or recommend you), but can also cause whole scenes to be dropped, including your big monologue you’ve been preparing for months for. Show up on time.

• DON’T CONSTANTLY COMPLAIN ABOUT CONDITIONS.

We know it’s hot under the lights, stuffy on the set, or noisy when grip and electric are doing their tweaks. It happens. It’s not always the best place for trying to get into character, but there are times when you’ll have to be cognizant of the others working around you… and they’re working in the same conditions as well. And they’re working to give you the space to work. When you complain a lot about the state of the set, it puts the crew in a weird place (as well as other actors) and makes it more difficult to get things done efficiently.

• DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF TO TELL US YOU HAVE TO LEAVE AT A CERTAIN TIME.

I hate this more than directors who can’t make a decision. This is the bane of the AD team’s existence. Unless you were literally cast the night before, give us your blackout dates in advance and don’t book something that could overlap your set time with us after you’ve been cast. Or if you do, tell us you’ve done that at least a week in advance so we can figure out a solution, plan the shots to get you off the set in a timely fashion, and make sure department heads are aware. But really, sometimes we don’t know the call time ahead of time for the day, so if you’re booked to shoot with us, KEEP THE DAY OPEN. Telling us you have to leave by 4 ON THE DAY is definitely something that keeps casting directors from auditioning you in the future. It suggests poor planning and a lack of respect for the project. Don’t fucking do that.

• THERE’S A REASON CAMERA TEAM SETS MARKS, HIT THEM.

Marks are not just suggested guides for where your feet should land. They are put there for focus points, lighting points, and camera move points. If you’re one of those actors who doesn’t understand the importance of this and gets annoyed about how you’re in character and you shouldn’t have to think about these things… you shouldn’t be working in film. There’s no point of having your dialog out of focus, off screen, and in the dark. Think about it.

• SOMETIMES, WE ROLL ON REHEARSAL.

This is almost never an AD’s decision, and more like the director wants everything to be recorded. When it’s not film, it’s easy to roll a rehearsal take to get everyone in the actual acting/shooting mindset because sometimes, rehearsals just don’t show what we need to see. It happens. I know it sucks when it happens. But you also never know what ends up being really useable in that footage. Don’t worry about it.

• YOU ARE NOT THE DIRECTOR OF THE MOVIE.

Don’t take a script or work with a director you don’t like. Meet them ahead of time if you’ve been approached for casting. Make sure this film is something you want to do and roll with the punches. The number one morale killer on set outside of checks bouncing is directors and actors bickering and getting nothing done. Write and finance your own film if that’s truly what you want to do, but let the director make his or her own decisions in regards to the script and the shot. They’ve spent years prepping for their movie to be made and constantly second guessing them will only kill their confidence and make it harder for them to make informed decisions. Which in turn makes us never want to work with you. You are allowed to suggest things in regards to your character, but bullying directors and department heads makes you look like someone who can’t act unless you have your way constantly. And who the hell wants to deal with that?

• SOUND IS 50% OF THE MOVIE. FOLLOW THEIR WISHES.

Number one thing sound folks complain about is overlapping lines and noises when you are not visible on the screen. We all understand that you want to help the other actors get into the scene by doing your actions and yelling your lines, but it’s negated when you’re offscreen making noise over their lines. We cannot edit out you yelling/banging/laughing/clapping/etc. in the sound track when it happens over noises and words the onscreen actor is making. Learn to pantomime action and overlapping dialog (like during argument scenes) so you give your costar a fair chance of having clean sound. They’ll do the same for you. Other things sound team wishes you’d respect: lavs are expensive. Don’t throw them off when you’re done with costume, understand where the mic is placed, and never ever leave set without turning your lav in. Also, if you’re going to add a line not in the script, alert the 1st AD and the sound guy so we can capture that line cleanly.

• STAY ON SET WHEN YOU’VE BEEN ASKED TO COME TO SET.

You’re not being paid to talk on your phone, play angry birds, and flirt with makeup in your trailer. You’re here to act. Please come to set and stay on set until an AD dismisses you. Don’t just run off to use the bathroom without alerting a PA and don’t get weird about PAs following you around. If you’re not on set, we can’t rehearse, double check framing, and give acting notes. We welcome your presence on set unless we tell you to leave. So please, stay with us a while.

• UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF A BLOCKING REHEARSAL.

We know you haven’t gone through make up yet and your hair’s a mess and you’re still missing the gun holster and the sides are printed wrong. None of that matters for blocking. Blocking rehearsal is a movement rehearsal. The director sets his or her points of action for the scene during blocking rehearsal. You don’t need to put emotion into it and you can forget half your lines (unless they motivate the action). This is truly playing pretend time. Half the time, a camera’s not even up yet. Work with your director to know your steps in the scene - first position, second position, etc. (or, sometimes we say “go to your 1, go to your 2, etc.). It’s tough for the crew to get things going without knowing what the movement in the scene will be, so have patience and let the director and DP walk you through the scene’s movement and don’t, for the love of all that is holy, add a ridiculous blocking move that creates angles and lighting not already accounted for once we’ve lit and set the camera. That’s just a severe, time killing, pain in the ass. Work that out in BLOCKING REHEARSAL first.

• DON’T LIE ABOUT DANGEROUS SKILLSETS.

If you’ve never thrown yourself out of a moving car, been totally nude and covered in liquid latex prosthetics, or even rode a horse at full trot before, DON’T TELL US YOU HAVE JUST TO GET THE JOB. There’s nothing impressive about putting your life in danger and causing liability (and morale) problems for the set. I’ve seen actors do crazy things, but they were comfortable doing them and have easily done them before. Don’t tell me you can throw yourself off a balcony if you’ve never attempted such before. Tell us if you have allergies or health conditions that prevent you from doing certain things. Don’t do your own stunts if you’ve never been through proper stunt training. Don’t even get on a fucking horse unless you meet your horse and the wrangler and work with both ahead of time. It’s just dangerous and even if we think you’re an annoying asshole, we never want to see you get seriously injured on set. Respect yourself!

Last but not least, and definitely the single most important piece of advice I can add to the list:

• LEARN FILM PRODUCTION.

Know the industry you’re working in and understand the ins and outs of production. Work as a PA, take filmmaking courses, read books that aren’t about acting. Talk to directors and DPs and ADs and other department heads. Learn the lingo. Understand the process of filmmaking first. Working with actors who understand production means they keep patience, respect the crew, and in turn get a better space for their performances to work. They know the pitfalls of indies and can be adaptive to the process. They allow for happy accidents and use the experience to enhance their performance instead of hindering it. This is what makes a good actor GREAT. Don’t just be good, be GREAT and know your role.

We’re ready for your close up now…

12 December 55 Permalink

When you simply can’t make them do anything more.

There are those shows where no matter what you do, how much planning you have, and how simplistic the shots are, you’re still not getting enough. Not enough shots. Not enough coverage. Not enough takes. Not enough anything.

I’m currently working a production that really needed an extra 15 days added to the schedule to really capture everything the script implies. It’s an awful feeling knowing that you’re doing everything within your power to get the shots going and all elements in place and it’s STILL NOT ENOUGH.

And it takes everything within me to know that it’s not my fault.

OK, sometimes it is. Sometimes we get lost and don’t see the forest for the trees. We’ll get hung up on a close up and end up having to truncate another scene on the day as a result. There are times when I balk at setting up another shot from the one I’ve announced because it seems like it’s entirely too much work to grind the machine to a halt and set it on a new course in the name of just getting the damned shots done. But these things only happen in those rare moments of losing grip on reality.

The reality is that we simply don’t have enough time to justify the script. And it sucks.

The movie doesn’t suck. We’re getting real nice stuff and lots of coverage for the most part. But there’s been way too much compromising along the way simply because there’s just too much to convey in such a short period of time. When you have complicated blocking for a scene, it means a lot of angles to cover and sometimes you just don’t have that time anywhere in the schedule. You either simplify the blocking (which can water a scene down or make it less dynamic) or you cover less and play more on the master (which can work really well if your DP is good with wides and interesting masters, but that’s not always the case, especially in the indie world). And there are inserts and specials and oh god, inserts and specials always take way too fucking long (WHY?!)

It’s your job as AD to get the day done. But at what compromise? Does simply getting the day made mean it’s been a successful day? We can often forget that the other part of our job is to make sure the integrity of the film is there in what you’re stressing over shooting. What’s the point of shooting shitty shots just because they’re on the shotlist or just because they pick up an action? How important is making the day when the day consists of too many compromises for the director & DP to feel good about what they’ve shot?

At some point, you, as an AD, need to make a concession on your end to make what you’re pushing to shoot worth shooting. Sometimes, it’s ok to throw in an unplanned special or interesting angle if the director and DP are pushing enough as long as they understand the consequences that could happen later in the day.

There’s such a great feeling in seeing high fives and smiles at video village. It makes everything you’ve been losing sleep over worth it. Sometimes, getting the big shot that gives everyone a good feeling is better than getting a million shitty shots. It’s important to develop a filmmaker’s mindset and understand those moments when that big shot is worth the set up time. It makes all the difference between a mechanical AD and one that is truly a director at heart.

2 December 20 Permalink

Get Over It: the Politics of Being Angry on Set

You’ve experienced it. That desire to throw a match on the set and walk away letting everything burn to its deserved demise. Shit goes horrendously wrong all the time in film production and we, as ADs, are expected to smile and nod as if everything’s going to be alright and hundreds of thousands of dollars aren’t being flushed down a toilet.

Before we can give in and tell everyone to go fuck themselves, we have to understand the consequences of giving into our emotions on set. Assistant Directing is one of the most stressful tasks on set. You’re responsible for everyone and it’s 100% guaranteed that everyone is going to screw up at some point. It’s your job to do everything in your power to turn that screw up into something positive. This comes with lots of experience on set and burning a few bridges along the way. Learning how to keep your emotions in check might be one of the hardest things an AD has to struggle with.

I’m an emotional person. There’s no two ways around that. I used to cry over stuffed animals lying on the ground and I have a rather serious bike rage that could get me punched or arrested at any time. I struggle with my emotions on the set, going from complacent to bitchy in a few minutes if I’m not watching myself. Just like we regulate the set morale, we need to regulate our own morale. It’s hard to run a happy crew when you can’t even smile once in a while.

To use an example, I’m on a production that’s been rather trying at times. We have a lot of elements to coordinate and not nearly enough people or time to do the coordinating with. It’s made logistics on set a nightmare at times, leaving crew frazzled and forgetful. And that’s included me at times. I’ve gotten caught up in an emotional moment because I’m so exhausted from the failing logistics that I’m not keeping my own emotions in check. It’s happened to all of us.

So what should you do if you feel like you’re losing control of your emotions? Yelling will only irritate the people you’re yelling at and crying will just make everyone think you’re not capable of handling the stress. If you feel your blood pressure start to rise during a debate on set, there are a few simple things you can think of to quickly keep yourself in check:

• It’s not the end of the world.

No, really, it isn’t. Put your issue in the context of the greater picture. Of all the things going on, is this really worth getting worked up over? Probably not.

• Your behavior in these situations can and will be held against you in future endeavors.

This is incredibly important. ADs are judged by how they handle stress. Remember that before telling a DP that his shotlist sucks. Instead, think of ways to improve the shotlist and talk about them as suggestions. You will be remembered for presenting solutions in times of great stress.

• This, too, shall pass.

Film sets are filled with all sorts of problems just waiting to happen. A solution will come (or the issue will be swept under the rug). In the meantime, remind yourself that you have a set to run and what is next best course of action to keep that set running.

• You are entitled to take a moment for yourself.

Give yourself a break. In times when the stress is almost too much, take a moment for yourself. Head to crafty, go 10-1, have a cigarette, a piece of chocolate. Whatever it is that you do to ground yourself in tough times, you should also employ on set (within legal means, of course). These breaks are good moments for you to sort the issues at hand and really think through the details without having everyone in your face.

• Emotions are a virus.

When you bring nothing but negativity to the set, nothing but negativity prevails. Yes, it sucks, yes, you’re going to lose time, light, extras, money, patience, dignity… and yes, we all know what production is supposed to be doing and is not doing, but please understand how your complaints spread around the set. A complaining set is a set not working.

Remember that everyone looks to you to at least guide them through issues. How you handle those requests really determines how that shoot’s going to be. When things get tough and you feel like you’re losing a grip on your emotions, ask yourself if you want to be That Guy who brings more stress into the situation or That Guy who got everyone through the situation in a mostly painless manner. Cooler heads do indeed prevail.

30 November 40 Permalink

What the hell is a “good AD” anyway?

I mean, really?

I can tell you a bad AD. But what makes an AD who doesn’t completely suck a good one?

My blog tends to delve more into the psychological and social elements of being an Assistant Director than it does the technicality of it. I figure, it’s easy to write abouthowto do something. But it’s the writing thewhythat’s even more important, because it’s thewhythat differentiates a bad AD from a good one.

I can’t teach someone how to be a good AD. If you don’t want to be one, no one else will make you one, no matter how many tutorials you read or elements you’ve memorized.

Assistant Directing is almost purely psychological. I’ve met many ADs who got it in terms of running the set from a purely process-based understanding, but they didn’t know shit about handling crew or cast. Which, in my mind, makes them bad ADs. Honestly, I could teach anyone how to call roll, protocol, union rules, and setiquette. But it takes real brains and talent to know how to manipulate the crews and cast to bend to these rules. Just as easy as you can call “Picture’s up!”, the crew can totally ignore you and not roll the camera.

And contrary to what people believe, there’s no type for an AD. Just because someone’s loud and bossy, it does not mean they will be good at ADing. Some of the best ADs I’ve encountered are seemingly sweet and quiet people in their personal lives. You just never know who is going to come out on top and who’s going to crash and burn with the crew.

I guess, if I were to characterize the 1st ADs I know, they all are kind of secret nerds who love table top puzzles, math problems, and sorting their record collections by color, title, and year released.

Unfortunately, there is a perception that ADs are a certain way: intimidating, loud, and mostly angry people. Producers will pass over good ADs to simply fill an idea of what an AD should be even if the person they pick is not the best person for the job. I just had the recent fortune of working with a fantastic female producer from LA who admitted that she originally was not going to hire any female 1st ADs because she felt ADs needed to be big loud men, not a short italian woman. I am lucky that she decided not to impose that rule on this project and I was the first female 1st AD she had ever worked with. I like to think I’ve changed her perception forever.

So when I’m asked in my inbox about what advice on being a good 1st AD, I’m often flippant in my responses - not because I don’t want to answer you - but because it’s really tough to give that sort of advice. If you need to hear something, I guess I would say that you need to have the ability to take nothing personally, to keep calm even when the world is exploding, and to somehow convince EVERYONE that you know what’s going on and what to do at all times, even if you don’t in that current moment. I’d say if you can do these things, the rest is rather easy.

17 October 26 Permalink

The best advice ever given to me…

1stassistantdirectors:

22 August 46 1stassistantdirectors Permalink

The single most important thing a 1st AD needs to do…

…is be the guide for any department to get over any issues at all costs. That takes a lot of knowledge in the way a set runs. It always takes a lot of experimenting with protocol and making mistakes that you learn from along the way. At some point though, you stop burning bridges, and start using the wood to build them.

It’s been an interesting year. I always feel like there’s constantly more to learn and room to grow. But every production I’ve worked on this year has challenged me in very positive ways from learning how to handle experimental production protocols to not taking things personally and allowing myself to take the high road in times of adversity on set. 

I can only hope to get more productions like the ones I’ve been hired to this year and continue to gather more and more wisdom to guide everyone towards the common goal. 

14 July 16 Permalink

Time Machine: 10 Things I Would Tell My Younger AD Self

It’s crazy to think it’s only been 4 years since I started working professionally as an Assistant Director. I think back to my days in Boston where I AD’d small Emerson films and friends’ music videos before moving to Austin and hitting my first feature as a 1st AD in the summer of 2009. Here I am at the brink of Summer 2012 and I’m facing key set on a big commercial, 1st ADing another feature in June, and working through several prospects for the second half of summer into fall and I’m revisiting all my past projects while I tweak my resume.

The truth is, I’m a baby in the industry. I’ve got a long way to go, and I’m probably doing it wrong (which is fine). A lot of ADs above me started off as PAs or office interns and I’m only now getting PA gigs on bigger shows and I have several features as a 1st and 2nd AD already under my belt. It hasn’t been an easy four years, by any means. I’ve been screamed at by producers and directors and DPs, rejected by projects, fired, laid off, and blacklisted. I’ve torched bridges on purpose while others caught on fire accidentally. The reality is, you’re going to fuck up - A LOT - before any respect comes through. 

If I could do it all again, I don’t think I would. But instead, I can use my past experiences to warn, advise, and placate future ADs.

Hang in there! Here are the top ten things I would tell my younger AD self:

10. DON’T AD FOR FREE ON ANY PROJECT LONGER THAN 2 DAYS

When I was younger, I would take any gig I could get to gain experience. But there’s experience and then there’s experience. The kind that makes your skin crawl when you refer to it. Some of the worst projects I worked on were unpaid weekend only dealies where I was doing most of the prep work without any sort of reward. When a production is so unprofessional that you don’t actually learn any tips to doing your job better… it’s simply not the kind of experience you’re needing. You don’t have an AD reel you can add the footage to. Move on quickly. 

9. PUT NO EGGS IN NO BASKET

If I could tell you the amount of times when I first started out that I spent the money from a production before the ink dried on a deal memo… well, it’s actually too embarrassing to tell you how many times that happened. Hell, even with a deal memo, I still got burned. In the indie world (AND EVEN IN THE STUDIO WORLD!), projects fall through, nepotism brings on someone else instead of you, and things get pushed to a date you’ve already been booked for. Don’t spend the money until the cash is in hand. 

8. DON’T DATE YOUR COWORKERS

Of course, there are some exceptions to this rule. But as an AD, you need to put the personal life behind when you’re on set and in the thick of it. Some crewfolks can carry on a showmance without the slightest hint of it affecting performance. However, if you’re having problems with Mr. Hot Gaffer while you’re trying to get a 7 page day done with him stalling on getting the lighting going more efficiently… you’re not only going to lose your focus and probably your briefly enchanting boyfriend, but you could also lose your job. I’ve dated my fair share of crew folks and at some points, it affected me poorly. It’s not worth it in the end. Wait until the show’s over. 

7. GET REAL SCHEDULING SOFTWARE AS SOON AS YOU BOOK YOUR FIRST FEATURE AS AN AD

You know what trying to make a feature length production schedule on Excel is like? Hell. Absolute fucking hell. No really, I think it’s listed in Dante’s Inferno somewhere. Yes, it’s mindnumbingly expensive. There are ways around that. For example, each full package of Movie Magic Scheduling comes with 2 licenses. I split the costs with a fellow AD/Production Manager friend of mine and we both use our licenses excessively and can share mms files between us when we’re on projects together (which is often, btw). It’s like the clouds parting and a heavenly choir encircling you. If you’re going to be a pro AD, you need pro AD tools. 

6. DON’T LET ANYONE DICTATE WHAT KIND OF AD YOU’LL BE

Non-ADs love to tell ADs how they should AD. This is frustrating to some and amusing to others. The worst thing you could possibly do as an AD is not be who you are. I come from the east coast, from a big loud Italian family that’s mostly part of the working poor (with some exceptions). I have an aggressive personality and sometimes an intimidating appearance. Whenever I’ve tried to hide these realities about myself, I’ve felt distracted, lost, and unable to really do what I love to do. You don’t have to roll up on set with laser beams shooting out of your tits, but if you’re aggressive, it’s ok. There are lots of projects that call for that. And if you end up on one that’s not really calling for it? There’s a way to tailor the harsher parts of your personality without completely drowning them out. Don’t be afraid to let people know who you are. 

5. ASSUME ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. 

One of the number one things I see sink a production is assumption, and the power it has with the production department. Assuming something will happen without quadruple checking in on it is playing chicken with fate and fate almost always wins. Make 16 phone calls if you have to. Text, email, FB message, smoke signal, and send a singing telegram if you have to. Whatever you can do to assure what needs to happen will happen. Because if it doesn’t happen, that’s shit’s on production. And guess who is the physical on set embodiment of production? You. The damned AD. And you will always be the one thrown under the bus when production screws up. So double, triple, quadruple check everything.

4. WEAR SOCKS WITH YOUR SHOES. AND WEAR BELTS.

I am still an idiot sometimes and wake up just a tad too late and run out the door to set without giving much thought to my own comfort. You’re on your feet for 12+ hours a day in all kinds of conditions. Wear some socks. And put on a belt so your pants don’t keep falling down from the weight of the walkie. Really. Honestly. What the fuck was I thinking?

3. ALWAYS EAT A NUTRITIOUS BREAKFEST ON OR BEFORE SET

I don’t mind sounding like your mom for a second. Every time I eat a crappy breakfast on set, I end up feeling it both physically and mentally. This goes to a deeper issue. You need to be on top of your game all day in both physicality and mental processes, so why are you treating it to trash?  If your body is spending time trying to utilize empty calories and refined sugar, it’s not going to have much left to help you with the things you need to be doing. Hunger pangs are not fun on set, and neither is feeling weak, tired, or unable to focus. I’m vegetarian and try to make sure production has a hearty source of protein for me in the mornings. And if you’re stuck? Bananas are like a super food on set. Protein, calcium, healthy fats and fruit sugar, potassium, and more. It’s good calories and can at least tide you over until you call lunch.

2. TRY TO SEE THINGS POSITIVELY EVEN WHEN YOU WANT TO NUKE THE ENTIRE SET

Being negative a lot when I was doing this in my younger years really almost burned me completely. Negativity is like a virus. You can still be aggressive and commanding without causing the entire set to hate each other. Cut down on unnecessary complaints, pull troublesome crewfolk aside to talk instead of lashing out at them publicly, bring a smile to the director when things are looking rough, and always look towards a solution instead of looking towards who to blame. In the end, it falls on you. And if you always respond with a frown and a temper tantrum, that reputation can follow you for years. It’s also unnecessary stress on yourself. No one wants just lemons when you can make lemonade.

1. AND WHAT SEEMS CONTRADICTORY TO THE LAST PIECE OF ADVICE, BURN YOUR BRIDGES AND DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT.

So you’ve been the perfect AD and everyone loves you. Except one of the producers. Or maybe the director thought you were too aggressive or something. You’re going to encounter those folks you just will not win over no matter how much the others like you. Such is life. I used to get completely freaked out and saddened by it. What did I do? Was it something I said? Do they just don’t like women being ADs or is it my tattoos? Don’t spend your precious sleeping hours awake and dwelling on the few folks you’ve pissed off. If you can pinpoint what happened, learn from the mistakes and move on. If you can’t figure it out, don’t lose sleep over it. Sometimes the bridges we burn light our way. Be strong, keep calm, and roll sound. 

23 May 29 Permalink

Advice for Day 1.

“Day 1 everyone!”

It’s not just a phrase, it’s a state of mind. There’s something about the first day of production, no matter how much prep you do beforehand, that causes everything to go wrong. It’s Murphy’s Law Day.

Today’s Day 1 was no different in terms of the usual hiccups and bumps. Some caused by me, some caused by others, some caused just because… well… fuck you, that’s why. We had a melted lamp, a green screen fail to arrive on time, a scheduling mix up, a headset issue, and much more.

But today’s Day 1 was different in that no one panicked. Even when the light melted. Even when I was a dumbass and labeled some stuff improperly. Even when breakfast was late and there were no headsets and it took 15 minutes to download some footage we shot with a web cam for a web cam effect… no one panicked. The set remained calm, we pushed forward and got everything done on time and without much ado. By those accounts, it was a DAMN GOOD Day 1 for a small budget feature film.

We even got out early enough to enjoy a warm sunny afternoon. 

The importance of Day 1 is larger than you would think. It sets the tone of the film, it establishes a lot of relationships to crew and cast and even the equipment. Day 1, without fail, has somethings go wrong. it’s all in how you handle Day 1 that really sets the whole show sailing or sinking.

To contrast, another feature I was a 1st AD on forced me to schedule essentially 11 pages with A-list actors on limited time frames onto our Day 1. This shoot was already far away from home, in an abandoned hospital with its own issues, and it was POURING out. A 1.2K went down, one of the A-lister turned B-lister actors disappeared, one of our supporting actors flipped out about gun safety and pissed everyone off, Malcolm McDowell told that same supporting actor off and also chewed out the scripty for something that was essentially my fault so I was also chewed out, and everything was handled… frantically. 

I mean, FRANTICALLY. 

It really set the tone for the whole show. The mood was pressured and frantic and not fun from the getgo and nothing ever smoothed out after that.

So how does one avoid a disastrous Day 1?

There are some things you cannot avoid. When Producers schedule certain high paid actors on Day 1 for only 6 hours, there’s not a whole lot you can do for that beyond plead your case. However, it’s important to keep the rest of the day as simple as possible. Even if you’re forced to have one big element to handle on Day 1, make sure the rest of the day flows and is light on the crew. Don’t schedule 11 pages in one day if you can avoid it.

Have a group meeting if you can. It’s really important to go over the day on Day 1 to set a tone for communication. Establish yourself as an AD that they can approach without fear of having their heads bit off. It’s Day 1. There’s going to be a lot of questions, make sure you make yourself as available as possible.

AT ALL COSTS - keep calm. Keep calm and roll sound. This is so damned important. Things are going to go wrong. Miscommunications are going to happen. Everyone is still learning the ropes with one another. Keep a cool head as cooler heads always prevail and it also establishes a non-frantic mood for the crew so they can make their mistakes and move on without much fanfare. 

Be firm on things you know will become a bad habit. Don’t go over 12 hours on the first day. It’s an instant mood kill. Unless your crew is getting paid overtime. Also, make sure to be clear of how the DP and the Director work with one another. if you note they like to go off into the quiet room without you, make sure to keep on their radar and check in A LOT to be notified of any changes quickly to avoid confusion and mounting tension on set. Don’t let them forget you’re there and you’re the AD. Make sure they know to UTILIZE your presence and services and not assume you’re akin to a PA. 

Have lots of contingencies in place. Something will go wrong. You will look like a fucking hero if you can have a solution handy right away… even if you were the cause of the problem!

And last but not least, DON’T GET BOGGED DOWN WITH YOUR EMOTIONS. Day 1 is just the beginning. If something goes wrong, or someone isn’t working out, you have time to either find a good solution or work through the issues with someone. Or fire them if need be. Don’t let yourself get wrapped up in a bunch of shoulda coulda woulda from pre-production. There are just some things you cannot prevent no matter how much pre-pro. Just be smart about everything and you’ll do fine.

Now… ONTO DAY 2!

15 February 21 Permalink

U jelly?

I discovered something recently about newer indie producers on set. It’s not a discovery over anything in particular, but rather a revelation I had while standing on set observing someone glare at another who was receiving all of the attention. 

Newbie producers are jealous of ADs.

I don’t mean that in a negative, horrible sense. Maybe envy is a better word.

The reality is that ADs garner all the attention on set. They’re loud, they’re visible, they’re often well loved or well hated. Whatever the emotions are towards the AD, they’re there and they’re real and no one can deny them attention. 

Producers want this. 

The newbie producer is often skittish, over-reaching, and under performing. Again, NOT being negative here. This a real reaction to your first few times being the “big [insert gender pronoun here]” on set. You put too much pressure on yourself to achieve achieve achieve and overload your time and your plate with the often insignificant. There’s a shaky confidence there that leaves many of us hesitant to hang on to your every word. This is, after all, an industry built on experience and experience comes with age and if you don’t have the age, you don’t have the experience. 

So why would a newbie producer be jealous of the often most reviled position on set?

Attention.

Newbie producers want attention. It’s why they become producers. There’s a quiet respect that needs to be built with the crew and the cast and that can’t be done without receiving attention. We often roll our eyes as experienced crew folks at the newbies, we don’t take their word, and will definitely divert attention elsewhere when experience is speaking. We can no longer relate to the fresh off the factory assembly line producer because those exciting and terrifying moments of industry failure passed us long ago. We have confidence in our ability to complete the tasks we’re hired for and we have confidence in our crew peers to do the same. Confidence is what we have and confidence is truly what newbie producers lack. REAL confidence, anyway…. not that overblown ego kind.

And who is the beacon of confidence on a film set? Who HAS to be the beacon of confidence on a film set? The 1st AD. The 1st AD is the first one everyone goes to with their problems and concerns. They are the first ones listened to when they are addressing the crew. If they misspeak, the whole crew is affected.

Newbie producers often are mistaken when it comes to the role of the 1st AD. They believe there is some kind of rivalry between themselves and the 1st. Like a competition for attention. They see the attention given to the 1st AD over their own words and there’s almost instant animosity.

Now, I’ve seen this worked out easily over time, or even over a week, once the newbie producer gets comfortable and settles into the routine. But there are some producers who come out of that with an ongoing distaste for ADs. There’s no need for that.  The AD acts as a safety net and a filter for issues. They take a lot off of the plate of the producer (sometimes too much). Not because they feel like you, the producer, are doing a bad job, but because they know what needs to happen in order for the shoot to go smoothly and they often know that better than anyone else. It’s nothing personal.

And that’s really what it all boils down to: it’s nothing personal. It is no statement to how you’re failing as a producer. The crew is trained to listen and respect or at least… try… to respect the 1st AD’s words. They don’t see the producer as often, and more than likely, they’ve worked with that AD before and not with you. You will get your day in the sun if you keep with it, make the mistakes you need to make, and keep your head on your shoulders. 

Keep calm and make those phone calls, newbie producers. Respect comes with experience. 

13 February 13 Permalink

10 Reasons Why Your Producer Should Not Also Be Your 1st Assistant Director.

This summer has been hell on earth for me. Not because it’s been 107° every-freaking-day in Texas since May, but because I’ve been doing the unthinkable in the professional world: I have been Producing the Same Project I am also ADing. 

And it’s finally fucking over.

It’s not the project itself that wore me out, it’s the double duty-ing. Some hats are just not made to be worn at the same time, no matter how logical it seems in the beginning. 

And while I was able to not have a single day over 12 hours and the director was very happy with what was filmed and the project came in under budget, I felt like I was not emotionally able to be there as a 1st AD as I should have been. And honestly, I will pick 1st AD over Producer as a title every single time. Why? BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I AM FIRST AND FOREMOST: A 1st ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

So why would anyone even think of doing such a thing to their production? Money is usually the 1st reason. Control is the 2nd. When you work on dysfunctional low budget sets enough, you start to dream of how you would run things and how perfect it will be. And who knows best when it comes to fuck ups on the production end trickling to the film set? Your Assistant Directors. So, in the beginning, it seems totally logical to have the producer be the AD or vice versa, I mean, shit, they already run things anyway and know what needs to get done in order for the set to run…

So why the hell is this a bad idea? Let me explain my summer in ten ways:

1. You cannot be in two places at once. This is physically impossible.

Science has not developed an insta-clone device in which we can physically put ourselves in two places at once. Unless you believe and I mean really live the Many Worlds Theory… The reality is that Producers need to have the ability to leave set at will to negotiate, put out fires, scout, meet, etc. Assistant Directors are useless off set unless they’re the 2nd AD. Your job is to run set. You cannot do that from a meeting with an investor.

2. If you’re doubling up as an AD/Producer, you most likely cannot afford a Production Manager either.

Which means, in the middle of a complicated camera set up in which the director and DP is trying to explain blocking and what needs to happen, you’re most likely going to be asked for petty cash to get ice for the coolers and we need an equipment damage report for that stinger the AC accidentally closed a door on and caused a gash in, and oh yeah, when do we get paid? I have child support I need to get a check to. 

3. Assistant Directors aren’t usually privy to and an expert in financial wheelings and dealings.

No seriously, I did not get a business degree or a financial management degree. Ledgers? Tax forms? Escrow accounts? Investing is a high risk activity clauses?! What world have I entered here? I wanna go back to set, please.

4. You have to be the douchebag you usually complain about.

Fake smile. Firm handshake. Freshly pressed business attire. Gag reflex. I get why producers do what they do. You sometimes have to be someone completely different from who you actually are in order to appease the industry folks that you wheel and deal with. On set, we snicker and make jokes about producers and the lavish illusions of Hollywood, but once you have to be that person just to not lose the location or get the agent to not pull their actress at the last minute, there’s a whole new appreciation for even getting to day 1 of filming. 

5. Pre-production is double the hell it normally is.

As an AD, I often spend pre-production getting to know the director/producers, picking my staff, breaking down the script, building a solid production schedule with as few company moves as possible (and hopefully, even fewer overnight shoots and fuck you fridays), reviewing shotlists, talking to stunts/special effects/vanities about set up times, planning and running tech scouts, checking in on rehearsals, relaying changes to department heads, and getting as familiar with the mechanics of the production as possible. 

As a Producer, I have to be locking in locations, building contracts and crew/cast deal memos, making sure that paperwork gets signed, arguing with agents, building and keeping tabs on the budget, hiring crew, renting equipment, securing insurance, making sure we have parking/bathrooms/holding areas, renting production vehicles, negotiating backend deals, keeping the director motivated, keeping the director’s vision from bloating to impossible to achieve proportions, making sure department heads aren’t steamrolling their first hands, playing babysitter and therapist all at the same time. And that’s before I even get to dealing with the assistant directors.

6. I am in constant contradiction. 

Producers and ADs are very often very different creatures. I’m very mechanical as an AD. I run set and make sure everyone has what they need to do their jobs well and efficiently. I am thrilled to set marks for background and call the roll. But the things I desire as an AD are not always what I desire as a producer. As AD, I feel you’ve gotten the shot in those 15 takes and it’s absolutely time to move on (considering there’s no overtime if we go over 12 hours). As a producer, I want you to keep going until you have every single fucking frame of that shot a brilliant masterpiece or else the investors are going to pull out and the whole thing’s gonna fall apart. As a Producer, truthfully, the shot sucks and we should spend another 45 minutes resetting and getting it right. As an AD, it’s not my fault your shot sucks since you declared you didn’t want my opinion on the blocking anyway. Next time don’t spend an hour setting unmotivated blocking and ignoring the cries of your crew. No more time. New deal.

7. I have to pretend to like demanding/diva-ish talent.

I am admittedly a crew AD. I come from a working class background and have a working class mentality in everything I do. I have a hard time with people who automatically assume they are above everyone else simply because of title. I know I am not alone in this as an AD. Actors and Actresses who come off as Divas are a prickly bunch and many like things a very specific way or nothing at all. As an AD, I can push past them and let the director pamper any fragile egos. They don’t give two shits if the 1st AD liked their performance anyway. But if I’m producing as well, suddenly I have to be their best friend/therapist/on set flirt/and yes man. Or else I’m going to be hearing from their agent. 

8. During filming, there is no one to put out the fires ahead of time but yourself.

One of the DGA 1st ADs I really admire once said that the 1st AD represents the present, the set, the actual on the day filming… the 2nd AD represents the future, the next day of filming and prep work, and the 2nd 2nd AD represents the past, what happened on the day and statistics. 

A producer is all three at once; he/she is vigilant of past, present, and the future. When I’m on set as an AD, I barely have time to approve the next day’s call sheet, nevermind making phone calls to appease angry location owners for next week’s filming who are upset that the location agreement spelled their name wrong. I have no one looking ahead to fix things before they are a problem, and trust me, there are always problems.

9. Your crew are confused by your position.

This is pretty self explanatory. You are simultaneously the person to bring problems to and the problem itself. The crew will become frustrated when they realize that there is no filter/buffer between them and the Above the Line. And they will also be frustrated when they need something to be taken care of off-set and you are… on set. And if you leave set to take care of what they need taken care of off-set, then they become upset that you are not on-set running the set and telling them exactly what is going on. 

10. If it sucks, it’s your name on the project.

As a producer, I am supposed to be overseeing the creative and making sure the director is making wise creative decisions with the budget he/she has. As an AD, I am not responsible for the overall creative feel of the movie. The director can, and will, overrun any creative ideas I might have. As a Producer/AD, I have no one to blame but myself. And that is more pressure than I ever want from any one production that is not my own script. 

In conclusion, I declare that I will never do both again, unless I have a strong team of other producers around me to take care of things while I am running set. I cannot be in two places emotionally and physically at once. I am filled with relief that this project is done and what we shot looks really good and we did not go over financially so the director has post-funds to start with. I feel like we have a small victory with this project, considering my other producer was also the gaffer (another double duty that should never happen). But as for me, I am going to save my tension headaches for my own scripts and continue to do what I do best: being the assistant director.

27 August 16 Permalink

Tips for Beginning ADs from the Trenches #5

Shotlists. They make movies happen. With directors who have a hard time shotlisting, at least get a guide that you can work from. It’s very difficult to push things forward and plan ahead when you’re not aware he or she wants a long dolly on a complicated blocking set up and then also wants 15 takes of it even though they nailed it on the 3, 4, and 5 takes.

22 October 2 Permalink