“We can’t interupt business”: a primer on live location lock down.

For the love of all that is holy, never lock in a location that you do not obtain full control of. This is rule number one to location scouting. When you have dialog, multiple actors, background, picture vehicles, and other large elements at play, having civilians also stepping through the set and forcing production to wait and move aside for them as they shop is simply not ideal. Even if the location has light pedestrian traffic, the risk of injury, loss and damage, and unnecessary stress still runs high. And to top it all off, you can never really schedule for a location that makes you hold filming every time a customer even looks at the store.

So obviously, it’s in everybody’s best interests to NOT film at these locations. But sometimes, it’s necessary. This week, I’ve had to lock down three live gas stations in a city/state that is not very privy to what a film production actually means. And thus, we pissed off a LOT of people.

If you’re anyone like me, your initial instinct when hearing that a location will be live during filming is “OHGODNORIPUPCONTRACTFAAAAACK”. You’ll dread the day on the stripboard and constantly pester producers about what the live location will entail. You’ll beg the DP and Director to keep the shotlists simple and clean and stick to the plan in case production slows down (which it invariably will no matter how light the traffic is at the location).

The reality of handling these locations is that you really just got to keep on keepin’ on. What I mean is that wonderful phrase many of us production folks find ourselves saying out of defeat: “It is what it is.”

And it really is. There’s nothing you can do to make the location any more efficient. You are going to hold the roll for a customer who slowly saunters by the camera either scowling that you’re upsetting the norm of his favorite ice cream parlor or smiling and waving at the camera and asking if they can be in it. You’re going to hold the roll for people outside the gas station screaming about getting their cigarettes and kids loudly asking what the name of the movie is. It really and truly is what it is.

The other horrifying reality of shooting live locations is that the owners often don’t understand what having a film production means. They think student with a camcorder or some documentary crew. They don’t understand what you mean by basecamp, lock up, roomtone, can we shut off the cooler for sound?, can we stop customers while rolling?, lunch break, PAs, greeking logos, and having actors play customers instead of letting the real customers in. No matter how much you outline your footprint on the location as a production, the owner will undoubtedly think three dudes with a camera and a boom pole and will be genuinely surprised by the grip truck and the art van rolling up at breakfast. They will try to fight the producers and say you are disrupting their business and they’re losing money. They will make jokes about Hollywood and cause undue stress by getting randomly freaked out when you try to move the twinkie stand 2 feet to the left for a shot.

As an AD, I’m often the first one they come running at when they think there’s an issue. This is not abnormal. They look towards the one who’s making the loudest commands on set and assume they are the True and Only Boss of the film world. There’s no understanding of the true hierarchy at play and they get confused and irritated when I have to hand them over to the production manager or producers for discussion. Yesterday, I heard “But I want HER to meet with us right now, too!” and the producers had to physically stop him from walking away from them and getting me. I was in the middle of getting an actor changed, a debate about angle sorted out, and shooing off the scripty asking me about a logo that was barely noticeable. I had no interest in once again telling the guy that we’re doing exactly what we lined out in the contract we signed.

My approach to filming live locations is to keep as calm as abso-fucking-lutely possible. And that’s goddamned HARD. It’s ok. It really is. Everyone on that set understands what you’re going through and tempers having small, private flare ups is an expected thing. However, whatever you do, don’t have a full blow up in front of the owner. Go back to basecamp if the urge to tear into a producer rises, but keep it off the set at all costs.

Setting a quiet yet productive pace is the best thing you can do. And you’re going to look around at points and think you’re never going to make the day. And you might not. That’s ok too. Always look at these filming locations as a scenario that will probably be changed. Allow yourself to be flexible with the protocol and the schedule in order to just keep getting shit done. Owners don’t like watching a film crew stand around their store and it makes the customers nervous. Obviously you should take your time with complicated set ups, but always be pushing your crew to keep working, even at a snail’s pace.

Be very careful with the amount of time you actually spend rolling. Do a bunch of rehearsals first in which you don’t need to disrupt the business. That way, when you do lock up the location, it’ll only be for a small time period and the actors are already comfortable with lines and blocking before you even press the red button.

As I stated earlier, flexibility is key here. You’re going to move scenes. You’re going to jump back and forth between scenes and maybe even angles. You’re going to force the DP and director to do some things differently from the shotlist to appease the owner and keep the production from being thrown off set. I had to push several simple car interiors yesterday alone simply to make sure we could have the time to deal with standing by while customers were at the counter. Not everything is going to go as planned and that’s OK. Be prepared to make it a flexible day and find your contingencies ahead of time, but don’t feel like you need to stick to schedules that are hurting the production just in the name of protocol.

Finally, patience is so damn important. And that might be the hardest part of this all. As an AD, you’re often used to pushing and pushing and pushing and going faster and faster and keeping everyone moving at a very quick pace. You’re probably not going to be doing that on these locations. So employing patience even when the entire is crew is looking at you ready to shoot is going to be a good tool to utilize. Calmly explain why we have to be in standby so much and make sure everyone’s ready to go the moment the location is cleared to shoot. Work with an amicable producer who can keep a dialog with customers coming in and also act as liason with the owner. Be patient with the customers too. It’s not their fault either. They’re just doing their thing. Don’t rush them and don’t be rude to them no matter how many times you get asked when the movie’s going to air or if any big names are in it.

You’re probably going to have several moments where you want the day to be over or you want to desperately punch the owner in the face. Just remember that you’re not alone (for once) in this stressful state. The entire cast and crew involved are right there with you, so set a good precedent and be patient, pleasant, and flexible. You should be able to make the day you need to make.

11 May 32 Permalink

I can’t even begin to emphasize how important a solid UPM is on any feature production. Producers are FOOLS to not hire one.

5 May 18 Permalink

SO EXCITED.

So while in the midst of pre-pro for my next feature, I am also prepping to DIRECT a promo for a feature script I’ve been working on for 2 years called House Bound, the story of a girl who saves herself for once. Tonight we have our first rehearsal for the promo and I’ll be shooting it on April 20th. 

We’ll be utilizing the promo to help secure investment for the feature film.

It feels so good to direct again.

11 April 20 Permalink

Hello New Followers!!!

I’ve had quite the jump recently in new followers, so let me introduce myself.

I’m Michelle, I’m a professional AD living in Austin. I work predominantly as a 1st AD for indie features here in Texas. But I also do shorts, music videos, commercials, industrials, webisodes, and I also work as 2nd, 2nd 2nd, key set or field PA. I’m working to eventually get into the DGA as a 1st. On the side, I am a camera operator for live event/conference/sport/ENG shooting. I also do some producing.

My next project is a feature in May that I’ll be 1sting in Mississippi… so if anyone lives in Mississippi and has some free time in May and would like to PA a couple days here and there, drop me a line.

And YES, I’m available for hire and I do travel, so don’t hesitate to drop me an email if you’re looking for an AD: goingforpicture@gmail.com

This blog is mostly my musings on various things ADs deal with. Sometimes I go off on crazy feminist rants that I won’t apologize for. Sometimes I reblog silly film set stuff. I tend to keep personal stuff off this blog except for the occasional off topic post.

I also like answering your questions, within reason of course. However, questions about what you should charge for rate, how I got into the industry, advice for getting your foot in the door, etc. have already been answered on this blog a few times, so please feel free to check my archive before bumping me a question. I also tend to tag all my posts.

I do have a personal blog, Mothra Smash, that’s mostly weird reblogs, feminist/anarchist/activist propaganda, and my film/TV fandoms which are of the Mad Men, IT Crowd, Paul Thomas Anderson, Sidney Lumet, Martin Scorsese variety.  I’m not into Potter/Who/Supernatural/Thrones/Hunger/Vampires/LOTR/comic book superheroes/hipster triangle/lonely girl quotes so you won’t find any of that there, sorry.

I do follow back if your blog has anything related to film production. I don’t follow back if it’s mostly fandom reblogging. I occasionally make an exception. But don’t take it personal if I don’t follow back, I just try to keep my dashboard as film production centric as possible.

So HELLO! It’s good to see all of you.

7 April 16 Permalink

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

One Week Until Shooting…

1stassistantdirectors:

So this is me right now. Just stepped off the last of tech scouts. I have to do some drawing for a prop (hey, I started in illustration) and double check the schedule and do a day by day run through of week 1 making sure I know all our basecamps and problem areas. I’m going to take this moment tonight, at 12:56AM, to relax. For a couple hours. in bed.

26 October 36 1stassistantdirectors Permalink

My relationship with the Film Industry…

1stassistantdirectors:

ANNNNND scene. Moving on. New Deal.

Source: 1stassistantdirectors

21 October 86 peachsalsaa Permalink

Seeking Volunteer PAs for a feature film in Nov/Dec - Austin/Corpus/Van Horn/Gonzales

Straight from my (ugh) craigslist ad (and yes, I am 1st AD on this project and my 2nd, my 2nd 2nd, and I all hire PAs on a pretty regular basis for paid work).

We are seeking a Few Good Folks who are available during November/December to help on a feature film as a set PA. You’ll be trained to help with set PA duties such as lockup, handling talent & extras, maintaining production supplies, and you’ll probably get covered in fake blood at some point. THIS IS A VOLUNTEER POSITION. We are NOT asking anyone to be involved for the full run of the production (but you are welcomed to!). You tell us when you’re available. If you’re interested in getting into film production and have a couple days here and there during production to come out and lend a hand, we’d love to have you. Assistant Directors do hire hard working volunteer PAs for paid work for various productions in features, shorts, commercials, music videos & TV shows and you’ll be working under an experienced crew who work full time in the industry here in Austin and Dallas.

Production is a western mostly shooting in the Austin area and there is some travel involved for those of you interested in traveling with us (accommodations and transpo will be provided). Shooting on Red EPIC. 

Please let us know if you’re interested! We’d love to have you - just drop us a line with your past film experience and what you’re interested in doing film wise.

email: goingforpicture(at)gmail(dot)com

18 October 9 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