50 Things to Know About Film Production
This article is based on articles created by Tisch School of
the Arts (NYU) Professor Maureen Ryan, Chelsea Blacker and
Wikiversity.
Anyone can learn to be a filmmaker. Everything about
filmmaking is extremely easy to learn. Anyone can do it if
they wish. The challenge is that filmmaking requires
learning a huge number of skills. Each skill is easy to
learn but the number of things you must learn is huge.
If you want to be an independent filmmaker, you must learn
the equivalent of 20 different careers. Even if you are a
fast learner, it can take you years to learn everything.
In a dramatic motion picture, the story is told by many
people. The cinematographer tells the story with the camera.
The lighting person tells the story with lighting.
The film composer tells the story with music. The actors
tell the story with action and dialog. The editor tells the
story with editing. The sound designer tells the story with
sound.
And as an independent filmmaker, you have to learn to all of
these skills. If you fail to learn even one of these skills,
people will notice and be turned off by your movie. You must
learn everything!!!!
Here are 50 Things to Know About Film Production.
1. Feed your crew every 6 hours.
2. Never assume anything.
3. Always hire the best crew you can afford.
4. Everyone wants to be a part of something. This is often
more important than money to the right person.
5. Leave the Attitude at home.
6. If you don’t know something, ask.
7. There are only so many hours of daylight in a given day.
Plan accordingly.
8. Delegate to competent people.
9. Work hard on set. Work harder off the set to create a
balanced life.
10. When everyone is doing their job and working towards the
same goal, anything is possible.
11. Love what you do, it’s too hard otherwise.
12. Explaining what you have planned to all the crew
members. They’ll buy into it at the beginning of the day and
everything will be easier, better, smoother.
13. Be curious. You can’t know everything, so ask for
advice/help.
14. Treat your crews well and they’ll recommend you for
jobs.
15. Talk to your crew if you might have to delay lunch, or
else face meal penalties.
16. Gaffer’s tape can repair anything. (cars, appliances,
rental equipment, but not a broken heart)
17. Negotiation is a conversation. Everyone needs to keep
their self-respect and feel they are being considered.
18. Always record 60 seconds of Room Tone before moving to
the next set.
19. Pre-production is everything.
20. No yelling! Ever!
21. Mutual respect is the only way.
22. Decency trumps talent every time.
23. Return phone calls within 24 hours.
24. Email whenever possible or you don’t need an answer
immediately.
25. No animals or children on set – if at all possible.
26. It always takes longer than you think. Schedule
accordingly.
27. Craft service is the last bastion of civility.
28. Every action has a consequence that affects so many
others.
29. The Golden Rule rules!
30. If you get behind in the schedule, figure out what you
can lose, or find more money for overtime.
31. Figure out the director’s “through line” – it will make
your life a lot easier.
32. Pad your budget.
33. Never say “no” to the director or a crew person. Always
say “let’s see”; this way, they know they’ve been heard and
never feel shut down.
34. Listen AND look.
35. Build it all up. Wait for it to fall apart. Then build
it all up again.
36. Do what’s best for the project, not your ego or some
other agenda. It keeps it all simple and “clean”.
37. Don’t put the chocolate out on the craft service table
until after lunch.
38. Hang out at the back of the Grip Truck if you want to
know what really is happening on set.
39. Casting is 90% of the work.
40. Change your shoes after lunch. Your feet will thank you.
41. Figure out your own strengths and weaknesses and then
hire others to fill out your areas of weakness.
42. Always watch and listen to audio playback a few takes
into the shoot.
43. If there is one bad apple, get rid of it.
44. There are no problems, only solutions.
45. Always actualize the budget after it’s complete. It
gives you a wealth of information.
46. Pay all outstanding invoices in less than 30 days.
47. Don’t always go with the lower price – there’s more than
just money to consider.
48. Get a good caterer. it makes for a happy and productive
crew.
49. Inspire others to join the cause by your own example.
50. You can only have 2 out of the 3, pick which ones you
need: FAST, CHEAP, or GOOD.
Copyright (c) 2008 Peter D. Marshall / All Rights Reserved
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