Think, think ahead, always think ahead, never stop thinking ahead.

This goes for each department. There is always something that can be prepared for the next shot, next scene, next day. This is where the professionals differ from the amateurs.

 

- There is always something to do on set.

Whether it’s moving equipment or repairing equipment or ordering equipment. Make yourself useful or learn something new. This is where the professionals differ from the amateurs.

 

- Well maintained and organized equipment makes the work go faster.

There is nothing more disturbing than fixing equipment on set. It will cause huge and unnecessary delays on the shooting day.

 

- Never let your equipment stand in front of the lens or in the middle of the set.

Always place it somewhere hidden, out of the way, but in hand reach. There is nothing more irritating than having a piece of equipment laying around in the middle of the set when a shot is lined-up, shooting the shot, or doing blocking rehearsal.

 

4. Care about your job!

 

If not, find another one. This is where the professionals differ from the amateurs.

Each job is important on set, from assistant to producer. If you don’t care about your job, you are the one who will cause the whole team to slow down. A movie crew is a chain in which each part is important. One bad connection and the whole thing will be jeopardized.

 

5. Respect the Hierarchy, or chain of command!

 

Do the job the bosses ask from you without questioning and keep your opinion about their decisions to yourself. A task might sound ridiculous to you, but you don’t know what has been discussed in prep or what the artistic motivation behind it is.

 

For key crew, such as DP, 1^st AD, art director or stunt coordinator, who has any concerns about director’s decision or vision it should be addressed to the director in a discreet manner.

 

The Director has the last word about every decision ON SET.

Not always OFF SET.

 

6. Make your bosses look good!

 

This means, don’t wait till your boss tells you what to do and make suggestions of how to make the job go faster, more efficient and better.

 

Think for yourself and take initiative.

It will make the job of your boss easier and improves the production you work on. It will increase the quality of the movie, make things go faster and will secure you a next job. It’s a win-win for everybody. Who doesn’t want to work with somebody who makes their lives easier and looking good in front of their bosses.

 

- A boss who respects his crew loves to hear the options and suggestions you have to offer to make everything better. You might have solutions that he or she didn’t even thought about because there are so many other things on their mind at the same time.

 

Always start your suggestions with: What do you think about…? Would it work if we…?

Never say, “No, that doesn’t work. You should do it that way.”

 

- A boss who is a tyrant will not listen to your suggestion or doesn’t even want to take it into consideration. You’d better do what he asks and if it’s wrong and he yells at you it will tell more about who your boss is than about who you are, because you did your job.

 

There are no No’s on Set.

 

You always have to try, the worst thing that can happen is that you fail, but 90% of the time you will succeed by just trying. This makes the movie better.

 

8. Respect the Holy Ground!!!

This is the area in front of the camera, when the cameras are set and send picture to the monitor or are shooting the shot. This area needs to stay clear from any people, equipment or crew, with the exception of actors.

All crew members need to facilitate the director’s vision without questioning.

Any concerns about director’s decision or vision from DP, 1^st AD (2^nd director in Russia), art director or stunt coordinator should be addressed to the director in a discreet manner.

 

III. RUNNING A PROFESSIONAL SET