Directing
Small Crew Directing

Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D.
August 2008

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Summertime is a great time to shoot that special video. Load up your equipment, gather your crew and away you go to the next exciting location. Sounds great, but it could be the beginning of a horrible nightmare if you don't prepare for your role as the small-crew director. In this column, we will take a look at directing small crews, pitfalls to watch out for and overall strategies that work to make your shoot a pleasant and successful endeavor.

The number-one reason directors run into problems on the set is lack of planning. Whether you are shooting a potential blockbuster with hundreds in your crew or an intimate video with a crew of five, planning is the key to success. This planning includes not only the setups and shots you will need, the equipment required and the cast list, but also, for the small crew, it includes the identification of exactly what each crew member will be doing.

In the professional film world, every position has a very defined job description that spells out responsibilities. On a union set, these job descriptions are extremely specific and dictated by the union contract. For the small video crew, you can toss these job descriptions out the window. Everyone needs to be prepared to wear a number of hats and be responsible for a wide variety of details and specific tasks. As the director, you need to look at your crew, review their competencies and assign responsibilities accordingly. Nothing is more disruptive on the set than crewmembers who look at you with a blank stare because you have asked for something they were totally unaware was their responsibility. While this may seem rather obvious, it is best not to assume anything, because you all know what happens when you assume something.

While every production may be slightly different, with different needs, the small-production crew is pretty consistent. You will need a camera operator, audio mixer, boom operator, gaffer, grip, assistant director, producer and script supervisor. These positions are essential for a production to be a success. Let's look at each position, taking it for granted that you are the director.

Experts strongly recommend that the director does not also shoot the project. Although many directors do this, it takes away from their ability to concentrate on the acting and tech within a scene, because their focus is more on camera movement, composition and overall picture quality. When working with novice actors or talent who are not used to working with the camera, it is essential for the director to be able to step away from the camera to work with the talent and more closely monitor their actions. This also goes for working with a novice crew. Take a monitor with you, so that you can see what the camera operator is doing. Between watching the monitor and the action, you will be more aware of the performance you are getting and what you need to tweak. The freedom this gives you is enormous, and, if you have a good camera operator, you will find yourself less stressed and your final products much improved.

Another task you must learn to give up as the director is the overall producing of the piece. On the set, the director has too many things to worry about to also add catering, clock management, prop wrangling, costume adjusting, set coordination, location prep, talent and location releases and a plethora of other business decisions. A good producer must be someone who isn't afraid to tell you when time is running out or that the location is getting ready to kick you out because you are taking too long to get that perfect shot. A good producer is also someone who is extremely well-organized, has an eye for detail and takes care of the moment-by-moment working of the shoot. This must be someone you trust and someone you will listen to and won't get mad at when he insists it is time to move to the next setup. The producer will most likely act as script supervisor and continuity master if no one else is available.

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