How Do I Hire a Film Crew?
How Do I Hire a Film Crew? Hiring a film crew can be extremely challenging, especially for a newbie or someone that has limited experience in the field. Critical roles need to be filled and knowledge as well as educational background will be a key factor in choosing the best possible crew for the job. Then there’s budget concerns and the need to find a professional film crew that will work together to produce the best possible product within an acceptable price range. Then there’s the horror stories you’ve heard and the disastrous sets and ruined projects. Cumulatively, you begin to feel like hiring a film crew may be downright daunting. But it doesn’t have to be! Follow along as we outline a systematic approach to hiring a film crew for your video production needs.
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Film Crew Roles
The first step to hiring a professional film crew that can work for you to bring your creative vision to life is to understand the various roles and the critical needs of the crew.
If you hire the crew in the correct order, some of your HR tasks will be cut short as you will find you have assistance in vetting and hiring additional resources. So, let’s take a look at the primary needs:
Director
You’re definitely going to need a film director and possibly a writer. The director will be a major help when you get to a point in which you’re hiring additional help as they will likely have a list of crew that they prefer to work with.
Script Writer
If you don’t already have a script you’re going to need to hire someone to write one. The director may want to see your script before they accept your project so consider this when planning out your hiring process.
Line Producer
The line producer will help oversee the priorities associated with keeping your production on budget.
Unit Production Manager
The unit production manager is responsible for the logistics of the production. Together, the line producer and the unit production manager will likely have additional insight as to where you can find the rest of the crew members that you need and they may even have film crew members that they prefer to work with as reference.
Production Coordinator
For larger productions, you’ll need a production coordinator to help with contracting, paperwork and the administrative tasks.
Locations Manager
Unless you intend to film in a studio, you’ll need a location manager to help you scout and select the appropriate location for your set.
Cinematographer
One of the most important people you’ll hire, make sure you hire a professional. The more experience, the better!
Production Manager
Talk to your cinematographer about the production manager, you can probably get some input on who to hire.
Production Designer
The production manager will likely be able to help you hire a production designer.
Sound man
Great audio will make a difference in whether your finished film audio is worthy or you spend unnecessary time in post production trying to make it all come together. Make sure you hire a sound crew that will help you succeed.
Finding and Hiring a Film Crew
So how Do I Hire a Film Crew? Now that you know of all the different departments you’ll need to hire for and the roles you’ll need to fill you can begin your search for the perfect film crew. Several options exist here.
The easiest, is to hire an experienced film production company that will do the rest of the leg work for you in hiring the film crew that will make your video production come together without a hitch.
If you decide to go that route, contact Beverly Boy Productions today so that we can help you establish a film crew that’s just right for your needs.
If you’re still considering the idea of tackling the vetting and hiring process on your own, here’s what you’ll need to do:
Post on Film Crew Websites and forums to find cinematographers and other film crew professionals seeking roles in the area
This is a great way to find specialty members of the film crew to fill in any gaps you have in your crew too such as a boom operator or a 1st AC or anyone else that you’re missing from your crew.
Attend film clubs or workshops to meet film crew members for hire
Another great place to network and meet those that may be seeking a role on a film crew is to attend clubs or workshops where film crew members spend their free time. Just perform a Google search or check social media for local meetups.
As you see a film crew, consider the size of the crew that you’ll need for your production. You don’t always need a large crew, especially if you’re just putting together a short video for your website or social media page.
This is where hiring a film production company that has experience in determining the appropriate size and structure of the film crew that’s needed for each type of video production is ideal.
Explain Pay Rates
Before you hire anyone to work on your film crew, make sure you have openly explained the pay rate that can be expected for the production. Failure to discuss pay rates upfront, and to establish costs in advance, will result in a lot of costly headaches later on.
Remember, you get what you pay for in life. Don’t expect to hire the cheapest film crew members and get the best quality production out of the group. It simply won’t happen.
However, you can expect to pay a fair price for top quality film crew members that will make your production project worthwhile. For information on film crew pricing and what you can expect when hiring a film crew, contact Team Beverly Boy.
Review Demos & Resumes
Film crew members that are interested in your project will submit resumes and demo reels to you for review. As you take a look at each, make sure that you are paying close attention to their work as it applies to your creative interest.
It does very little good to review a resume without a demo in this case as anyone can say they went to a great film school, but if they can’t deliver quality work that will exceed your expectations, what’s the point?
Ultimately, the value of the demo and the work that you review is up to your creative discretion. This is where hiring a film crew is both complicated and creative. If you know what you’re looking for, you can have some fun with the process at this point.
Don’t be Dependent on Demos
However, if you’re not sure how you can fully inspect the skills of each applicant via their demo reel, this is a time where you may find yourself in the trenches and struggling to figure out what to do and who to hire next.
Likewise, a demo reel may not be the best place to check the work of a great grip that won’t have demos to share or a pristine appearing resume that they spent all day working on. This doesn’t mean they aren’t a great grip, it means you’ll need to work harder to find them because their resume isn’t going to necessarily stand out.
This is where sometimes finding the hardest working film crew members takes more experience than the average person will have and requires networking and an understanding of those who are in the field.
Consider all of the potential scenarios when hiring a film crew. Don’t overlook a simple resume without giving attention to the thought that it may belong to a hard, experienced worker that is active in an area of the film crew that is less likely to have a demo or other artistic talent to share.
Consider that with certain positions, it will make more sense to check references and follow up with your network to determine whether someone that has voiced interest in joining your film crew may be a good choice.
Choosing the Best Candidate for the Role
Choosing the best candidate for your film crew will certainly take a lot of work on your end. You have to find film crew members that are seeking work, get them interested in your project, check their resume and skills, follow-up with references, and make contact to offer the position.
Even after all of this, you may find that you made a choice in candidates that aren’t the ideal fit or that they don’t work well with other members of your crew.
Sometimes choosing the best candidate for the role is about more than checking references and skills. Sometimes you have to work with a person to truly see how they operate and whether they are a good fit to be with the rest of your crew and to fulfill your needs.
How Do I Hire a Film Crew?
Be prepared to realize that some members of the crew won’t work out and you’ll find yourself vetting, reviewing and hiring all over again if this happens. It’s all part of the process and something that you’ll need to get used to.
Tread carefully as you certainly don’t want to waste too much time hiring, trying and rehiring. Especially when you’re talking about major roles in the crew such as the 1st AC, Production Assistant, and other department heads.
So How Do I Hire a Film Crew? Hiring a film crew is a challenge if you intend to hire each individual person for the role. Sometimes it’s better to work with a production company that can bring the entire crew to you without a second thought.
If this sounds easier to you, give Beverly Boy Productions a call at 888-462-7808! We’ll make the process a breeze for you so that you can move past all the HR tasks and straight towards the production of a top-quality film that’s perfect for your needs.
