Hiring a filming crew can be a demanding task and if you’re a video newbie, it’s all the more challenging. Where do you find a film crew? How do you know they’re right for your project? How much is too much?
Great vision isn’t enough if you haven’t got a great team to support it. Luckily, the industry is full of talented individuals waiting to fit into your vacancies. You just have to look in the right places to find them.
Whom to hire
If you’re planning the whole nine yards of film production, you don’t have to worry about hiring an entire film crew from scratch. Your job becomes a whole lot easier if you start by hiring the department heads. Once you put great thought into hiring those positions – well – they should take care of the rest.
The heads of each department will hire the necessary crew, – and usually teams they’ve worked with (and therefore trust) in the past. This ensures that the team is reliable and reflects the execution and style of the head.
Where to find your film crew
There are times when you know exactly what you need and expect from a potential hire but you have no clue where to find them.
In the past, you’d have to depend on networking events or referrals to find your film crew but now with the internet, your work becomes exponentially easier. Job sites will connect you to talented professionals so that, if you need to, you can find all your crew need on such platforms.
Regional film councils can also be a great way to connect to the local talent pool. Hiring a crew that’s based in the city of the shoot can save you a considerable amount of money.
What to look for in a film crew
Ideally, you’re going to want to hire a crew member who has previous experience in the same line of work you’re looking for. Pull up resumes and start making your way through relevant experiences.
If the job involves a visual element, you can ask for a portfolio for a better understanding of their work.
Low-budget productions often don’t have much of a bargaining chip. So it’s sometimes better to hire a rank below the position you’re looking to fill.
How much does it cost to hire a film crew?
The question of payment depends on how much you can afford to pay your crew. If you choose the cheaper path, costly mistakes will be made by novice members of your assembled team. An experienced crew can complete your project in a short time and with fewer retakes, so whatever money you spend will be well worth it.
Film crews usually work on daily rates rather than hourly. So how do you determine the standard pay rate? It all comes down to experience. The more experienced a crew member is, the more compensation they’ll require.
Ask around locally about industry standards and try to negotiate a rate that doesn’t bankrupt the production but also doesn’t compromise crew quality.
Remember – even if you find a great crew they may not like the project specifications or may share different views on the subject. So don’t just aim to hire a professional crew, make sure they’re on the same page as well.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was Roma. There’s no rush in hiring a film crew. Take your time and make sure you’re hiring the right people who share a similar vision in filmmaking.
Short on time and pushed to find a crew? Contact Splento to help you track down exactly who you need for when and where you need them!
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