Directing
Small Crew Directing (page 2)

In a pinch, the producer can also act as assistant director and take care of the slate and the overall on-set management. However, this is best taken care of by another crew member who also acts as the assistant camera operator and takes care of all of the camera information, handles tape changes, assists with tricky camera movement and focus-pulling and generally is the camera operator's right arm.

Audio is another part of the production that must have at least two crew members, to ensure the quality of the sound recording. Today's cameras record very high-quality audio, so many small crews record the audio directly through their cameras, using external microphones. (Never use the camera microphone if you can help it, among other issues, the camera mic picks up the noise of the camera.)

However, just because you are recording the audio to your camera, don't think that the camera operator should be responsible for the audio as well as the video. Have a crew member monitor the audio with headsets and look over the camera operator's shoulder to monitor the camera's meters, if you can see them.

If you are shooting HDV, you may want to use a dual system with a separate Flash drive audio recorder. HDV cameras do not record the quality audio you will get with MiniDV cameras, because of the space on the tape needed for the video signal. If you use a dual system (camera and audio recorder), use your camera mic to record a scratch audio track you can later use to sync with the audio from the Flash recorder. (To learn more abut dual audio recording, see our Audio column in this issue.)

You will also need the assistant director to slate every shot, to give you a separate audio and video sync point.

The audio mixer will need a boom operator to handle the shotgun microphone used for the shoot. If you are using lavs, the boom operator can assist with the setting up and monitoring of the mic systems. The final two positions you will need are the grip and gaffer. These are your utility players.

The grip takes care of the heavy lifting on the set, assisting the camera operator with setup, moving furniture, assisting with props and providing the physical assistance needed to keep the set running.

The gaffer takes care of all of the lighting needs, working closely with you or a Director of Photography, if you are lucky enough to have someone who can take the job of designing the lighting and shots for the production. The gaffer puts up the lights, connects all the electric and monitors the electronic components of the set. You will find the grip and gaffer save a tremendous amount of your time by taking care of the physical setup, so that you can concentrate on your talent and camera operator.

The key to a successful shoot is communication. Always make sure your crew knows what you expect of them and what they will be doing next. Begin each day with a walkthrough of that day's activities. Before beginning your setup at each location, walk the crew through what you will need and the setups you will be trying to accomplish that day. Explain to them the look and feel you are going for in each scene, and ask for and listen as they give suggestions about what might work better. However, don't be wishy-washy. It is good to ask for suggestions from your crew, but you have to be able to make decisions and keep the production on track. Changing direction too often and not knowing what you want for each scene will drive your crew nuts and create a very unhappy set. Creativity is one thing. Creativity without a plan is the quickest way to a horrible experience.

• Digg This!
• del.icio.us
• Technorati
• StumbleUpon
• Reddit