In a nutshell
- By using essential equipment that won’t weigh down production, small video crews can boost their efficiency.
- Hiring flexible, experienced crew members is one of the keys to maximizing efficiency for small crews.
- Always have a contingency plan if things don’t go as planned.
Filming a documentary, feature film, music video, YouTube show or corporate gig is always nerve-wracking. It should give you butterflies in your stomach, especially if you’re working with a small crew. However, film preparation can help relieve anxiety and make or break an upcoming shoot, even for small projects. Completing your project with only a small production team of a few people or even as a one-person band is possible today thanks to technology that makes it easier than ever.
So, let’s talk about some of the major things you will have to consider when you’re working through the production process as a small crew.
Choosing the right equipment
To start, let’s talk about equipment. Equipment-wise, you want to make sure your crew has, at least, the primary tools: a camera, a dynamic lens like a 24-70 mm that can capture a variety of looks from wide shots to close-ups and a shotgun mic to mount on your camera. Additionally, a video monitor and gimbal can help lift the level of your production if you have the budget for it. For upgraded audio, consider a lav mic for the subject or a boom mic if you can hire a boom operator.
However, it’s important to note that if you are a solo video producer or small crew, you should only prep for and bring the essentials. If you give yourself too many choices or pack too much additional equipment to bring on a shoot, it can really weigh you down and become a distraction. The priority should be the story you’re trying to tell. Less gear can be better, as long as you have the tools needed to capture the story. Multiple prime lenses, filters and lights that you don’t have time to set up can actually be detrimental to the shoot and cause you to miss important moments.
Ultimately, be wise when selecting your equipment and how much you need; take only what is necessary. Now, let’s dive a bit deeper into the necessary gear small teams should have:
Cameras
First things first, you need a camera. There are tons of camera setups that can give you a cinematic look today for less than a few thousand dollars. For example, a Sony a7S III rig with a gimbal can give your production a high-end cinematic look even in natural lighting. If you need a second camera angle as a single shooter, you can add a GoPro or a cell phone to the rig for an additional wide-angle capture.
Microphones
Next, we have microphones. Audio is, in many ways, just as important as your image quality. So, invest in a quality mic. If budgeting is a limitation for your upcoming production and you’re forced to film solo, you can mic your subject with a mic like the Tascam DR-10. It is an affordable lav mic that will get great audio when your subject speaks. The key to having great audio is a controlled environment. You also want to place a quality mic as close to the subject’s mouth as possible when they speak. Lav mics allow for exactly that.
Other good options include camera-mounted microphones like the RØDE VideoMic. A boom-mounted shotgun mic is another option if you have the crew to support it.
Lighting
Next, let’s talk about lighting. If we are working with a small crew of, say, two or three people, then consider a small lighting setup of a few lights, including a key light, fill and a backlight. There are quite a few affordable kits that help you achieve a three-point light setup. If we have a little more wiggle room budget-wise and can hire another crew member to help you with the shoot, then you can expand your setup.
Memory cards and extra batteries
Memory and battery power are two pieces of equipment you can never have enough of. Always be sure to have extra memory cards, recordable hard drives and batteries on deck, just in case. This will save many headaches. You’ll be able to shoot throughout the day and night until it’s time to break for a recharge and back up the footage. Also, don’t forget at least one charger. If the shoot goes long, you may have to switch out batteries and begin charging another one.
Things to consider as a small production team
Maximizing efficiency with a small crew
On a small team, everyone often has to wear multiple hats. The director may also be a producer and even the project’s editor. This can be both a pro and a con. It can be a lot to hold and slow down the production workflow if one person has to do the work of two, three or even five people. It can be a burden because more responsibility is placed on that person or crew as they have to do multiple jobs on set. However, having a small crew allows you to be more embedded in the project and have a more influential hand in its development. Small crews and one-person shoots can make for an incredibly agile and adaptive production. This allows flexibility as there are not as many moving parts to manage, allowing the focus to be on the shoot.
So, if you’re assembling a crew for your small production, look for crew members who are both experienced and willing to help out wherever they are needed. Trust in your crew is imperative. Production collaboration can be extremely stressful and always exhausting, which is why it’s imperative to choose your crew wisely. Working with people you trust and who understand their roles on the job is key to making the shoot go smoother. If you have worked with someone in the past and had success, this is always a good sign that the person is a good collaborator for you.
When hiring your small crew, look for people who can fill these roles. Remember, more than one person can fill these roles if necessary:
- Director
- Video editor
- Camera operator
- Scriptwriter
- Sound technician
- Lighting technician
- Production assistant
- Script supervisor
- Actors
Legal considerations for small productions
Now, before you have your crew, it’s important to discuss who’s doing what on the production and how everyone will get paid for the job. It’s also very important to distinguish who owns the intellectual property from the shoot. This could be the client or executive producer who provides funding. It could be the production house that created the idea and gained access to the story. Or, it could be shared among the group. The key is to communicate who will own the rights before production begins.
Having written documentation or a formal agreement is essential in pre-production. Feelings during or after a shoot can affect friendships and working relationships with crew, subjects or clients. To avoid complications, put it in writing who owns what and how each party will get paid. If you wait until the end to do so, you are setting yourself up for failure.
If the client who contracted you to produce the project says you are not allowed to share or include any of the footage from the shoot in your portfolio, then you must honor that agreement or negotiate to have rights as well. Other legal issues worth noting include having E&O insurance. This is especially important for bigger jobs like documentaries and feature films, as well as commercials and music videos.
Figuring out your workflow
Your workflow will naturally evolve from project to project, but a good mental checklist to run through in pre-production should look something like this:
First, establish the logistics of the shoot, where and when primary filming will take place, and make sure you have access to the person and locations required. Transportation and logistics must be taken into consideration ahead of time as well, so plan accordingly. Then decide on your equipment needs for the job and the appropriate crew. These decisions will also be based on your budget, the resources you have available and the experience level of crew members in your network.
Uploading safety
Production safety should be addressed on set as well. If you are going into a remote location for a job, do you have adequate supplies, transportation, lodging and access to the internet you will need in case of an emergency? Are there dangerous props or hazardous conditions associated with the production? If so, who will be in charge of making sure safety protocols are followed? Make sure to communicate all safety practices and concerns to your crew and uphold them throughout the shooting process.
Having a contingency plan
If there’s one true statement about video production, it’s this: Things will never go exactly as planned. That’s why it’s wise to have a contingency plan in place for things such as camera gear. Maybe it’s your local camera rental shop or a film buddy who can get you equipment in a pinch. It’s important to spend the extra time in pre-production sorting out all these needs for the shoot. Otherwise, you’ll be going back to try to fix it once production is rolling. The pressure, stress and inevitable unknowns on a production always seem to present themselves at the most inopportune times. It’s important to be prepared for all foreseeable setbacks so you can focus on the job.
Archiving and backing up data during and after the shoot
Let’s talk about archiving and backing up data. Organizing data and content with a small team or even as a solo shooter is actually easier than with a big production crew. The content doesn’t have to be touched by as many hands. An external hard drive like a LaCie Rugged RAID drive should be efficient for backing up footage. If the budget provides, get a backup drive as well. External hard drives can and do fail, and this can be devastating if you don’t have the contents backed up.
Another way to back up or store footage is on a secure cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox, or video-specific platforms like Sony’s Ci Media Cloud. These services also allow secure sharing of footage with members of your team or the client if need be.
Setting up file management for post-production
The last, and most crucial, step is setting up your file management system. Start by assigning and purchasing the right memory cards or video recorders for your project. If you have a small crew or are working solo, it’s smart to use larger memory cards so you can shoot all day without needing to swap them out. It’s also a good idea to have extra memory cards on hand as backups.
Another option is to use a video recorder that saves directly to a hard drive attached to your monitor or camera. While this method can be more cumbersome, it eliminates the need to manage multiple memory cards, which are small and easy to lose.
After each day of shooting, or even during the shoot if you have a dedicated content manager, back up your footage. Once backed up, the data should be stored on a hard drive or uploaded to a cloud service, making it accessible for the entire team. From there, the footage is imported into an editing station, organized on the timeline and edited. When it’s ready, the project can be reviewed and approved by the necessary parties.
Small crew? No problem
By carefully planning your equipment, managing your workflow and ensuring proper file management, you can set yourself up for a successful shoot. Remember, technology has made it easier than ever to create high-quality content with a lean team, so take advantage of the tools and strategies available to you.
