A Primer on Production

From planning a budget to hiring a crew, this "how to" guide willhelp you through the common pitfalls of video production.

Depending on the size of your production, one person can usually domore than one job. For most budgets, a few key people can do all of thejobs required.

The next few pages contain almost everything you'll ever need toknow about putting a video production together. Production can be aschallenging as driving in a foreign city without a road map. The way isbrimming with hazards, obstacles, and ugly, hairy electronic monstersleaping out at you from behind every light stand, tripod, and pixelalong the way. But fear not, you can get through it if you have thedesire, the patience, and the iron will of the producer who took on theproduction they said couldn't be done, and tackled it.

First off, there is a huge number of video recording formats, withnames ranging from Betacam SP to Digital Betacam, to DVCPRO, to DVcam,to MiniDV, Digital 8, and Digital S. The list goes on and on —not to mention older recording methods such as 3/4in. U-matic and 1in.and 2in. quad recording machines. As you're reading this, new recordingdevices are being tested that will replace tape all together. (For agood background on video recording formats, go to www.hut.fi/~iisakkil/videoformats.html or http://videoexpert.home.att.net/artic3/256dvcr.htm)

For this discussion, let it suffice to say that you will need acamera and something to store the images on. How you choose equipmentdepends on budget, what's available, how your production will beviewed, location or subject restrictions, and personal preferences.Whatever your choice, the basics of the production will be thesame.

Video production is a team effort, although if you have a big enoughhead you can wear all the hats yourself. This is not a wise choicebecause it leads to migraines. Depending on the size of the production,one person can and will do more than one job. If you've ever watchedthe credits at the end of a movie, you know that the number of peopleinvolved can add up to a small army. For most budgets, you can get awaywith a few key people. Not all productions can even afford the luxuryof all these hands, with one or two people doing all the jobs.

Here is a list of key people and duties:

• Producer — In charge of putting all the elementstogether and keeping the production from becoming unglued once it getsunderway. The keeper of the checkbook.

• Writer/researcher — Gathers all ingredients needed towrite an outline, treatment, or script.

• Director — The orchestra leader who blends all of thepieces together and brings your vision to the screen.

• Casting director — Identifies, locates, and auditionsactors or real people who will appear in the production.

• Location scout — Finds and secures shootinglocations.

• Videographer/technical expert — (Also known as directorof photography) Handles the technical needs of the shoot pertaining tophotography and operates the camera during the shoot.

• Gaffer — (Also known as lighting director) In charge oflights and lighting.

• Grip — In charge of hanging lights, carrying equipment,and rigging grids and operating dollies.

• Makeup/wardrobe — Primping on-camera talent to looktheir best.

• Script/continuity — Keeps tracks of all scenes anddialogue and takes copious notes on production.

Crew may also include production assistants, craft services (food),drivers, gophers, teleprompter operators, and other helpers.

Usually budgets are prepared at the outset of the production, butthis can be a case of which comes first, the chicken or the egg? If youdon't have a script, it's hard to create a realistic budget. Budgetshave lots of hidden pitfalls, and it's best to enlist a producerfamiliar with realistic budgets. Books on video budgeting are availableat Amazon.com.

Many areas are usually under-budgeted, leading to cost overruns,ulcers, and job insecurity. Time is a big factor. Most productionsunderestimate the amount of time it will take to set up, shoot scenes,break down, and clean up afterward. Also remember that someone has toreturn props, wardrobe, and equipment — areas all too often notbudgeted.

I have rarely been on productions that get everything done ineight-hour days. Ten- and 12-hour days are the norm, not the exception.Don't forget crew overtime, pension and welfare costs for unionworkers, travel to and from location, and meals for the crew. Be sureto account for equipment breakdowns, restoring studios or offices tooriginal condition (perhaps a cleaning crew will be needed), and itemssuch as lighting gels, gaffers tape, and paper towels.

Keep in mind that most freelance video workers are notsubcontractors, so you'll have to pay workers' compensation and FICAtaxes. Insurance is an item that always gets neglected until the hourbefore shooting starts. You'll need liability insurance (often aminimum of $2 million, sometimes as high as $5 million if stunts areinvolved) and equipment insurance with rental houses named asco-insured. And what about transportation? How are all those people,cameras, and lights going to get to a location, and where will theypark? And who's paying for it?

Scouting the location beforehand is essential to a smoothproduction. Don't leave this up to a production assistant or Polaroidpictures. You not only want to know where the camera will be placed andwhere the sun rises, but where the trucks can park, where equipment canbe stored, where the bushes are (for male crew members), and where toset up lunch tables. Also check on noise conditions if you're shootingsound.

Scouting should take place as close to the time of actual shootingas possible. I had one situation where we scouted a lovely neighborhoodnear a private airport. It was quiet during the scout, but when werolled cameras, due to a wind shift, planes were flying overhead everyfive minutes. Talk about overtime. Also find out about local ordinanceson parking, filming permits, special duty police or firemen, electricalneeds (lights don't run on butane), and other rules that may shut youdown or delay the process.

Now the fun begins. Gone are the days when crews were part of thestaff. So where do you find qualified people? First decide if you wantto put the crew together yourself or hire a full production company.For the novice, hiring a company is often the better choice, albeitmore expensive, but worth the extra six-pence for ease of mind.

Either way, you have to find the production company or thepersonnel. Word of mouth is a great place to start. Call friends in thebusiness for referrals. Many towns have film or video commissions withlists of qualified personnel. But beware — just because a personis on a job board or has a website doesn't mean they are tops in theirprofession. These days anyone can be listed anywhere, and resourceboards don't have the resources to qualify their lists.

Websites and yellow pages are a good resource. When going into a newtown, if I don't have any referrals, I will go to www.yellowpages.com and look up video productioncompanies. Again, this is tricky because anyone can have a listing.It's almost like throwing darts. Do you pick AAA Video or Mad Dog Videoor the Best Little Video House West of Tampico? No easy answer here. Iusually call a half dozen numbers and ask first if they have thepersonnel and equipment to do the job, then ask for references.

Don’t try to accomplish too much in one day. Break the daydown into blocks of time and use this schedule to assess how theday’s work is going.

Try to speak with someone in a corner office instead of areceptionist, and don't be afraid to ask tough questions. Have thecompany send you a reel with a list of who did what on each job. Thetypes of jobs the company has done and the quality of its client listreveal a lot. If the company refuses to divulge this information, dialthe next number.

Also ask which specific people will be assigned to work on your job.The company could have great credentials, but may be involved in adozen other projects and will assign your job to a lower level staffmember or freelancer. If you know who you're getting, insist on seeingtheir work as well. Even a thorough background check doesn't guaranteeresults. Have a backup company in line, just in case. Stuff happens, sothey say.

Once you decide on a company, formalize the agreement so you'll knowexactly what you will be charged. Allow for contingencies. Keep in mindthat there are a lot of shady characters in the video business, so somevendors will insist on a check (sometimes certified) before productionbegins. Others will want to do a background check on you. This isnormal and should not be taken personally.

The same rules apply to hiring a production crew yourself. Shoparound, ask questions, and view reels. Face-to-face meetings alwaysreveal more than telephone interviews. I have kept a complete list ofeveryone I've worked with over the years, including the name of thejob, the city, the person's job title, and their phone number. This isa good resource that I go back to time and again. When the job is done,keep references for future projects. It's so easy to forget who didwhat, when, and how good they were.

There's nothing worse than waking up on the morning of a bigproduction and wondering if you've told the crew where to meet you andat what time. Proper planning will relieve these tensions. Prepare athorough production book that contains the following:

• The name of the job, your name and various phone numbers (includemobile phones), and client name and numbers.

• A list of crew members, cast members, and vendors with their phonenumbers.

• Production schedule, call times, location addresses, and phonenumbers. Break the day down into blocks of time. You may not alwaysachieve these goals, but the schedule will be a good barometer as theday progresses. If you're running behind you may need to cut someshots, or if you're early you can afford to do an extra take. (Anddon't forget lunch.)

• Directions to locations. These should be accurate and someone shouldactually drive them. Include maps where appropriate. (Mapquest.com isgreat for this, but don't rely on the site being 100% accurate. Detoursdo happen.)

• Scripts and treatments. Only people like Woody Allen don't likeanyone seeing the whole script, but unless the information isclassified or privileged, there are not a lot of good reasons to notshare the script.

• Props, wardrobe, stunts, and anything else you think people shouldknow about each shooting day.

Once the production has started, let the people you've hired dotheir jobs. Nothing is more frustrating and counterproductive than aproducer who also thinks he's the director, videographer,choreographer, and special effects specialist. (The only pyrotechnicshere will be people blowing their cool.) Actors like to get theirdirection from one person, the director. A half dozen people throwingcues is very disruptive. Don't feel you can't make suggestions, butchannel them through the proper personnel.

Keep a list of crew members you’ve worked with, including theperson’s job title, the city, and the name of the job. Thereferences will be a good resource for future projects.

Time and budget are always prime considerations and should bewatched carefully. Also try to have someone taking notes (timecode,continuity, script changes, etc.) This will help enormously inpostproduction. Also, label tapes as you go along. Nothing is worsethan ending up with a box of spent video with no markings. Store tapesin a safe place.

And don't try to accomplish too much in one day. It's not uncommonfor video shoots to run 20 hours a day or more. This is not good. Tiredcrew plus tired actors equals bad video, spent nerves, and accidents.Keep in mind that crew members need to drive home after work. So bereasonable in projecting what you think you can accomplish on shootday.

When the wrap party is over, you can relax for a few days. This willgive you time to reread my article on working with editors (“InSession,” March 2002) before moving on to the next phase ofproduction. Producing video is a continual learning process. Never stoplearning, never stop experimenting, and above all, never stop havingfun. When that happens it's time to become a farmer.

To comment on this article, email the Video Systems editorialstaff at vsfeedback@primediabusiness.com.