Crews

As the popularity of video content grows, so does the number of new folks in the industry who aren’t yet aware of all its intricacies. Sometimes, the shoot itself is the easy part—making sure you get to use the epic footage your camera crew caught can be the real challenge. Save time and headaches by making sure your camera crews have the following legal permissions before heading out to a video shoot.

Six situations that require special permissions for camera crews:

1. Shooting in a public space

   This usually requires some kind of photography permit. Get to know the local film commission to make sure you’re covered.

2. Flying high

   Drones add a whole other level of permissions to your list. Check out our cheat sheet here for the basic guidelines including drone permits and check with your local film commission if you need to dig deeper or discuss a particular shoot.

3. Security clearance

   If your location requires clearance (think airports, hospitals, etc.), make sure your crew is on the list! This might include you sharing their identification info with security. Getting turned away at the door is expensive, embarrassing, and inconvenient.

4. Talent and location releases 

   Get signed releases for everyone you film—even that hot dog vendor you interviewed on the off chance you’ll want to use her sound byte! Stores, museums, and other privately-owned spots sometimes require location releases, too. You may not even know which shots will end up in the final cut, but getting all your permissions signed before you leave the shoot location saves the time and effort of having to track down signatures after the fact.

5. Parking and access

   Make sure there’s plenty of it for your crew and their van(s) full of heavy gear. And while you’re at it, plan to take all your gear with you so your thousands of dollars of equipment doesn’t find its way into the wrong hands. If you’re in touch with others in the industry, you already know it happens often and can happen fast.

6. Music rights

   This one can be a doozy. If you want to use a popular piece of music, you could be looking at spending five figures on rights. And if your artist sampled another artist, you’ll need to get rights from both parties. Acquire legal permissions for any music you use in your final product—from background music to what you add in post production. Alternatively, consider hiring a composer for a custom piece or using royalty-free music in your piece.

The bottom line

These considerations are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the unique requirements you’ll come across while planning a video shoot. Our crew coordinators are veterans of the video and post production industry and on call 24/7. Whether it’s your first or fiftieth shoot, we’re here to help. 

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign In to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

Gear failures, lighting blunders, audio fails—video productions are rife with opportunities for things to go wrong. Here’s some simple but hard-earned wisdom on ways production crews can prevent some of the most common and costly blunders.

How production crews can prevent costly filming mistakes

1. Plan, plan, plan…and then plan some more 

If you ever want your footage to make it to post-production, you have to do some pre-planning. If applicable, get location permits and talent releases signed before you even show up and have extras on hand just in case. Know what kind of tone or look you’re going for. Have a rough schedule in place to determine what scenes and shots you need.

Over-communicate to be sure you understand your client’s vision. This sets you up to execute it to the best of your ability. Anything you can do ahead of time, do it. And then be ready to adjust on the fly because there’s one guarantee: It will never go exactly as you’ve planned.

2. Know your equipment

Never put yourself in a position to have to learn gear under pressure. Not only is it embarrassing fumbling around on a shoot, it can also slow down production. It’s better to use tried and true equipment than to attempt learning shiny new stuff on the fly. Give yourself enough time to get comfortable. Even if you’ve been hired to use someone else’s equipment, see if you can spend a little time ahead of the shoot learning unfamiliar gear. 

3. Expect the best but prepare for the worst

Assemble a first-aid kit of sorts. Include extra batteries, memory cards, and lightbulbs as needed. Have two sources for capturing audio in case your first choice fails. Bring weather protection for your gear even if the forecast is clear. Include a world of gaff tape. The stuff works miracles—like rigging up a makeshift backdrop or holding microphones in place.

4. If you see something, say something 

A lot of magic happens in post-production, but no amount of mixing or sweetening can bring back non-existent audio or make up for a poorly-lit set. Even if you are knee-deep in an interview, be ready to interrupt. Redoing lights or waiting for the disruptive wind to die down may feel inconvenient at the moment, but it saves trouble in the long run.

The bottom line

Have a back-up plan for your back-up plan, keep gaff tape and other quick fixes on hand to prevent gaffes, and don’t rely on post-production to fix preventable errors. Sometimes it’s the simple things that make the biggest difference. 

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post-production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign In to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

The video production industry is notorious for long hours, quick deadlines, and challenging working conditions. On top of being some of the hardest workers we know, video crews are also tasked with keeping productions running smoothly.

We all know some camera people or producers who run exclusively on coffee and protein bars or scoff at the idea of taking a break. But even video crews who pride themselves on their toughness appreciate an “atta boy” now and then.

Five ways to show video crews how much you value them

1. Keep crews safe.

It seems like it should go without saying, but it’s just so easy to take shortcuts without considering all the possible ramifications. Including safety in the budget shows you have your priorities straight.

2. Pay on time.
This is one of the most effective, simplest, and often-overlooked ways to show you value your crews. Some businesses have made net 90 the norm, but it’s bad for crews and bad for businesses. If you need help on this front, Crew Connection guarantees net 30.

3. Be up front.
Communicate payment expectations before the project even starts. Surprises are for birthdays, not for paychecks.

4. Feed them well.
Pizza that arrives at just the right time works wonders for morale.

5. Add a personal touch.
Send a handwritten thank you note (NSFW, but hilarious). It’s worth the extra effort.

There’s nothing extraordinary on this list, I know. But sometimes the simplest things go a long way. And by the way, showing your gratitude is about more than giving someone warm and fuzzies. It’s also good business. A video crew that feels valued will work harder for you and be more loyal.

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a world of video service providers at your fingertips. In just a few clicks you can search, chat with, and book vetted crews local to your shoot—all on your own schedule. Rely on Crew Connection’s team of media experts to organize the crews and gear you need for multi-day and multi-location video projects anywhere in the world. Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock if you ever need live assistance. Visit CrewConnection.com, call us at 303-526-4900, or shoot us an email at info@crewconnection.com.

Notice to every eager camera crew wanting to use a Small Unmanned Air System (sUAS) for commercial purposes: the FAA’s Small Unmanned Aircraft Rule (Part 107) went into effect August 29th, 2016. You can expect to see a whole lot more cameras in the sky for commercial purposes.

Here are five things aspiring operators need to do to prepare:

 1. Check your eligibility and know the basic rules

 2. Sign up for the test at one of the FAA-approved testing centers

With 690 locations nationwide, you shouldn’t have trouble finding one near you. Note: if you already have a Part 61 pilot certificate, refer to the FAA’s fact sheet for information on your course of action.

 3. Prepare for the test

You may wish to conduct your own independent study on materials directly from the FAA. Alternatively, you can take a course designed specifically for the test. There are several online programs. Whatever direction you take, the UAV Drone Coach offers a free and thorough overview/study guide of what you can expect to see on the test, including regulations, effects of weather on small aircraft, emergency procedures, maintenance and pre-flight inspection procedures, airport operations, and more.*

 4. Check out our drone series for more info

Get tips from existing pilots on what to do before you put all that expensive gear in the air, make sure you’re inline with ever-changing regulations, and more.

 5. Have fun!

It’s about to get a whole lot easier to get stunning aerial shots!

About Crew Connection

Questions about drones? Interested in gaining access to our international database of clients who are booking drone shoots daily? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign In to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

*We are not affiliated with the UAV Drone Coach in any way, but find their materials thorough and useful.

In 2014, Sarah Jones, a young camera assistant, was struck and killed by a train while working on the set of Midnight Rider.  For their part in what the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) called an “entirely preventable” death, filmmakers faced criminal charges and the production company and individuals faced fines totaling $74,900. Sarah Jones’s death highlights the need to take camera crew safety concerns seriously—on movie sets and other filming projects alike.

To keep your camera crew safe:

Get permission to film.

Midnight Rider filmmakers had been denied permission to film on the tracks but took what they likely believed was low risk and filmed there anyway. When you’re dealing with safety, the stakes are just too high to make your own rules.

Consider temperatures.

July and August are some of the hottest months of the year in much of the US. Staying compliant with OSHA’s guidelines to provide water, rest, and shade keeps workers from getting a heat-related illness. It also prevents them from missing work and you from getting fined.

Budget and plan for safety measures.

The Sarah Jones Film Foundation (SJFF) encourages considering measures such as “on-set medics, security officers, fire department representatives, street closures” as necessities rather than luxuries. That means if you don’t have the funds or resources to keep your camera crew safe, you don’t have a project.

Download the Set Safety App.

Created in Sarah’s honor to promote safety on set, the app “gives users quick access to safety hotlines for reporting unsafe working conditions and excessive work hours.” Find it here for iPhone.

According to the SJFF, Sarah’s death highlighted longstanding concerns about set safety—longstanding concerns that can only be wiped out with the video industry’s full commitment to set safety.

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post-production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign In to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

We vet every camera crew we work with to make sure our clients get the best. One of those is Crew West, which treats both large and small projects with the same level of service and detail. Plus, they have one of the best time-lapse guys in the business.

We chatted with Michael Barcless, a managing assignment editor for Crew West/Sat. West. Barcless is a producer by trade who staffs shoots, provides cameras and formats, and covers MLB and the NFL.

Crew Connection: Tell us about Crew West and what sets your camera crew apart.

Michael Barcless: Jim Farrell was a news cameraman before starting the business in 1994. With about a dozen full-time staffers and a network of the best freelancers, we like to say we’re small but mighty.

One thing that sets us apart is our focus on great lighting. Lighting for shoots is like spicing for meals. It can take an average shoot to extraordinary and it requires a lot of practice to perfect the skill and the art.

We are known for our network-level HD. We also have satellite trucks for game backhauls and corporate clients who want to do video uplinks.

CC: We hear you have a great time-lapse guy on your camera crew. What can you tell us about him?

MB: His name is Dustin Farrell and his stunning videos have racked up millions of views. Some people think it’s just pointing a camera in the right direction, pressing a button, and taking a nap while the magic happens. But good time-lapse photography is truly an art. Dustin has perfected the technique. You can see his growth from the first volume to the latest. Samsung even took notice and put his videos up in their stores.

He’s known for his time-lapse skills, but he’s also adept with quadcopters for those sweeping overhead shots. It seems like everything Dustin does is epic.

CC: Who are some of your clients?

MB: Our list of clients goes on and on. We’ve done the Today Show, Nightly News, the Daily Show, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and HBO Real Sports—among others. We do everything from sports to news to corporate.

CC: Give us an example of how you go above and beyond for your clients.

MB: After doing a shoot for a corporate client (Phoenix Children’s Hospital) where we installed lights, they wanted to take us on the road. Their next shoot was in LA, but the client was so impressed that she wanted to take our guys. LA! She said we do better work in Phoenix than she finds there.

Michael Barcless (left) and Kurt Warner at Super Bowl Media Day.

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection connects you with video production crews across the country and around the globe. With nearly three decades of experience and thousands of shoots with film crew pros to our credit, you can trust our expert coordinators to match you with the right freelance video crew and equipment—every time.

A prospect you’ve been trying to reach for weeks ends up in line ahead of you at the coffee shop. When you introduce yourself, your handshake better be firm, not clammy; your delivery better be natural, not desperate; and your pitch better compel them to ask for more information. Whatever solution you offer, you’re more likely to end up selling its value on the fly than in a conference room full of decision-makers. Gain clients with your production crew’s 30-second pitch.

With your production crew’s talent and experience, you already know you offer a great experience and a dynamic final product from broadcast to reality TV and corporate interviews to marketing drone shots. The 30-second sale gives you a chance to make sure your prospects know. The market is crowded and despite topnotch talent, you may struggle to get a seat at the table.

Keep your production crew’s services in demand and your phone ringing with these three steps:

1. Communicate your value at every opportunity.
   To become the talent of choice, you must be ready to communicate your value—anywhere, anytime. You must have your value proposition memorized so that you can recite it at a moment’s notice. Treat your prospects like the big agencies do. They come to each interaction equipped to sell—knowing they must earn the confidence to earn business.
2. Consider your services, strengths, and technology assets from your potential client’s perspective. 
   This allows you to communicate in a way that resonates with your potential client. They must walk away understanding how working with you benefits them.
3. Create opportunities to play with all those cards in your deck.
   Effective and consistent industry networking is the foundation for your growth. Identify key stakeholders within your network and pursue departments and businesses you know are an obvious or immediate fit. Spend time in the right places so you can put yourself on the other side of the table. Show up where potential clients hang out. Drink lots of coffee. Eat two lunches a day if it gives you an opportunity to share your value. Create your seat at the table—whether you were invited or not.

Need a little support keeping that pipeline full of legit clients and paying gigs during your slow season? Sign up for Crew Connection here, call us at 303-526-4900, or shoot us an email by clicking here any time. We’re here for you.

Before August 29, if you wanted permission to fly a drone for commercial use, you had to get the FAA 333 Exemption, which required a traditional pilot’s license, airtime, a kidney, and your firstborn*. Now, with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) loosened regulations, it’s getting easier for video crews to make money by putting cameras in the air. But according to one longtime flyer (Kevin Sawicki of Sight and Sound Hawaii) there are a few things video crews should know before they go.

1. It’s getting easier to fly for pay.
   The new Part 107 of Exemption 333 means the required stack of paperwork will shrink, video crews will be able to provide in-house drone services, and flight schools will offer certification courses.
2. It’s getting harder to stand out.
   The big upside comes with a big downside, too. With every step, the FAA takes to ease restrictions and with every equipment breakthrough that makes technology cheaper and better, the market gets more saturated. Kevin predicts drone services will be a standard feature for most production companies in the near future. If you want to stand out, you’ll have to fly very well and put your best gear in the sky.
3. It’s getting less risky to put camera equipment in the sky.
   Speaking of all that great equipment, large devices can accommodate full-size cameras. But with all that weight and money flying around, you may want to get some experience before risking your best gear. DJI** has some fully functional prosumer aircrafts for around $1000 so you can be in the air capturing great footage within 30 minutes.
4. But it’s also getting riskier to put a UAV in the air.
   Crowded airspace means it’s easier to collide with something or someone. And a lot of someones have their eyes on the skies. We are taking the first, wobbly steps into very new territory and if a UAV pilot hurts somebody or takes a plane down, it will be bad not just for those directly involved, but for the entire industry. It’s a big responsibility. They don’t consider UAV operators aviators for nothing.

Questions about drones? Interested in gaining access to our international database of clients who are booking drone shoots daily? Sign up for CrewCloud here, call us at 303-526-4900, or shoot us an email by clicking here anytime—day or night.

*According to an online drone trainer, “Many were challenged by the Section 333 Exemption process. From having to wait upwards of 5-7 months for their exemption to be granted to also needing to hold a traditional manned aircraft pilot license (sport, recreational, private, transport, or commercial), thousands of commercial drone pilots struggled to push their businesses forward.”

**Kevin is not paid or endorsed by DJI. He just trusts their technology.