How do I gain a crew's respect?

C

c.g._eads

Veteran
As a director (and in particular a first time one), how do I gain a crew's respect?

I'm sure there are obvious answers to this question. Show up prepared. Feed everyone on time. Be cordial.

But are there any things you guys have experienced where there was something a director did/said that immediately gave you respect for him?
 
Be polite, but decisive - don't constantly change your mind and dither about decisions. Don't get the grip constantly re-laying the tracks over and over again for the same shot because you keep changing your mind. :Drogar-Angry(DBG):

If you need five minutes to think - tell your AD- he'll cover for you.

The best praise you will generally hear after the fact is "I worked with this young guy last week, never directed before, but he really knew what he wanted, very confident. He'll go far".

Say please and thank you. Don't be a screamer :furious3:unless your paying their mortgage. And even then - don't.

Be polite and acknowledge their effort if your asking for something awkward but necessary to you goal ("we need to carry the dolly to the roof" for example "I know it's a big deal but I really need it") - Plan for these moments so people have a chance to do it in good time and safely.

Crews want to be directed confidently and economically.

Don't shoot until 3am. If your about to go later than arranged - ask them - they will appreciate that you did and want to help. Shake their hand at the end of the day and say thanks for all your work.

Be polite, Be decisive.

and wear sunscreen.:thumbsup:
 
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In my experience, at least in low-budget situations, respect for the director is actually the default state of crew. The crew is there to make a movie, they're there to make YOUR movie, and they're ready to have you tell them how to do it.

In my opinion, on a low budget film you already have the crew's respect if they're willing to work with you in the first place, you just have to be careful not to lose it.

I think the biggest blow your credibility will take is the crew feeling that you are wasting their time. The crew understands that there is a lot of hurry-up-and-wait on a film set, but if EVERYONE is sitting around because you aren't making any decisions or giving any instructions, there's a big problem.

I read a book (I believe it was Mark Travis, Directing Feature Films) that talked about the "alpha horse." In a team of horses pulling a chariot, one horse is the leader and the others will willingly defer to it.

Your set needs an alpha horse to keep everyone pulling in the same direction, and if you aren't it, someone else will step in and run the show in the vacuum. Sometimes it'll be someone like the AD or DP who will do their best to cover for you, but sometimes it'll be someone who overtly starts running the show. Either way it goes, there's a good chance the other crew will notice, and you're done from that point on.

Be ready to make decisions and keep things moving, and try to make a lot of the decisions before you show up. There will be plenty of delays on a set -- lighting, wardrobe, makeup, technical difficulties. Don't be one of them and you'll be fine.
 
..and try not to "interfere" with the grip.

Usually this results in a "lack of respect" that requires prolonged use of a bed pan. :eek:
 
Be confident, considerate, and appreciate their efforts for your project. Oh, and pay them. All the things you would respect in others :)
 
What I see most on a set with a new director is inexperience. They have many shots that they want, but no idea on how to achieve them, or they didn't know they needed additional coverage to make a scene complete. Quite often the crew finds itself re-lighting and re -setting up the same shots because the director hadn't planned for them. Sometimes we might even have to go back to a distant location, just because we didn't shoot over the shoulder shots, or even a wide enough establishing shot.
At what point does the gaffer or grip say.."Hey wait a minute, we didn't get this or that? As a gaffer or grip, you don't....that's the director, AD, Production coodinators job. As a director you should know the story well enough , and taken the time to storyboard and come up with shot lists.
Your AD, should be able to handle the logistics of time,travel, set up, teardown, meals, props, crew, equipment rental, ect.
I'm sure you have heard that respect is earned....If you need help..ASK, people respect that...If you don't have all the answers, someone else might.
Trust your KEYS( Key GRIP, GAFFER,AD,UPM) Let them do what they do best.
Preproduction is THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR FILM.
Less stress, less headaches, less work, shorter shooting days(sometimes).
Good Luck.
 
I agree with most of the above comments.
1/ Be prepared, really prepared.
2/ make sure that your 1st a.d. and dp are on your side and keep them that way.
I have seen so many first time directors completely overpowered by the d.p. because the director had no clue as to what to do. The d.p. actually directing the project.
3/ Don't yell and scream
4/ be decisive and make sure that you get all the coverage that you need from that particular light set up. The crew will re-lite but you will definitely lose respect.
5/ have fun
6/ every once in a while give an "atta boy" to the crew.
If you are not prepared you will "not make your day". If you don't make your day everyday for the first week, you are in serious trouble with the crew.
They know what you don't, the project is in trouble. If they find something better to do, they will split.
 
Yeh, by the time you are on set, the level of respect should already be set. If you have already thoughtfully cast and rehearsed the cast. Hand-picked the crew and met with them to explain what is expected and make them feel individually important. Met with key creative heads to ensure that they are invested in the story and are using their creative skills to execute the vision. Then, when you get on the set, it's just "production"... making a product, with as few surprises as possible.

On the other hand, if you haven't done this prep work, everything will be unknown and chaos will rule the set. If you didn't show in advance that it was important, that's the attitude the cast and crew will bring to the set.
 
Feed people well will help but treat them fairly and be respectable. Remember what scripture talks about...Do unto others...
 
Joshua Provost said:
Yeh, by the time you are on set, the level of respect should already be set. If you have already thoughtfully cast and rehearsed the cast. Hand-picked the crew and met with them to explain what is expected and make them feel individually important. Met with key creative heads to ensure that they are invested in the story and are using their creative skills to execute the vision. Then, when you get on the set, it's just "production"... making a product, with as few surprises as possible.

On the other hand, if you haven't done this prep work, everything will be unknown and chaos will rule the set. If you didn't show in advance that it was important, that's the attitude the cast and crew will bring to the set.
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PERFECT.. That pretty much sums it up.
 
a little thing i do is... on the first day, make your first two shots easy ones; something that you and the crew can quickly set-up and knock out in a few takes. it definitely helps to set a perception of a smoothly running production and raises everyone's confidence in themselves as well as the project.
 
Zak Forsman said:
a little thing i do is... on the first day, make your first two shots easy ones; something that you and the crew can quickly set-up and knock out in a few takes. it definitely helps to set a perception of a smoothly running production and raises everyone's confidence in themselves as well as the project.
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Zak, that may be good advice. Lately on shoots I have been on (I'm a DP, primarly), the director and I have worked out in advance a shot sequence and heavily front-loaded all of the most difficult shots. Cranes, dollies, cranes on dollies, etc. Sometimes it's taken hours just to get the first shot. Then, it's out of the way, and the rest just flies by, but it's definitely somewhat discouraging watching the clock the six hours of the day you've only got two shots done.
 
John_Hudson said:
Shoot them in the one kneecap

They'll respect you after that
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I've found you just need to shoot one in both kneecaps and rest will fall right into line.
 
Crews want to like and respect the director. It's yours to lose.

Have more energy and work harder then anyone else on set. Do not bail out early or show up late. Respect the crew's time by not wasting it or taking it for granted.

Get all the bugs worked in in prepro. Sh1t happens on set, that is guaranteed. How well you have planned for the known variables and how well you adjust to the surprise unknown ones will make or break your film and your crew's respect.

Have your beats and blocking worked out beforehand. Quickest way to piss off a crew is to have them all stand around for an hour while you and the actors figure out the scene. If you are getting the crew out door in under 10 hours then the crew might not mind some down time but as most independents demand long hours, nothing pisses off a crew quicker then standing around doing nothing and knowing it just means they are going to be there really late.

Ideally, have 90% of the scene figured out in prepro. You can refine it even more in a separate room while the crew is lighting the set and then just apply some final tweaks once they are on set.

And of course, lastly, make sure they are fed WELL. Low blood sugar makes for short tempers and unpleasant sets. A well fed crew will jump off bridges for you. :)

Good luck
 
I can't top what everyone else has said, but I've been on a shoot where the director was so out of line that the actors were suggesting where to put the camera. He had absolutely no idea what to do. Also, he wanted to have one actor to have some sort of makeup thing on his face ( I still don't understand ) and he said, ON SET, the FIRST DAY OF THE SHOOT, "Okay so now we need to get some makeup and make him ugly." I was AD-DPing (small shoot), and I had never heard of it before. I was like, "Are you serious?" If the director is confused and hasn't fleshed out his ideas, no one will like him. If you have to stay up all night the night before it's better to be tired and prepared for anything than well rested and unprepared. At the end of the shoot, half of the people left the project. We never finished.
 
Ming said:
I've found you just need to shoot one in both kneecaps and rest will fall right into line.
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LOL ! :D


... little thing i do is... on the first day, make your first two shots easy ones; something that you and the crew can quickly set-up and knock out in a few takes. it definitely helps to set a perception of a smoothly running production and raises everyone's confidence in themselves as well as the project.
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That is solid advice; i'll take that into next weeks shoot.
 
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