Tip 5:  Find the Best Crew Size for your production. 

The best Crew size varies from production to production. I have shot a micro budget short films with 7 Crew and I have directed a weekend feature film with 15 Crew. I have also directed a $1million dollar cash budget with 20 crew. It varies depending on budget and complexity of the production.

When we shoot films on our Film Course productions, we usually work on a 11 Person Crew on set, composed of the following people.

Essential Crew: 

1. First AD
2. Director
3. DOP
4. Focus Puller
5. Clapper
6. Grips
7. Gaffer
8. Make- up Artist
9. Continuity
10. Sound Recordist
11. Boom

You could have the 15 people we had on our recent one hour 40 minutes film Tabernacle 101

When you are taking on a bigger project, it really pays to the have the following.

1. Production Designer
2. Costumes/Wardrobe.
3. Production Runner
4. Production Assistant.

You may be asking what some the above crew actually do.  I often get asked what the gaffer does and the grip. Each crew member specialise in a specific important area for the production of the film.

On our  film course you actually learn what each crew member does You also revolve through each role on an  actual film production and actually do the crew role. This is very important for directors, DOPs and producers.

Each film production has the following exceptionally important pillars.
Script, Crew, Cast, Locations , Film Equipment and Post Production.   A productive crew is exceptionally important.  So how do you find them?

Where to find Crew?

• Build your network. We have a network of past alumni  who have completed one of our film courses. It is called Indie Film Club and it meets four times per year and the idea is that people network and build their crews and help.
• Film Courses that you make a film on.  This is a great way to understand crew roles and how they work and also build your own crew for your film productions.
• Hire from Crew websites or google crew. Sites such as Aus Crew or Top Techs have crew listed. You will have to pay top dollar or at least half of their normal rates.  The advantage is that you get great crew. However it will cost you.

What ever way it works, as an indie film maker you must gather and recruit a crew for every film production that you make. If you want to learn the easy way how all this works, have a look at one of our film courses

Colm O’Murchu – Director International and Australian Film Base