I want to make a somewhat large movie. What kind of crew do I need?

Question

Im working on a movie, but I dont really know what kind of a crew I need. Like I know that I need a boom mic carier, and a camera man, But what els is there? I want it to be somewhat proffesional.

Im thinking of getting students I know as crew members. Most schools have lots of students so I will probably post something saying I need a crew that will work for free, problem is I need to say what kind of crew member to ask for. Like I will say "camera man needed"...what els? This isnt a long film. Probably less or more the 30 minutes. I know that not many people work for free but STUDENTS need experiants which they will get in large amounts in this film. Get it?

Answer 1

What kind of situation are you in (i.e. budget, planning to submit to film festival, high school/college, etc.) Post additional details please, and I will be glad to help.

Okay thanks for the details. While I will be listing a lot of jobs, depending on your situation, you will probably end up doing a lot of them. At the very, very least, a cinematographer is all you need. With that said, it certainly won't provide the best quality, although in certain scenes (i.e. a chase scene), it may work very well. If you are good at photography, and don't mind directing and photographing, it's a good job for you. Otherwise, look for people who know what they are doing, and preferably have their own cameras as well. The second most important person to hire is a sound mixer. Bad sound is very common on low-budget films, and even if your camera has manual audio levels, it's going to be near impossible for your cinematographer to get good pictures while a trying to listen and adjust sound levels. Again, a sound mixer with his own mixing boards and equipment is preferable. Next, hire a good boom operator. If worst comes to worst, this can be you, but whenever possible try to find an experienced operator that can get you great sound. The chances, however, of getting a good sound mixer and boom operator for free is slim, so if you have to, use just a boom mic and a camera, or even a camera mounted shotgun mic. The rode stereo videomic is a very good mic for around $250, and can be camera or boom mounted.

Then there is also the situation about lights. It would be great to get a skilled cinematographer, lighting technician and gaffer, but often things don't work out so well. In the case that you won't be able to find an experienced lighting crew, just DIY. Many low-budget are DIY projects, and by adapting to the situation, you'll learn more for later projects. If you do DIY, save yourself some trouble. Shooting outside, especially on cloudy days, will give your movie more filmic lighting, and a more filmic look, and will also save you the trouble of plugging and gathering lights. A few reflectors (styrofoam's cheap, but hey, it works), will be a great way to fill in for shadows.

Now this one is optional, but recommended. Get someone good with make-up. This should be pretty easy, as you can ask pretty much any girl, and they will know about it. But the thing is not to make people look better per se, it's to make them look better on camera. So the makeup artist shouldn't go all-out and make them look better than they really are, but just hide blemishes, and smooth out skin tones for a better appearance on camera. Again, if you are desperate, you can do it yourself. I've done it before, and it's really not that hard, just a matter of watching what's in the viewfinder and adjusting to make it look better.

You will also need a script supervisor, which can be you, or someone else. They are basically the continuity person, and their job is to make sure everything stays the same from shot to shot. Also, if hours are long, hire a caterer to make sure everyone gets fed on shooting days. (or in my case, get the door, it's domino's). And finally, if you are not good with money, you might want to consider having someone else manage the budget. Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Can you afford to hire a professional crew? Can you take what you have so far and get an agent to pitch it for you? If an agent can sell it to a studio (with the clause that you are the director and maintain ALL creative rights) then the studio will foot the bill. And don't sell yourself short, if you've got something great on your hands then someone out there will sign it.

Other than that, I would suggest visiting an acting school or perhaps trying to arrange a meeting with a local film maker to discuss what your film. Most film makers are eager to help a fledging film artist. Maybe not with connections, but tons of advice.

Cheers luv!

Answer 3

That would cost millions of dollars. Unless you have lots of experience and connections, it would be nearly impossible.

However, Monty Python and the Holy Grail cost $100 to make. A movie doesn't have to be expensive to be considered great.

I'd suggest taking a class in video productions at a local college. You can get experience and learn what you would need, and they would even have the supplies, and you would learn to use them.

Answer 4

Horror, Fantacy, Romance, Comedy

Answer 5

You need to employ a production manager, they will tell you