5 Tips for Your First Day Shooting with a Film Crew
We know if you’ve never been on camera before, it can feel like an overwhelming experience. The first time I had the opportunity to be on a film set in Oklahoma, I stayed up late the night before researching how film sets run.
If you are shooting a music video, promotional video, instructional video, or explainer video, you don’t need to be a film production expert feel confident and comfortable on set. (That's our job!)
We have compiled a list of our top tips to help you for your first day in front of the camera.
COME PREPARED ON THE DAY OF THE FILM SHOOT
On the day of the set, show up well- rested and eat sustainable breakfast. Set life is busy and comes with unexpected challenges, hurdles, and sometimes unexpected setbacks on time. Bring a refillable water bottle, your coffee or tea, and a snack to set. I like to bring a backpack along containing anything I might need for the day. You may want to bring an outfit to change into after the film shoot is complete, because it can get sweaty on set from all the lights, movement, and from the talent and crew being in a room together.
Shoot days can sometimes be long. Dress comfortably if you can. Make sure you get lots of rest the night before the shoot as well since sometimes there is lots of waiting on set, but when everything is locked in, IT’S GO TIME and sometimes there's no time for a break between scenes or takes.
SELECT YOUR WARDROBE CAREFULLY
If you are starring in your promo, make sure that you select your wardrobe carefully. Do this at least a week in advance, if possible, so you have time to change your mind if you need to. Bring along several options, just in case something doesn’t translate well on the screen.
Avoid any busy patterns on your shirts, as these can cause confusion for some cameras. You may also want to avoid any overly metallic materials.
Consider the background that you’ll be seated against. If it’s a black wall, pick a color that will pop out from your backdrop. If you’re shooting on a white backdrop, you may want to avoid white so that you don’t get lost in your background.
Choose something that fits well and that you can wear comfortably all day. Once shooting starts, you may be unable to change your outfit since this can cause continuity issues.
On that note, if you are wearing jewelry, make sure that you keep wearing your jewelry for the entire shoot, unless there is an outfit change. If you have to get back into a previous outfit, make sure you wear the same accessories and hairstyle as you did previously.
Try to keep it simple, if possible. Especially if you need to change outfits many times throughout the day. Avoid any noisy pieces of jewelry like bangles or rattly earrings since these can cause problems for the sound recordist.
TRUST YOUR FILM PRODUCTION CREW TO MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD
If you’ve hired a good film crew, they’ll do their best to make you look good. A great producer will know when she has the optimal footage to make you look your best on the screen.
Relax and be natural and trust your crew to make you look good.
STAY IN CHARACTER UNTIL THE DIRECTOR YELLS CUT
When you are filming your promo or explainer video, act natural and be yourself. Let your personality shine through and speak to the producer or to your audience the way you speak to a friend or a customer who just walked into your business.
Stay in character until the director yells “cut”. The director and producer know when they are getting good stuff because they can see it on the screen and visualize it in the final cut.
If you are explaining something but feel yourself losing confidence, keep going! There may be some usable footage in there that the editor can use later. Let the director decide when to call Cut and stay in character until she does.
FOLLOW ALONG TO UNDERSTAND ON-SET FILM LINGO
As your first day on set progresses, you’ll quickly catch on to the lingo that is flying around on set between crew members. Follow along and you’ll have the essential set lingo down in no-time.
If you’re filming a promo for your small business or brand, no one expects you to be a film expert or to understand their shorthand, so your film crew should be ready to quickly explain any cues that you might need to understand, but if you don’t know what something means, feel free to ask!
Here are some film set terms I recommend knowing:
-Quiet On Set- This means that the production team is getting ready to film at their location. If you hear this on a set, they're asking everyone to be quiet so the crew can begin filming.
-Eyes on ____- This means someone is looking for something and needs it right away! Everyone should help the crew member find that thing immediately if they can.
“All eyes on Jeff” means “Where is Jeff? I need him now so we can keep filming!”
-Lav or Lav Mic- A lav mic is a mic that is placed on the talent directly. If you are shooting film with audio, oftentimes there will be lav mic placed under your shirt or clipped onto your collar. If someone says they need to “lav the talent,” that means they will attach a lav mic on your person.
Your sound recordist will be a professional at placing the mic correctly and will monitor and help you with any problems that should arise. If a wireless microphone is being used, you'll have a transmitter dropped into your pocket or clipped to your waistline. Try not to move the lav mic, wires, or receiver. If you have any questions related to your mic or transmitter during the filming, ask your sound recordist.
-Hold for Room Tone- “Hold for Room Tone” means the crewmember is asking everyone on set to be quiet for a length of time so the sound recordist can get a sample of what the room sounds like naturally, without interruptions.
This sample can be used in the editing process later and can be essential to the success of the final deliverable.
Avoid talking, moving around, or making noise until the sound recordist has collected their sample of the room tone.
The sound recordist usually thanks everyone once they’ve recorded their sample and then, you’re then free to continue your activities.
READY TO START PRODUCTION ON YOUR PROMOTIONAL OR EDUCATIONAL VIDEO?
The creative professionals at Spivey Media are ready to help you create a promo video, explainer video, educational video, or music video for your small business, brand, or band. Whether small or large, we can help you craft an impressive video that fits your brand’s voice, aesthetic, and budget.
Let’s make it happen!
Contact us today and ask how we can help you produce your next promo video.
Spivey Media is based in Norman, Oklahoma.