2009General Discussion forum
Managing poorly organized music video shoots with unprepared crews and difficult working conditions
17 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Disorganized shoots with unclear creative direction, insufficient preparation, and last-minute decisions can waste significant time without producing usable footage.
- Green screen lighting problems such as spill and reflections in talent's eyes make clean keying difficult and result in poor final quality.
- Requesting technically inappropriate shots like a jib motion starting from feet to head demonstrates lack of understanding of steadicam capabilities and limitations.
- Securing payment upfront from new or unreliable clients protects against non-payment and provides recourse if the shoot fails to deliver results.
- Substance use on set by crew and talent can reduce productivity, create safety concerns, and affect the quality of work output.
- Walking away from a disorganized shoot early may result in no payment at all, making it preferable to complete the work and document the poor experience for future client selection.
- Developing a professional approach to chaotic situations, such as redirecting inexperienced producers toward better practices, can sometimes salvage productivity on troubled shoots.
- Music video work often attracts clients and talent with limited production experience and unrealistic expectations about the filmmaking process.
Depends on
- Experiences shared are anecdotal and reflect individual tolerance levels for workplace chaos.
- Advice reflects different strategies with varying success rates depending on client relationships and payment arrangements.
- Some suggestions involve enabling problematic behavior rather than addressing it directly.
- Walking away from payment is a viable option only if the operator can afford to forgo earnings.