Smaller Crew, Better Set: What We’d Do Differently Next Time
“Wrap sounds like a party until you realize it’s also the cleanup, and sometimes that’s the hardest part of the job.”
In part four, hosts Indeana Underhill and Haeleigh Royall look back on their Before The Storm shoot and share the production lessons they wish they’d locked in earlier.
The duo makes the case for why smaller crews can beat bigger ones on a low-budget film, how miscommunication multiplies when information passes through too many hands, and why they’d rather cut positions than cut the things that keep people steady, like good food, crafty, and real breaks. They also get into the uncomfortable stuff that makes a set run smoothly: hierarchy. Not power trips or ego, just clarity about who has final say. That includes how a DP’s direct style can accidentally override other departments, why deadlines for scripts and major changes have to be non-negotiable, and how treating filmmaking like a real job protects the schedule, the image, and the people.
Meanwhile, Indeana and Haeleigh zoom out to hiring and culture. Skill is the baseline, but what gets you rehired is personality, honesty, transparency, loyalty, and knowing when to speak up without steamrolling the team. They also raise a tricky reality for actors: SAG-AFTRA rules and tight budgets often keep performers out of pre-production, even when early creative involvement would help everyone. Plus, they share the workflow support that kept them afloat, from Slack and project management software to production legal and a physical home base for the production.
Whether you’re planning a lean shoot, building a crew you’ll want to work with again, or figuring out where actors fit into the process, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share it with a filmmaker friend, and leave a review so more actors and crew can find the show.
For our listeners, CFA’s teamed up with We Make Movies to get you a discount on production management services, including access to comprehensive production insurance and workers' comp for your next shoot.
Visit wemakemovies.org/insurance and use code CFA23 on your intake form for 10% off your quote.
Calling all actors! Take 25% off your membership at WeAudition with code: CFA25
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Cinematography for Actors is a community aimed at bridging the gap between talent & crew through our weekly podcast & community events. Our weekly show supports the filmmaking community through transparent, honest & technically focused interviews with the goal of elevating the art of effective storytelling.
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