We all know that the South African film industry is hampered by tight budgets and that we don’t have Hollywood’s mega buck budgets. Therefore filmmakers need to be conservative about how they use the money allocated. One key question is how big should a crew be? Karen van Schalkwyk posed this burning question to some local producers and filmmakers.
The budget, locations and ambitions all have a role to play in determining the size of a crew for a particular project, says Ross Garland of Rogue Star Pictures (Spud, Confessions of a Gambler, Big Fellas). “Our crews range from 25 to 80 people. There is an ideal notion in the new digital era of a radically small documentary style crew, but this will only work on specific productions. It is also difficult to sustain a small crew for any lengthy period of time as the team quickly becomes exhausted and de-motivated. New technology does not make the six day week any less gruelling.’
Producer, writer and director Bonginhlanhla Ncube, also commonly known as Mr B of Sukuma Media (48 Hours) maintains that the most important aspect when deciding on crew size is the experience and expertise of each crew member. “Film is an art and filmmakers are content workers because they love what they do. Therefore attitude and passion for a film forms the underlying factor rather than an impressive CV. Experience counts a lot but with the rapid changes in technology, I doubt whether experience in outdated equipment will really help.’
Up-and-coming young filmmaker Tracey-Lee Dearham-Rainers of The Media Gate (Do For Love, Fikile, The Burning Man) explains that they work with a skeleton crew. “I think the ability to multi-task is critical. The size of a crew will really be informed by the production budget.’
Danie Bester of The Film Factory (Bakgat1/2; Night Drive) says they use a combination of experienced and novice crew which has worked well for them in the past. “My main consideration is not experience though, it is attitude. Negativity can poison an entire crew and spoil the movie making experience. Secondly, I try and get the balance right between experience and youth. Eexperience gets the job done so much faster but youth brings an element of experimentation and flexibility which can lead to interesting solutions.’
Choosing crew
When it comes to choosing crew, Garland believes compromise is important. “There are only a handful of positions – DOP, sound recordist, art director, and so on, but you have to know where to compromise as these are key positions that must be filled by the right people. Ultimately you always want the best person for the job. The best crew are in demand and not always affordable. So you have to make some difficult choices with local films in terms of how you spread your resources. However it is often the young and hungry that bring a new dynamic to a set and skills and training are critical to pass on.’
Experience and desire are key aspects when selecting crew, says Mr B. “Quality is imperative in our industry and it is sad to say but this is often betrayed by budget. However for the industry to evolve favourably, you must consider mixing the experienced with the hungry, otherwise in a few years the industry might as well be on its knees because the film gurus did not do a “skills transfer’.’
For Dearham-Rainers experience and attitude are what counts. “I need to know that a crew can do what I need them to do and want to learn and try new things. On some of our projects we brought inexperienced ex-film students with talent on board who were also keen to learn. This created a new level of creativity for the entire team.’
Small or big?
On the question of whether smaller or larger crew are more advisable, Mr B is in favour of bigger crews. “Smaller crews might be affected by the pressure as each crew member tries to think with different hats on. A film is like an organisation, a company with very specific departments that employ specialists.’
Dearham-Rainers has a different point of view. “I think a tight crew can do amazing things because they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and are small enough to do things quickly. Tighter teams work better in our local environment.’
Bester says that he has never worked with massive crews but he looks for mobility, flexibility and adaptability when shooting a project. “Getting bogged down with logistics and red tape is a real drag. I love a set where the director and DOP can grab the camera, leave the crew and shoot a cutaway or two. If you need 17 people and eight trucks to do a simple cutaway or sequence you should rather be working in commercials!’
Crew recognition
South African crews are recognised as some of the best in the world. Mr B says that the passion and expertise of South African crews is world class. “Take the money problems away and South Africa has great expertise and daredevils that will not sleep until they get it right. This expertise is evident in our numerous international productions.’
Dearham-Rainers agrees and maintains that the South African work ethic and a positive, adaptable attitude have established a high reputation for local crew. “South African crews are sharp and understand this industry and the disciplines.’
Bester summarises why South African crew are internationally sought after: “Hard work, long working hours, specialised and skilled individuals, plus the availability of good technology and no unions.’
