Filmmaking in the age of Covid

Freelancing for film and TV seems like it’s going to take a huge hit with theaters and festivals shutting down or going online. Lower tier freelancers can take advantage since big shoots are out of the question now.

50 person crews filming in a house in Brooklyn seem like a life time away. I can’t imagine if we will ever go back now. But smaller shoots seem like a good alternative. Now this isn’t permission to go out unprotected and start filming as of writing this we are still in a pandemic. So masks and social distancing at must or go home.

In my neck of the woods I’m on pretty much the only person on set maybe one or two others. I’ve done a few photo shoots in the city. Client work seems to be on the uptick since most of the freelancers in NYC have left. Can’t confirm since it’s only with my limited contact list.

So some advice out there:

1. Know your worth — Crew people seem to take pay cuts even before all of this. Research position and figure out your worth to the project. I starting out also have been caught doing this only to have it backfire on future shoots. If the producers don’t like it you can walk away. Giving people power to pay you lower than standard only benefits them. There will always be another project. Even now though the projects are getting smaller and budget tighter but still the same.
2. Don’t be greedy — Give a number but don’t over extent it. Take it one project at a time. Don’t commit to another project until the first one is done. The first project isn’t done until it’s done, things can get extended and delayed.
3. Non-industry people know nothing — Seriously they have no idea how things get made. I heard a million questions on why we needed stuff only for them to say, “oh yeah your right” afterwards. They think shoots could be done in a few hours or so with no prep time. Doesn’t work that way in real life buddy!
4. Pay it forward — Especially in this industry, you never know if this would be your last gig or 100th gig. Give back and try to help others when you can. I’ve gotten plenty of referrals due to me helping someone else on set.

Shoots aren’t going away. We just have to adapt. I think the old ways were very wasteful in my opinion a lot of extra hands on set that didn’t need to be. I think if we change our mindset we can go back to making movies again. Smaller crews and longer schedules seem to he working for now. Anyway be safe out there!