Hiring the Crew
Learn how to hire an experienced crew, work with above the line vs, below the line, union vs. non-union crew members, manage pay or play deals, work with independent contractors and employees, address personal conflicts on set, and ultimately assemble the most talented professionals for your project.Hiring the Crew
Developed by Jason Tomaric, FilmSkillsABOUT THIS LESSON
A production crew is a unique group of creative technicians from all disciplines – from camera and lighting to set design and costume design. They come together, often without having had worked together before, to create art within strict time and budgetary limitations.
In this module, learn how to hire an experienced crew, above the line vs, below the line, union vs. non-union crew members, how to manage pay or play deals, work with independent contractors and employees, address personal conflicts on set, and ultimately assemble the most talented professionals for your project.
- 30:31 video that walks you through every step of hiring the crew
- Illustrated companion guide
- Downloadable blank forms
- Emergency Form
- Crew Information Form
- Crew Deal Memo
- Time Card Log
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
- How to work with above-the-line and below-the-line crew
- Working with union vs. non-union crew
- How to negotiate crew rates
- Meal penalties and how to avoid them
- Pay or play contracts
- How to determine whether to hire a crew person as an independent contractor or employees
- The dangers of Workers Compensation
- What to include in the Start Paperwork packet
- How to deal with problematic crew people
ABOUT THE LESSON AUTHOR
Jason Tomaric
Director, Cinematographer Los Angeles, CaliforniaJason J. Tomaric is an Emmy, Telly, and CINE Award-winning director and cinematographer of four internationally-distributed feature films, dozens of national television commercials, music videos, and the largest film training content library in the world, published author of 8 books - used in many top universities, and creator of AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform.
Jason has worked in Los Angeles and around the world in over 20 countries. His clients include Disney, NBC/Universal, National Geographic, McDonald’s, Toyota, Scion, Microsoft, and Paul Mitchell, with narrative work screened at Sundance, Slamdance, and South by Southwest film festivals as well as on Netflix and on all broadcast networks.
Jason has taught and/or guest lectured at some of the nation's most prestigious film schools including UCLA, Columbia College, John Carroll University, Kent State University, San Francisco State, University of Notre Dame, and numerous film festivals.
Jason has written eight industry-defining books, all sold in bookstores, and used in film schools around the world. The American Society of Cinematographers hails Jason's books - "There are no wasted words in Tomaric's tome, which concisely summarizes each facet of the director's craft. It's difficult to think of a step in the process that Tomaric fails to address."
Jason’s DVD training series on Hollywood film production have trained filmmakers in over 40 countries, with distributors in Europe, Hong Kong, New York and Australia.
In 2010, Jason launched FilmSkills, which combines the world’s largest film training video library with his proprietary learning management system. Adopted by 47 universities within the first year, FilmSkills is now the leading industry-standard training solution for motion picture and television production.
In 2015, Jason launched AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform that bridges the gap between academia and industry.
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS LESSON
Cristen Carr Strubbe
Line Producer, UPM, "Catch Me if you Can," "Charile Wilson's War," "Ali," and "The Prestige"Through her company, Pimpernel Productions Inc, Cristen Carr Strubbe provides breakdowns, board and budgeting services for independent and studio majors alike. As a Production Manager Mrs. Carr Strubbe collaborates some of Hollywoods best directors, writers and financiers. Since 2001 she has worked along side Sam Remi, Aaron Sorkin, Christopher Nolan, Sam Mendes, Mike Nicols, Michael Mann and Steven Spielberg. Mrs. Carr Stubbe's credits include: AMERICAN BEAUTY, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, ALI, CHARLIE' WILSON'S WAR, and THE PRESTIGE.
Jason J. Tomaric
Emmy-winning director/CinematographerJason J.Tomaric is a multiple Emmy, Telly and CINE Award-winning director and cinematographer. With four feature films, sixty commercials, music videos and an educational DVD series on the market, Jason's approach to filmmaking has made for a successful, fulfilling career. Jason has worked in over 20 countries as a director and has taught at some of the nation's most prestigious film schools including UCLA and the New York Film Academy. Jason's book, "Filmmaking"(Focal Press) is available in bookstores worldwide.
Jason is also the creator of FilmSkills.
Jerry Magaña
Producer, "Fred and Vinnie," and "Falsehood" A native Southern Californian, Jerry P. Magaña graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Film with Honors. Mr. Magaña’s student portfolio includes clients like Coca-Cola, Swatch, Diehard Batteries, 1-800-DENTIST, Anheuser Busch, Labatt Brewing Co., SONY & Panasonic Electronics to name a few.
His career highlights as Producer include the short film, Falsehood, a multi-award winning short film that was featured in the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Additionally, he was awarded a Silver Clio for his work as Producer on Director Vee Vitanza’s Adopt-A-Pet (entitled, “Companionship”) speculative spot. In 2003, Mr. Magaña completed production on his first independent feature film, Firecracker, directed by Steven Balderson. Firecracker was selected by several major festivals and has gone on to receive critical acclaim worldwide and from such notable critics as Roger Ebert.
Mr. Magaña has worked in post-production as a Visual Effects Producer and Coordinator with Stargate Films in Pasadena, CA and Ghost Machine VFX in Torrance, CA. His VFX production credits include season one of Desperate Housewives, the pilot episode for Eyes, Director Mike Judge’s second feature film Idiocracy by Twentieth Century Fox and The Untitled Onion Movie also by Fox. Additional clients include Toyota Motors Sales, CALTY Design Research, Inc. in Newport Beach, CA and the Lockheed Martin Corporation. Since 2008, Mr. Magaña has completed producing his second independent feature film, Fred and Vinnie with Director and Executive Producer, Steve Skrovan (Everyone Loves Raymond) written by and starring actor/comedian, Fred Stoller (Seinfeld).
To date, Mr. Magaña has and continues to develop a number of alternative program concepts as well as scripted episodic treatments. In addition to concepts in development, Mr. Magaña continues to work in Visual Effects and as a freelance Production Manager or Line Producer for various commercial, narrative and industrial productions.
Laurence Ducceschi
Producer, Feature Films, Lifetime Network, "Beauty & the Briefcase," "Left To Die," and "Revenge Of The Bridesmaids."Since 2002 Laurence Ducceschi has impressively produced over 30 different projects, including three full season television shows and over 2 dozen made-for-TV movie. His extensive credits include: BIOGRAPHY, LEFT TO DIE, REVENGE OF THE BRIDESMAIDS, CATEGORY 7: THE END OF THE WORLD, and BEAUTY AND THE BRIEFCASE.
Noel Bermudez
Production Accountant, "Tin Cup," "Dangerous Minds," "Switched at Birth," "The Nine Lives of Chloe King," "Greek," Huge," and "10 Things I Hate About You"Currently working on the hit ABC Family show, SWITCHED AT BIRTH, Noel Bermudez has been the production accountant an several notable projects. His credits include: Golden Globe-nominated TIN CUP, DANGEROUS MINDS, WASTELAND, LINCOLN HEIGHTS, and the Emmy-winning mini-series THE PACIFIC.
Noelle Green
Supervising Production Coordinator "Spiderman 3," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "The Terminal," "Solaris," and "Legally Blond"After graduating from USC, Noelle Green's production coordination career took off. She has worked alongside some of the greats, including: Robert Zemeckis, Cameron Crowe, Gus Van Sant, Steven Soderbergh, and Steven Spielberg. Ms. Green's credits, include: SPIDERMAN 3, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, LEGALLY BLONDE, ALMOST FAMOUS, CONTACT, SOLARIS, IRON MAN 2, INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, THE TERMINAL, and THE X-FILES.