I’ve learned a lot from working in the film business, and not always fun lessons.
“No good plan survives contact with the enemy,” Helmuth von Moltke, a field marshall said in the 19th century (according to google.)
That could be updated to “No good schedule survives contact with anything” for the film business. It doesn’t matter how big the show or how small, there are always hurdles and bumps in the road. So what?
What can you do about it?
The best thing I ever learned from working on set as a production assistant and then Assistant Director and what I try to remember now that I’m a Producer and Production Manager is what can I be doing right now, with what I have, where I am?
Well, of course you say, that’s obvious.
But it’s not when a key piece of equipment breaks, or a location is suddenly locked when it shouldn’t be or you’re waiting on approval for hair and make-up, or wardrobe, or whatever.
Even on a great day, challenges constantly arise. Activities can grind to a halt.
It’s hard not to get stalled when things don’t go in your direction when you have a large to-do list or you are working to get a large project off the ground, or pushing to keep it moving.
You can’t just stand there when you’re on a movie set, and wait for anything. You have to make the day.
So you have to think as a Producer, Assistant Director or production manager, what can we be doing?
What can we be shooting?
Is it worth moving to another shot, is it worth thinking about the problem a different way? How do you keep pushing forward?
Maybe it’s giving up on an elegant schedule and brute-forcing your way through the day moving
Always have a plan B, plan C, etc etc
Run scenarios in your head when you’re planning - walk through your day from when you arrive until when you wrap, then start throwing wrenches into it
Generally, when scheduling, I’m always trying to ‘roll’ the schedule in my mind. What can go wrong?
If it does go wrong, what’s my go-to? Is it another scene, some owed shots, or is it pulling up something from the day ahead?
ABC - Always Be Calculating. What are your moves if things go wrong? How can you re-juggle the balls you’re constantly tossing around you.
Apply this to a vacation, or any other large endeavor. It doesn’t have to be a film project.
What happens if your plane flight gets canceled or bumped? What if your hotel reservation got lost?
Do you have cash to cover expenses if you can’t get to an ATM, or they’re down?
Maybe there isn’t an easy solution, but maybe there is.
And the next step — how do you design these problems out whenever possible before you start filming?
Like I said, I ‘roll’ my schedules in my head — I always try to have something coming ahead in the following days that I can pull up or has the same cast, something that’s simple and can keep you moving.
I try to design the schedule so I don’t have turnaround issues. We shoot out the most important scenes first, and also any day-playing actors or equipment so we’re not forced to carry them if something goes wrong.
This will sometimes drive your loved ones crazy when you apply this to your life. They don’t always like to be overscheduled. Or to talk through all the alternatives and there’s also the magical thinking that if you talk about it, you will make it happen.
That’s the life of living with someone who works in Film Production. And if you have plans B-Z, you’re covered.