How to run a fun film set

How to run a fun film set

We get asked all the time how New 32 is able to run such FUN film sets. We’re a small company, who works with small budgets, and yet our sets are more fun and relaxed than people who have millions of dollars. How do you balance budget, hard work, long hours, and having fun? Basically, how do you run a fun film set?

Here’s an outline of our philosophy for how to run a fun film set. You can read more about it in our ebook, The Mindful Maker, which is all about ethical filmmaking and having fun on set.

Be realistic about your budget

All of us are balling on a budget here. When you’re working with limited resources, you have to be realistic about what you can afford. Our secret? We always prioritize the people. We want to pay our cast and crew, and we also want to make sure they’re not working long, dangerous hours (almost no one is safe to drive after working a 14 hour day on a film set, and long hours = careless mistakes.) 

If you prioritize paying artists and not working extreme hours, what does that mean you’re cutting? Well, that’s up to you. Maybe you can’t afford that super fancy location you’ve been eyeing. Maybe you aren’t going to be able to swing for CGI. Perhaps whole scenes get cut. This is the unfun, unsexy work you do before you ever step foot on set to make sure everyone has an amazing experience.

Take care of everything in pre production

Speaking of unfun, unsexy work… you’re going to have to go HARD in pre production if you want to run a fun film set. Your schedule is going to have to be ambitious but realistic. You need breaks planned in. You need to hire good people who you know will work hard and have a great attitude. You need to figure out things like food and other ways to keep your cast and crew comfortable.

The more you handle in pre production, the easier and less stressful you will find your on set experience. Every little detail is important and makes being on set more fun. As a producer, it’s your job to work hard in pre production so that your shoot goes smoothly.

Be serious about safety

How much fun can you have if you’re worried about safety?

We like to start every shoot with a safety meeting, even if we aren’t doing anything extreme during the shoot. It’s just a good way to get everyone on the same page. Film sets can be extremely hot or cold, there are lots of heavy pieces of equipment that can be dangerous, and even if you aren’t making folks work 14 hour days it’s probably still a long day. Go over safety first thing, and keep an eye on it throughout the shoot. People will have way more fun if they feel safe and cared for. Bonus: the more you show you care, the harder people will be willing to work!

Your mindset sets the tone

Things are going to go wrong. You’re going to get off schedule, or a key prop is going to break, or a shot might not work out. When things go wrong, it’s important that you as the producer keep a level head and model calm, creative problem solving for everyone. If you transform into a ball of stress, so will everyone else, and then NO ONE will be having fun. So take a deep breath, count to ten, and then see how you can creatively approach the problem without it turning into a big deal.

This applies even when nothing is going wrong. If you model focus, hard work, respect, and having fun with your cast and crew, others will follow your lead. Be the change you want to see in the world! Remember, everyone is there because they love making movies, and that’s something to celebrate!