Filmmaking / Directing : Makeup Artists – Always the last to know…? by Heather Grogan

There should be as much professionalism with makeup as there is with actors

I experience the same thing. Wanted Gaffer/Grip (different jobs!) for xx day shoot, experienced in lighting interiors and exteriors (really?), must have...., etc., etc. When you finally connect, they want the moon and stars for little or no money.

A lot of those positions go unfilled beyond call time. It's amateur hour across the mass of much production today. If the producers care or are forced, they pony up the money. And a pro doesn't really care what the shoot is. It's a job. Trust me... today, plenty of DP's walk onto set with zero info. Z E R O. It's part of the new cinema. And pros will pull it out in every department, do good work, and make new friends... and learn who not to work for in future if the rent is already paid. Think of it not as disrespect but combat.You will be better all around, if you survive.

As an aspiring director this discussion is very interesting. On the shorts I made I was in charge of all and although it was hard work, I have always been of the opinion that anyone involved on filming had to be kept in the loop. Said that, I also made sure cast and crew were proactive in communication, we are only humans and omissions sometimes are not done on purpose but happen by mistake. But I also heard horror stories of various departments treated badly by directors and I find it totally unacceptable. Same for not filling in people on the expectations and giving them time to prepare.

Amateur hour's a good word for it, Royce. I'm surprised DP's aren't always shown at least the script or a storyboard beforehand, or at least on the day. (sorry for naming DP's, was just an example, turns out a poor one).

But say you want a lifecast of your actor, I need decent notice to get that actor ready and prepared for dipping, well in advance, to allow for the magic ingredients to set, cure etc. I personally like to research the period/genre/mood of a film, and elements within the script to make sure that my employers get the level of realism and continuity needed specifically for each film. The way I see it, the more notice I get, the more efficient and suitable my work will be, the better your film will look.

I’ve run a few shorts myself, Martina, and when wearing the director hat, I always make sure everyone knows what’s happening and has all the info they need, well in advance of a shoot. We entered a competition a while back to write and make a film within a month, just a short one. So couldn’t give vast amounts of notice, but I had my crew sorted on the 2nd of that month, the cast sorted by the 4th, shot it on the 21st and 22nd. That would be one of the simpler shoots. I’m currently writing a feature so we’ll see if my “professionalism” lasts when it comes to crewing up later in the year.

Thanks for all the responses, good to know what other folks think.

Good luck for your next project! :)

You have discovered that people with little to no experience make movies. I have experienced this last minute crap my entire career. I don't see it as disrespectful; I see it as inexperience.