What To Do On Your Very First Day of Shooting

When you’re shooting a low/no budget short, most likely you’re working with a cast and crew who is either donating their time, or working for a rate well below the norm. And so, as a director, I want to be respectful of the sacrifice they’re making in order to support my vision. That’s one of the reasons why I spend a lot of time in pre-production working on the shot list and shooting schedule with my producer and 1st A.D. Two things I hate when running a set: 1) People standing around not knowing what to do, and 2) Running overtime.

That’s why (whenever I can help it) I schedule the least amount of work on the first day of shooting. For my short Big and Tall, the first day lasted only six or seven hours, and there’s a reason why I do this. For a low/no budget short film, the first day is usually when the cast and crew are actually working together for the first time, dealing with gear, setups, moving, etc. And it takes a bit of time for each crew member to get comfortable with one another and to start working efficiently as a single unit. In some ways it’s like a college football team, taking the field for the first game of the season. It can be a little rough right out of the gate as the team tries to settle in to the speed of actual game play.

Knowing this, it isn’t a surprise to learn that it can be easy to fall behind on that very first day. I never want people staying long hours on set, so that’s why my first day of shooting is always a bit lighter. It gives the cast and crew some time to get their feet under them. It gives me as a director some time to get in a few extra takes. And it ensures that if we do fall behind, the day won’t drag on late into the night/early morning.

This is what has worked for me over the years, but of course everyone is different. What have you found to be the most helpful when scheduling your short film? Leave your tips in the Comments.