One-Man-Band vs Crew

As production budgets get tighter, I am finding myself doing more roles on set. However, knowing when to ‘ask for help’ can be make or break for many productions. Here’s my take on the ‘one-man-band’ vs crew debate!

Usually this comes down to production value against logistical reality. While I am very proficient at many roles on set, including; lighting, cameras, sound and even a little bit of Directing too, we would have to measure this against your requirements ‘on the day’ and overall filming schedule.

For something simple, like a single interview with a selection of B-roll, with limited time restraints, I can usually cover much of this solo, including; operating a couple of cameras, lighting and sound.

Say the ‘set’ gets bigger, requiring more lighting, or we need to cover multiple scenes in different locations, having a Gaffer can vastly help keep the production moving, as they can be setting the next scene while we are shooting the previous one.

The same can be said for a Camera Assistant, having that ‘right hand man’ to help setup cameras, deal with battery changes, offload cards and keep the technical side running can help massively. Having this allows me to focus on the creative side of being a DoP, giving me more time to discuss things with the Director and Producer on set, which usually results in better creative outcomes.

Sometimes, rather than increasing the crew size, a little bit of pre-production work can help identify the difficult parts of the production and how we can mitigate for them. This might look like a location recce or a simple production meeting ahead of the shoot.

I’m really happy working solo, or with a crew. Each project brings its own challenges and requirements, and I am more than happy to advise what will be needed to bring your project to reality, just get in touch.