David King Blog March 12th 2007
David King talks about what makes a Good Art Crew What makes a good art crew? An Art Director's job is not only to be responsible for the sets in a film or tv production, it is also his/her job to be able to lead a crew. Choosing a good crew is the first step to doing a good job. A good crew doesn't always mean they are the best at what they do. A good crew has to be able to work well together, which entails communication, taking and giving orders well, and sometimes wearing different hats. Although everyone will have different job titles when the credits roll, the fact is that on most jobs, each person in the crew ends up taking on responsibilities of another person's job description. So in choosing a crew, it's important to get people who don't mind helping out when the situation calls for it. The Art Director's right hand is usually the Leadman, who knows where everything is on the art truck or in the Art Department holding area, and can be left in charge on the set in the Art Director's abscence. The Art Director should be able to hand the baton to the Leadman at any given point in the production, so that person has to have experience at most art department positions, and know how to delegate duties and give direction. It's always good to have an actual artist in the art crew too. This sounds like a no brainer, but there are actually very few trained artists on an art department crew. There may be someone with a good eye for color, or someone who draws well, etc., but rarely do you find an actual artist. It can help to have someone with an actual art background, because they many times will be able to provide information on the art being chosen to decorate a set, plus, in a pinch, they probably have their own original art that can be easily cleared to be used in the production, which can save money in the art budget. It's also good to have a "handyman" type on the art crew. Everyone has to be able to use basic tools like a hammer, screw driver, wrench, and screw gun, but you also need someone who is fine with all power tools, and someone who has some building/repair/maintenance experience. Many times things breakdown on sets, and someone with this type of knowledge may be able to easily repair things. If the handyman type is the Leadman, this tends to help the crew run smoothly, because then the person who will be first or second in charge in most situations is also the person with the knowledge on how to handle the situation. This can help to avoid power struggles within the crew. I've written about the importance of a good on-set person in a previous blog, and along with the other descriptions I've written about in this blog, you should be able to put together a good art crew. The art crew is usually upbeat and easy going, but respond quickly to situations, and anticipate problems before they occur. I guess I would describe myself as being good at all the types you need, but not necessarily the best. I am definitely handy, and I have a good eye for art, though I am by no means a trained artist. I am resourceful, and quick-thinking, and even tempered. These are my keys to keeping myself working. Well, those things and keeping in contact with the people who I work with or for usually. Dropping a line to say hello is always a good thing.
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