What Are The Top [5] Five Qualities to Look For and Questions to Ask When Hiring a Video Camera Crew 2021
There’s no denying that using video for marketing, communications and sales can have a huge impact on your business. But how do you find a camera crew who can understand and communicate your message with your brand in mind? Below is an outline of qualities to look for and sample questions to ask that we hope you’ll find useful when looking for the right camera crew for you:
First, write up a brief description of your project. Include as much as you know like location details, camera and resolution specs, message content, style, and budget goal. If you have samples of something you like, send those as well.
The Top [5] Five Qualities to Look For and Questions to Ask When Hiring a Video Camera Crew Are:
1.) Good Reputation
Reputation comes from the Latin word reputationem, which means “consideration.” It’s how people consider or label you— good or bad. A company or crew with a good reputation usually means that they have experience, as well as people who they have worked with who will vouch for them. It’s not everything, but it’s a lot.
Things to look for:
What kind of Google reviews do they have? Read through a few to get an idea of who they are and the work they do.
Do they have testimonials on their website from reputable companies?
Do you have mutual connections via LinkedIn that you could contact to inquire about their experience?
Ask questions such as:
How many years have you been in business? Or how many years of experience do your individual crew members have?
What kind of companies do you work with? Or what brands have you worked with?
Do you have references I could call?
2.) Creative Problem Solving & Attention to Detail
Creativity is something that cannot be taught. A good camera operator will be able to spot a good opportunity and have an artistic eye for framing shots. Having the ability to look through the lens and picture how all of the elements come together—visual composition, perspective, lighting and movement— is crucial so that the images captured will both reinforce your message and tell your story in a way that is consistent with your brand image.
Things to look for:
Do they have examples of different scenarios/shots? It’s ok to have a niche, but if all of their video samples are of talking heads with a brick background, then maybe look for a crew that can work in a variety of conditions and with a variety of talent.
Ask questions such as:
Walk me through how you might confer with directors, sound and lighting technicians, and other crew members to discuss assignments and determine how to achieve desired effects, camera movements, and lighting requirements.
Give me an example of a unique situation or difficult shoot and how you dealt with it. How did it help your client?
3.) Flexibility
How flexible are you? If the answer is anything but “very flexible,” walk away. They could be an award-winning camera crew, but if they aren’t easy to work with or willing to listen to how you would like your message communicated, then they aren’t going to be the right fit. You want someone who can: put those being filmed at ease; be patient when working on set during unavoidable delays; and foresee and respond to the unexpected with a positive attitude.
Things to look for:
Do they actively listen to you, or are they talking over you every chance they get?
Do they “speak” a lot of jargon you don’t understand, or are they down to earth?
Ask questions such as:
How do you put the people you are filming at ease?
How can we best communicate to make sure we get the shots we need? Or what advice do you have to increase our productivity on the shoot day?
4.) Tech Proficiency
Do they have the honed technical skills needed to “think on their feet?” The skill of being a great camera crew lies in interpreting what the client wants and then combining complex technology and creative visual skills to achieve it, effectively and quickly.
Ask questions such as:
Which crew members would you consider good candidates for this particular project and why?
What kind of camera work do you specialize in? Multi-camera? News? Sports?
What kind of shooting techniques are you most comfortable with or would you suggest for this project?
What equipment do you have that would work well for my project?
5.) Physical Stamina
Shooting, although lots of fun, can also be very demanding – with long hours, challenging conditions, and the need to be on your feet all day. While asking, “Do you have the physical stamina and strength to keep up with shooting all day?” would be inappropriate to ask, there are ways around this.
Ask questions like:
What does your workday look like? How many hours is a typical shoot day?
How large is your typical crew and what does each person do?
What’s one of the most grueling days you have had filming? What were the conditions like? What were you shooting?
One of the most important decisions you can make as a producer will be the hiring of your camera crew. Using the above to outline who you hire will result in a dynamic, talented and motivated team-making your job easy and fun!
Looking for more insight? Contact us.
