It's amazing what a good grip can build you.

I’m a big fan of U.S. film crews.  I consider Los Angeles and Seattle my home bases for production–that’s where I work most often and have the fattest contact files–but I work all over.  Often, I’ll head off to direct a project somewhere else and pick up a local crew.  Wherever I fly around the country, I find that film crew quality is pretty consistent.  Sure, you run the risk of a bad apple once in a while, but on the whole, the crews I work with have an amazing can-do attitude, plenty of experience, and are almost never fazed by having to do the impossible in too little time with insufficient resources.  (In fact, it’s expected.)  Need to build a bicycle mount for the camera from just a hi-hat, two grip arms and a gobo head?  A good key grip will make it happen in about ten minutes (five if the sun is setting).  I often compare indie film crews to Marines–both have that “improvise and overcome” ethic.

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“I just read an interview you gave some years ago.  I wish I’d read it before I started making my own movie!  I’m turning a short play into a film.  It takes place in two rooms with five actors and we’re making it on a shoestring.

My question is this — What can I do to bring out the best in one of my actors who has less training/experience (…and it’s obvious)?  I cast him too hastily, on someone’s recommendation, and now I’m not sleeping well.  There is no turning back on my shooting schedule–my DP and lead are already committed to other projects.  I know, stop whining and be glad I have the opportunity, right?  Any ideas on what I can do to make the best out of this situation?”

– (name withheld by request)

Thanks for your question.  I wish you the very best with your film.  I know what you mean about getting a lot of people to come together on a shoestring (or no string at all) to make a film.  I’ve been there.  Many great films have been made that way, so you’re in good company.

One thing I’ve learned is that two elements make or break any film: script and performance.  Just about everything else we do as filmmakers is about maximizing these.  So if you know you’re going in that an actor in your cast really isn’t up to snuff, then you really aren’t serving your film by keeping him in it.  Your best option is to recast the part immediately.  I suspect that deep down, you know this is true but it’s hard to actually do.  Tough!  It’s your film–the hard decisions fall on you.

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