The problem with double dipping on set

You cant clone yourself to be everywhere at once on set, so why take on more than one role at a time?

No, I'm not talking about anything at the crafty table. I’m referring to when a production does not have enough crew to fill every department so they start merging two or three roles into one. It happens a lot on unpaid projects more than anything but it’s a great way to lower the quality of a project and a quick way to overwhelm the crew.

I had a conversation with one of our interns last week who just finished making a short film for a nationwide competition with Film Prize Jr. Each team of students is supplied with the equipment they need and a more experienced mentor to help them through all stages of the production process in order to submit a completed short by the deadline. He was originally in charge of writing it and playing one of the lead actors, but once they started filming he ended up having to fill in for the Director of Photography at one point, then later he was put in charge of sound for a little while as well as a few other things throughout the day when other people had to step away from set for various reasons. Needless to say, it was an unconventional learning experience for them and he came away from it feeling like he would want to write, direct, and DP the next film he works on in order to ensure it actually gets done the way he envisioned it. This probably wouldn't be too hard to manage on a micro-project without any budget (or crew), but it’s not ideal. I would caution against intentionally giving yourself that much work on set because it divides your attention and prevents you from giving any one role the focus it needs to get the best results.

Don't get me wrong, directors have been starring in their own films ever since movies have been around. Take Charlie Chaplin for example; or any indie filmmaker who often has no choice but to produce and direct their own film in order for it to ever see the light of day. I get the feeling the intern I was talking to didn't feel like he could focus on his own role because he couldn't trust the resources he had to complete the project as he envisioned. This can happen in a lot of ways, whether its lack of crew, a misallocation of the budget, or bad planning. But whenever the producer starts resorting to merging roles, it runs a significant risk of lowering the quality of the final product. If you were working as a camera operator and the shot is too dark, you don't just keep cranking up the ISO until it's brighter or the shot will get all grainy. You take the time to bring in additional lighting and you plan ahead to make sure it's ready when needed.

The point I’m trying to make is that merging roles shouldn’t be done as an excuse to save money, and it definitely won't save you time. The only time it should ever be considered is if you have extensive knowledge and experience in both roles and even then, the UPM won't like the idea because they should arguably be paying you for both rates. But let's say a producer is trying to get a 1st Assistant Camera to also take on the responsibilities of the 2nd AC. I had to do that once on a 48hr film project because one of our main actors called out the day of the shoot and the director pulled the 1st AC to play the role instead. A 48hfp is slightly different because the entire crew is established when the team first registers and everyone is usually working for free. We made the most of it in order to get the footage to the editor with enough time to finish before the deadline, but It wasn’t ideal for me. I had never been trained as a 1st AC yet and those responsibilities ended up getting mostly neglected or picked up by the cinematographer instead. At the end of the day, if it is an unsustainable format for big budget projects, it shouldn't become common practice on any other set either; especially if you are on a tight deadline. Under certain circumstances (with the proper mentorship), it is a great way to learn more about a department you are trying to get into, but it’s better to just be a PA in that department on the next project. That way you can focus all your attention on ensuring the job you currently have is being done right. And hey, If your issue is a lack of crew, just reach out to me and I’ll be happy to come work on your next film!

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-Daniel Ward