Number 1: Deadlines: Flexible in Theory, Brutal in Practice
One moment, you’re confident there’s plenty of time; the next, the clock’s ticking, and the shot list hasn’t been read. Procrastination feels fun until the last-minute caffeine-fueled scramble reminds you it’s a cruel mistress. Sure, you’ll meet the deadline, but deep down, you’ll know all that stress was avoidable.
Once, on a brand shoot, we were cruising – until the lead actor showed up late, and the lighting setup wasn’t working quite as planned and before I knew it, we were scrambling. By the time we got the shot, I was gulping coffee like it was my lifeline. Lesson learned: never underestimate the ticking clock on set, no matter how calm you think you are.
Number 2: You Can’t Control Everything (And That’s Okay)
Film sets are proof the universe has a sense of humor. When you start a project, you’ve got a perfectly curated vision, like a Pinterest board that’s totally achievable. Then, the rain ruins your shot, an actor forgets their lines mid-monologue, and a plane’s passing by. So, what do you do? You shoot, you adapt, and if all else fails, call the plane’s sound an artistic choice. You’ll survive.
One time, I was shooting in a studio, and right next door, another crew was shooting. We were in the middle of capturing some crucial dialogue, and suddenly, their entire crew decided to have a loud conversation – like a really loud conversation. We couldn’t exactly ask them to keep it down – they were working too.
So, we had to push through, grabbing our dialogue in the tiny windows of silence between their outbursts. You learn quickly that sometimes, you can’t control the noise, but you can control how you work with it.
Number 3: Perfection is the Enemy of Progress (And Final Cuts)
Ah, the edit room: that magical place where all your soul goes to die. You tweak the pacing, adjust the color grade, maybe move a shot here and there, and before you know it, it’s 3 a.m. and you’re questioning the very fabric of your existence. Perfection is like that friend who says “Just one more drink” at the bar – it never ends. But here’s the secret: perfection doesn’t exist. At some point, you’ve got to hit export.
I once spent hours trying to adjust the transition between two shots. It was subtle, but so important in my mind. After about 12 different edits (and some very dramatic sighs), I finally hit ‘export’ and realised it was a tiny transition no one would ever notice. At some point, you have to hit export and move on. You’ll feel lighter, even if that one transition still haunts you. Let it go.
Number 4: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work (And Keeps You From Losing Your Mind)
Film production is like a big, beautiful, dysfunctional family. Sure, you can try to do it all yourself, but eventually, you’ll end up running around like a headless chicken with too many props to carry.
One time, we were shooting a big scene with a lot of kids on set. There were toys, snacks, costumes, and a million things happening at once. I was trying to keep everything in order – scheduling breaks, managing the chaos, and making sure the kids were on their marks. Of course, the more I tried to manage it all, the more things slipped through the cracks. It was at that moment I realized: I couldn’t do it all alone.
I handed over the reins to the team, and suddenly, everything clicked. Everyone knew what they were doing, and the rest of the shoot ran smoothly. Lesson learned – sometimes the best way to keep your sanity is to let go and trust the people around you.
Number 5: There’s No Such Thing as “Free Time”
In film production, “free time” is an illusion. That downtime between takes? It’s not a break – it’s a chance to fix continuity, prep for the next shot, or talk to the actors. Procrastination sneaks in when you think you have time to spare, but every minute is an opportunity to move forward.
There was one time when we had about 15 minutes of “free time” between setups. I figured I’d grab a quick snack and check my emails. Turns out, the director needed me to review a line of dialogue, the lighting crew needed feedback, and someone had a continuity issue with a prop. Those 15 minutes of supposed “free time” turned into a whirlwind of problem-solving and last-minute adjustments.
On set, even the quiet moments have a purpose – there’s always something to review, fix, or plan ahead for. So, treat every second like it counts, because in film production, it always does.
Number 6: The Magic Happens When You Just Start
Starting a project is always the hardest part. You walk onto set with your coffee in hand, trying to pretend you’re a calm, collected professional, but inside, it’s like staring into the void wondering how it will all come together. But the truth is, magic doesn’t happen while you’re sitting around planning. It happens when you actually start doing.
I remember the first day of a big shoot, I stood on set looking at the empty space, thinking, “How the heck are we going to make this work?” There was so much to organize, I couldn’t even begin to picture the final shot. But then, once we started, the pieces fell into place faster than I could imagine. Suddenly, the shots were coming together, the actors were performing, and I was just in it – instead of avoiding it. Starting is the hardest part, but once you do, momentum takes over.
