Real-Life Decision Making
Location manager Timothy Stone says it is an awesome feat to be able to
find enough space for a 250-person crew and all their cars and trucks. Another
part of the location manager's job is to hire crew for the on-location
filming. Crewmembers include production assistants, lighting people, technical
people and script supervisors.
Normally, the producer will give you a budget, says Stone. A typical workday
is about 12 hours. If the director shoots over that, they must pay overtime.
This usually results in the film going over budget -- something producers
don't like.
You are a location manager who is working on a cat food commercial with
a production company. The director has decided to shoot outdoors. The tabby
cat is to act frisky, playing outdoors in long willowy grass. Then the cat
will run to the bowl and slurp down dinner. This seems like a simple job,
but you know that working with animals is even harder than working with people.
You start filming the commercial Tuesday at 6 a.m. At 6 p.m., you look
nervously at the director, who doesn't seem to be happy with the attitude
of the cat. The cat looks almost as tired as the rest of the crew. Everyone
is staring at their watches, wondering when the production is going to wrap.
It is your job to let the director know that after 6 p.m., the crew will
be going into overtime. This means big bucks and you don't think the
producer will be happy. You walk over to the director, who is not happy to
be interrupted. You tell him that this is a wrap unless he plans to pay overtime.
The director turns and looks at you squarely, and shouts, "No. No wrap."
What do you do?