On Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 12:36 PM, Randy Little <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Needless to say the producers can't control a crew and the crew
> probably gives a crap at the end of a 10 hour day when they are
> striking the set at the end of the shoot.   SO A LOT OF INSURANCE or
> no deal.  Punitive actions in place in contract or no deal.  before
> pictures that must be put back exactly when done or no deal. (punitive
> cost if they don't)    A member of your staff that can put an
> immediate halt to production on set at all times and in the event of a
> shoot stop they are still responsible for all provision of the
> contract plus possible punitive measures if they are stopped because
> they of damage or just basic bad behavior.

THIS!

The crux of the matter is that the film crew, no matter how large or
small, cannot tell the difference between a historic artifact and a
replica. It's all sets and props to them. Even the most careful crew
is going to be focused on the shoot not your 200 year old baseboards.
It is also not their job. The film crew's job is to make the film, not
protect your property. YOUR job is to protect your property. You MUST
have at least one staff member with a solid backbone with the crew at
all times. This staffer must not hesitate to yell "STOP" and if
necessary physically stop people and equipment at a moment's notice
when there is any threat to property or artifacts no matter how small.
Ruin a shot. Blow a day's filming because the crew doesn't have the
proper covers for the carpet or historic floor or their booms are too
high for the historic ceiling. Tough. Hazards of working in a historic
house. Modern equipment can be replaced. Historic artifacts cannot.The
crew must understand this and accept it just like they accept weather
delays and technical delays.

The other consideration is that you must not skimp on your fees just
to get the "publicity" of a historic shoot. The production company
will try and get the cheapest rate possible. Not only should they be
charged a rental fee but the LOADED rate for ALL employees including
overtime and extra shift work. Your employee that makes $10/hr is
really costing you more like $15-$20/hr in benefits and hr paperwork.
That is the rate you need to use when billing the company. Your staff
should also be included in any crew meals and get breaks as well. Also
make sure you charge them for lost admissions or programs if your
museum is shut down during regular visiting hours.

If they use any artifacts beyond what is regularly out on display, you
should charge a rental fee for those too. When I do historical extras
work, I get a flat fee for showing up and then I get a fee for my
clothing and any other props I bring. You should set your fees
accordingly. Film the room as is - one fee. Sit in a chair or use the
dining table, that chair or table has a rental fee. If they company
was not using your stuff, they would have to rent it so you are saving
them the trouble of having to find period correct stuff and hauling it
in.

A real world example from a popular TV series Battlestar Galactica -
there is a wonderful scene where Edward James Olmos destroys a ship
model on his desk in a fit of rage. Destroying the ship model was
completely ad libbed by him and added a lot to the scene. Turns out,
the ship model was borrowed from a museum and worth quite a bit of
money. Edward James Olmos was a bit mortified about that but he didn't
know the ship wasn't just another prop. Ooops. I'm really hoping the
production company had good insurance.

So CYA. You really can't be too careful when dealing with film crews.

Deb Fuller

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