Just out of curiosity, to all you more experienced directors out there, what was the worst thing that ever happened on set? What did you do to resolve it? Also, what do you recommend is the best way of going about handling a production crisis?
Directors, what's the worst thing that's ever happened on set?
- Thread starter Angel Park
- Start date
The worst thing that ever happened on any of my sets was my own fault (at least partially), and it was a result of lack of proper communication in preproduction.
Some friends and I were heading up a team for the 48HFP, and we decided that it was a wise move to have 2 co-directors. But we only made generalizations as to what each co-directors' responsibilities (and authorities) were. We didn't have any tempers or flare-ups on set, but it was a big mess, with some uneasy tensions. Friendships were damaged, and the movie we made stunk up to high hell.
A year later, a different group of friends and I headed up a 48HFP team, and again decided to have 2 co-directors. This time, we were very explicit, in advance, about who would be doing what, what the workflow would be like, and who had ultimate authority/responsibility on which issues. This time around, it was incredibly fun, and we made a movie that we felt very proud of (and won a bunch of awards).
Long story short, in this example, lack of preparation/organization led to a very negative experience.
Some friends and I were heading up a team for the 48HFP, and we decided that it was a wise move to have 2 co-directors. But we only made generalizations as to what each co-directors' responsibilities (and authorities) were. We didn't have any tempers or flare-ups on set, but it was a big mess, with some uneasy tensions. Friendships were damaged, and the movie we made stunk up to high hell.
A year later, a different group of friends and I headed up a 48HFP team, and again decided to have 2 co-directors. This time, we were very explicit, in advance, about who would be doing what, what the workflow would be like, and who had ultimate authority/responsibility on which issues. This time around, it was incredibly fun, and we made a movie that we felt very proud of (and won a bunch of awards).
Long story short, in this example, lack of preparation/organization led to a very negative experience.
The worst thing that ever happened to me on a shoot was the guy
who put up the money got arrested by the feds for securities fraud.
14 days into an 18 day shoot.
who put up the money got arrested by the feds for securities fraud.
14 days into an 18 day shoot.
A very scary day... 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2CR5ws7mw0
A very scary day...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2CR5ws7mw0
Oh yikes...that is brutal. I hope he's okay now.
That's terrible. Were you able to pull through to post-production?
Yeah. Similar stuff happened when I was helping out with my high school's productions throughout this year. Aside from preparation, I also think it's important to work with people whom you can generally see eye-to-eye with, but I'm glad things worked out for you in the end. I'm hoping that I get to involved with one of the teams for my own city's 48HFP, but since I'm a little younger I'm not sure that they'll let me though or if anyone would want me on their team
I'm praying for the best, though!
Mayor's wife called the cop on us in a public park as drug dealers...
I had driven up and forgotten my batteries for my camera, so we transferred the camera case into the other vehicle, ten I drove home quickly to get the batteries, when I returned, my cast/crew were talking to the police... this is why I'm so happy I had contacted them weeks before hand and could just give them a contact person within their department to get hold of to legitimize what we were doing there.
I had driven up and forgotten my batteries for my camera, so we transferred the camera case into the other vehicle, ten I drove home quickly to get the batteries, when I returned, my cast/crew were talking to the police... this is why I'm so happy I had contacted them weeks before hand and could just give them a contact person within their department to get hold of to legitimize what we were doing there.
Stairs had not yet been built on the set of a play I was directing, so we placed a bench next to the platform for the actors to step down onto during rehearsal. I made an announcement urging everyone to be extremely careful when doing so, as the bench was not nailed down...
I'm sure you can guess the rest. One of the actors broke her wrist and had to perform in a cast. She apologized for ignoring my warning, but I was devastated, particularly because if she'd fallen a bit further back...remember the end of Million Dollar Baby?
I'm sure you can guess the rest. One of the actors broke her wrist and had to perform in a cast. She apologized for ignoring my warning, but I was devastated, particularly because if she'd fallen a bit further back...remember the end of Million Dollar Baby?
I just bought a new generator for a night shoot. The generator lasted 2 minutes and never worked again. We had to use street lights and the camera's light for a woods scene. The lighting was horrible.
We were shooting on top of a parking ramp and it was an intense scene between to characters that were yelling at each other and one had a gun pointed at the other. Now I had done my due dilligiance and gotten all the necessary permits, spoken to the police and gotten the ok to proceed, but apparently someone forgot to let the patrol units know...
After three takes we heard the sirens racing towards us. I had the actor set down the gun (air soft prop but looked very real) and we all just waited for the cops to arrive. At some point between when they pulled into the parking ramp and before they reached the top someone must have informed them we were ok because they left without any problems. Seriously tense few minutes though.
After three takes we heard the sirens racing towards us. I had the actor set down the gun (air soft prop but looked very real) and we all just waited for the cops to arrive. At some point between when they pulled into the parking ramp and before they reached the top someone must have informed them we were ok because they left without any problems. Seriously tense few minutes though.
Worst experience I ever had on set was dealing with an arrogant DP on a short. During pre-production he was already giving me issues, it was the first time I had worked with him. The first problem came up during pre-production; I wanted one scene to change in the middle of the shot from warm golden look, to a cold blue. He wanted to do it in post, which I didn't agree with. So I spoke to the DP that I usually works with and asked for some advise. She explained a simple way to do it practically. He got mad and said I was being sexist because I agreed with her method over his. So I ignored it and kept working on the film but it went south quick.
To shorten the story, he didn't take the advice handed to him and made a simple shot take several hours to do. Then he completely changed a lighting plot on the spot, which made me have to make up shots as we went along, instead of using the shot list we worked on. He eventually tried to take control of everything, including directing talent and he became such an annoyance, my 1st AD snapped and told the DP and I quote “Shut the fuck up, let him (me) do his job and go play with your lights”.
In the end, the short came out decent, I eventually decided to re-edit it and do a directors cut, which was very well liked compared to the original cut.
To shorten the story, he didn't take the advice handed to him and made a simple shot take several hours to do. Then he completely changed a lighting plot on the spot, which made me have to make up shots as we went along, instead of using the shot list we worked on. He eventually tried to take control of everything, including directing talent and he became such an annoyance, my 1st AD snapped and told the DP and I quote “Shut the fuck up, let him (me) do his job and go play with your lights”.
In the end, the short came out decent, I eventually decided to re-edit it and do a directors cut, which was very well liked compared to the original cut.
I'm hoping that I get to involved with one of the teams for my own city's 48HFP, but since I'm a little younger I'm not sure that they'll let me though or if anyone would want me on their team
I'm a big proponent of the 48HFP. It's a lot of fun, and the craziness of it all actually does help you become a better filmmaker, in my opinion.
I suggest you go to the meet-and-greet. Worst-case-scenario, there has to be a team that would want you to PA. And there's no shame in PA-ing; I just did it today, for a local filmmaker friend!
You might also consider forming your own team. Crazier things have been done.
Only shot one short film so far, but my car was hit by one the actors on arrival lol.
I'm hoping that I get to involved with one of the teams for my own city's 48HFP, but since I'm a little younger I'm not sure that they'll let me though or if anyone would want me on their team
I don't know if you're into screenwriting or if you're more into the technical stuff, but a local 72 hour film festival here in MD is having its first ever 72 hour script festival in about a week and a half. The nice thing is it can be done entirely online and since it's a screenwriting contest, you don't need any outside help. It's $17 to enter and would probably be great experience for you. So far, 60 people have entered. Looks like it's going to be pretty cool, I'm really excited for it. More info can be found at 72fest.com. Just thought I'd share.
Yeah. Similar stuff happened when I was helping out with my high school's productions throughout this year. Aside from preparation, I also think it's important to work with people whom you can generally see eye-to-eye with, but I'm glad things worked out for you in the end. I'm hoping that I get to involved with one of the teams for my own city's 48HFP, but since I'm a little younger I'm not sure that they'll let me though or if anyone would want me on their team
Never hurts to ask. The team I've worked with for the past few years were in high school when they started (which made me the old guy, and the exception, rather than the rule!) Haven't heard if they're doing it again this year. Pittsburgh has had some pretty young teams for the past few years that I've been involved. Most people who do it seem to be doing it for the love of the art (and crazy practice), so they're definitely up to working with people who are learning!
Last shot or an extraordinarily difficult week, of a back breaking shoot, Bangkok, Thailand, a very long and politically stess-full shoot. I was sicker than I could remember ever have been, food poisoning and whatever else had infected my gut, I wasn't sleeping, I may have been hallucinating, too.
I set up a complicated effects and stunt sequence under a rain-machine in a very seedy part of town, not seen by tourists.
The actor wanted to do his own brawling, that was fine with me - I prefer this in fact - he had to run over a stunt-guy, step on knee, knee to chest, ride him down into the dirt and keep going - while shooting a handgun - blood squibs were wired into three stunt guys backs toward the steadi-cam - to mimic exit wounds from the actors gunfire - it was late, and tensions were high.
With squibs wired in and mud on the ground, there is only so much rehearsing you can do without disconnecting or ruining wardrobe, so we did what we would, talking it through mainly.
We were shooting MOS, high speed, so no sound rolling call.
Cue rain-makers, smoke, fire in the hole, action...
Went off great, blood everywhere, stuntmen reeling in the mud, wardrobe ruined...
Yeah - you guessed it I forgot to turn over camera, not one of the three cameras was rolling.
Only myself and the three operators knew - I couldn't face fessing up to the actor, he'd put his heart and soul into the stunt, so I think I blamed the camera system or something. Asked for another take - one hour set up as well.
I think I managed to evaporate into my chair, until we we had the God awful shot in the can.
Lame, I know.
Kazan might have said admitting you're wrong is the strongest thing a director can do - there is a time and place for that, friends, lol.
Do enough action movies, it'll happen to you at some point.
JJ
I set up a complicated effects and stunt sequence under a rain-machine in a very seedy part of town, not seen by tourists.
The actor wanted to do his own brawling, that was fine with me - I prefer this in fact - he had to run over a stunt-guy, step on knee, knee to chest, ride him down into the dirt and keep going - while shooting a handgun - blood squibs were wired into three stunt guys backs toward the steadi-cam - to mimic exit wounds from the actors gunfire - it was late, and tensions were high.
With squibs wired in and mud on the ground, there is only so much rehearsing you can do without disconnecting or ruining wardrobe, so we did what we would, talking it through mainly.
We were shooting MOS, high speed, so no sound rolling call.
Cue rain-makers, smoke, fire in the hole, action...
Went off great, blood everywhere, stuntmen reeling in the mud, wardrobe ruined...
Yeah - you guessed it I forgot to turn over camera, not one of the three cameras was rolling.
Only myself and the three operators knew - I couldn't face fessing up to the actor, he'd put his heart and soul into the stunt, so I think I blamed the camera system or something. Asked for another take - one hour set up as well.
I think I managed to evaporate into my chair, until we we had the God awful shot in the can.
Lame, I know.
Kazan might have said admitting you're wrong is the strongest thing a director can do - there is a time and place for that, friends, lol.
Do enough action movies, it'll happen to you at some point.
JJ
I had some bad things happen with the art department on a film I shot last year. Basically, I showed up to the stage the day before we were going to shoot and NOTHING was built. We basically had an entire apartment set yet to be constructed. Luckily, the next morning, they happened to have one of the rooms up and dressed. So with afew adjustments to the schedule (3 day shoot) and some edits to my shot list/designs, we were able to proceed and not lose a day. But, every day I showed up on set, another portion of it was under construction. Kind of a nightmare, but I did my best to stay happy and keep them working. It got a little tense between the camera department and the art department, but that seems to happen all the time anyway haha. The producer was going quietly nuts, though. I'm amazed we got that thing shot and on budget.
We captured REAL footage of Bigfoot! It was incredible! Unfortunately, I accidentally left my automatic gain control on the audio of my camera, so I got this slight "hissing" ambience in the sound, so I deleted the files and tried to re-shoot. He was gone by then......
WE SAW HIM, DAMMIT!!!
WE SAW HIM, DAMMIT!!!