The Crew: Episodes 1-6

Want to work very long hours for little pay, sporadically landing jobs of indeterminate length, while sacrificing large chunks of your personal life along the way? Despite the legendary hardships of the film production business, the interviewees here (many in the salad days of their careers, but certainly some old timers) wouldn't have it any other way. Indeed, a sense of personal pride and commitment is a common trait of the enthusiastic and skilled people featured in The Crew, a six-part series of 22-minute episodes that originally aired on Canadian Learning Television. Nearly all of the elements involved in the production chain are covered here: location scouting, set construction, camera, grips, costume, hair, makeup, lighting, SFX, assistant directors, and more. Much of The Crew was filmed on-location during actual productions in the media hotbed of Vancouver, BC, offering viewers real-life examples of working in the “biz” (one crew member compares the lifestyle to traveling with the circus). While some of the tips offered here are common sense—use local theater as a starting point, be a dependable hard worker, etc.—others are a little more offbeat (did you know that the costuming department is also responsible for monitoring an actor's spray-on “sweat”?). Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (C. Block)