They’re Sending A Film Crew!

And that’s fantastic news - unless of course you’re involved in something dodgy or are hoping it was going to be a ‘good day to bury bad news’, in which case turn to the chapter on crisis management.

Anyway, a day spent with the BBC recently filming at the National Coffin Exhibition, Handled With Care, made me think back to previous experiences of working with film crews.

Generally speaking, things rarely go quite as you imagine, but at the end of the day you need to do everything within your power to help the press do their job. IT’S IN YOUR BEST INTERESTS!

So, a few things to bear in mind if they’re sending a film crew:

• Directions – make sure you provide clear directions, especially if you’re off the beaten track
• Parking – equipment is heavy so try to provide convenient parking
• Timing – filming schedules are constantly re-jigged, so it’s not unusual for crews to be running late, with less time to film than expected
• Ideas – try to get an idea of what the team has in mind before they arrive so you can get things into place in good time (people, equipment etc). Make suggestions by all means, but remember they’re the professionals.
• Health and safety – flag up any issues beforehand (eg will they have to sign a disclaimer? wear protective clothing? do any climbing? get wet/dirty?)
• Branding - don’t expect to get your logo into every shot, it’s not a commercial. If you’re asked to cover up branding don’t argue.
• Hospitality – think loos, coffee, cold drinks and sandwiches
• Crowd scenes - of course it’s exciting when a film crew comes to visit, but try to avoid having a crowd of onlookers, especially if they like to chat and ask questions…
• Manners – it’s OK to politely enquire (once) when the piece will be going out, but don’t expect them to send you a copy of the tape – a) they may not know and b) that’s not what journalists do
• Your PR professional – make sure they’re involved right from the start

The time will fly, so the more organised and helpful you can be the better. Then, you never know, they might want to come back!

What’s your experience of working with film crews?