| Around the World there are hundreds of companies | | | | successfully in India, Rumania or Malta for instance, |
| that offer production services to shoot TV spots. | | | | you should ask him the full call sheet with the names |
| Some don't have in-house directors and therefore | | | | of all the crewmembers they used. Some comments |
| they just work for foreign production companies. | | | | from people who already shot in that country will |
| Others, on the contrary, have a roster of directors | | | | help: "the camera crew was excellent, but the art |
| and produce commercials for the local agencies while | | | | department was very slow", "the wardrobe stylists |
| they offer production services to companies based | | | | did a good job, but the make up artist didn't." |
| elsewhere. Our offices in Miami, Mexico, Costa Rica | | | | But in addition to that you should investigate a little |
| and Argentina belong to the second category | | | | bit more about normal rates in that country. DP's, art |
| therefore we know the business from both angles: | | | | directors, cameramen, special effect technicians are |
| on one hand we have shot commercials in over 30 | | | | good sources of information: if they shot there they |
| countries of all Continents using local production | | | | probably spoke with camera assistants, carpenters, |
| services and, on the other, we acted as production | | | | drivers, PA's about their rates and about the cost of |
| services ourselves. As we learned over the years, | | | | renting equipments. Crewmembers don't usually talk |
| there are three major problems that very often | | | | about money with the producers but the do talk with |
| surface when working with production services. | | | | other crewmembers even if they are from another |
| First of all they don't have any emotional connection | | | | country. |
| with the project: they are hired to organize the | | | | With a list of experienced and professional people |
| shoot and their creative involvement is almost zero. | | | | and a clear idea of the rates, a producer who is going |
| The director doesn't belong to their organization, the | | | | to bid a job in Romania, for example, should call two |
| finished spot will not go into their reel, and they will | | | | production services based in Bucharest and have a |
| not win any awards with the commercial they helped | | | | chat with their executive producers. A 15-minutes |
| produce. The spot is just a business. | | | | long conversation with a producer based several |
| Secondly many production service companies tend to | | | | thousand miles away gives a lot of information. |
| give low bids at the beginning of the process in order | | | | Asking a few key questions, you can immediately |
| to get the job and then they charge for everything | | | | detect if the guy has experience or not and if he |
| claiming that it was not included in the original bid. | | | | understands your standards of quality. Every specific |
| Some years ago, for example, I was shooting a spot | | | | job is a different story from the production |
| overseas for a cosmetic product. The day before | | | | perspective and you want to know if the producer |
| the shooting the director asked for the "book" of the | | | | on the other end of the line knows how to handle it. |
| make up artist. The local producer told me "If you | | | | In some cases there is a major logistic issue: hundred |
| want to see a book, it means that you want a top | | | | of extras, complex permitting, special effects. In |
| make up artist. In the bid we estimated a "regular | | | | some other cases the key issues are the technology, |
| one". Top make up artists are way more expensive". | | | | the equipments, the art direction, the locations and |
| "Of course we want a top make up artist!" I said. | | | | so forth. |
| And of course we had to pay more. In another | | | | In this phase, it is time to find out what the labor |
| occasion I was going to shoot in Morocco so we | | | | regulations are in the country where the shoot is |
| worked with a service company based in Casablanca | | | | going to happen, if there are unions there and how |
| to bid the job that required some set construction. | | | | they operate, what the requirements are in terms of |
| We sent them blueprints of the sets, dimensions to | | | | immigrations and customs and so on. |
| proper bid the job. After the bid was approved, we | | | | Getting two bids from two different production |
| sent them some additional specs including the color of | | | | services will give the opportunity of comparing not |
| the set. The Moroccan producer faxed back saying | | | | only rates bat also procedures and systems. In some |
| that they expected (and estimated) the set to be | | | | countries, for instance, crews are normally much |
| brown not blue as the new specs were establishing, | | | | bigger in number than in others. When you receive a |
| that the blue paint was more expensive than the | | | | bid from some countries you will see many more |
| brown one and therefore the cost was going to be | | | | crewmembers than you would expect in the US, the |
| higher. These extreme situations are rare but they | | | | UK, Holland or France. But it is how it works there: |
| happen: all measures have to be taken to avoid | | | | you cannot reduce the number of people without |
| them. | | | | compromising the efficiency of the shoot. In some |
| Thirdly, in some cases, service companies try to | | | | countries the equipment rental companies require |
| apply to foreign clients rates that are higher that the | | | | some crewmembers to be in charge of their stuff, |
| real ones. If, for instance, a gaffer in their country | | | | you cannot avoid having them, and therefore the |
| get paid $125 dollar per day, they charge $200. It is | | | | size of the crew grows significantly. |
| still less than half the cost of a gaffer in the US or | | | | I always recommend you send the production |
| Europe but the service company is making, in addition | | | | service company a very detailed, precise and |
| to the declared 15% mark up, another 60%. It is | | | | elaborate list of requirements in addition to the board |
| true that in every country the best crewmembers | | | | and, if it is possible, the director's treatment and reel. |
| charge a little more than the others because they | | | | Don't make the service company do your job and |
| are in high demand, but even in this case, the real | | | | guessing what the specs of the project are: you are |
| rates are not always reflected in the bids presented | | | | the producer, you know the director, the agency and |
| to American or European companies shooting | | | | the client and you have a clear understanding of |
| overseas. Production services know the rates applied | | | | what the project needs. |
| in the US, the UK, Italy or Germany and realize that | | | | The bids have to be carefully revised to make sure |
| everything will look cheap. Knowing the marketplace | | | | that everything has been properly included and that |
| is fundamental for any production company willing to | | | | unpleasant surprises are not going to happen later. |
| shoot overseas and spend wisely the client's money. | | | | Sometimes the revision of a foreign bid is very time |
| In 70 or 80% of the occasions I shoot in countries | | | | consuming because the breakdown is very different |
| where my company has offices therefore I am using | | | | from the AICP one and items are located in different |
| my own structure to manage the production | | | | lines or differently defined. But it is worth investing |
| maximizing the efficiency and minimizing costs. When | | | | some time making sure that everything the director |
| I need to shoot in the jungle in Central America, for | | | | needs has been included in the bid and accurately |
| instance, I don't need a production service in Costa | | | | estimated. |
| Rica because I have my own office there that can | | | | When shooting overseas you need to be extremely |
| take care of shooting not only in that country but | | | | flexible: sometimes in remote countries they use |
| also in Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, and so on. But | | | | different methods but they still achieve excellent |
| when I have to go to a country where I never shot | | | | results. It is important to do a very careful research |
| before, I do a lot of homework. For this task a | | | | before awarding the job to a production service but, |
| comprehensive network of contacts plays a major | | | | after that, it is of paramount importance to |
| role because it is not enough to call friends who have | | | | understand how they work and try not to impose |
| shot in that country: they can tell you about the | | | | the processes we use at home unless it is absolutely |
| efficiency or the reliability of the production service | | | | necessary. During many years I have seen production |
| they used there but they cannot say anything about | | | | teams making miracles in places with limited |
| the honesty of that company. They can very well | | | | production industries and deliver what we needed. |
| have been heavily overcharged without knowing it. | | | | Some trust, good communications skills and a good |
| You need to get not only contacts of reliable and | | | | deal of humility will let you achieve your goals and |
| honest production services but also lists of | | | | have a good time in the process. |
| crewmembers. If you know somebody who shot | | | | |