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Those who want to become rich and famous in the film industry need to see The Crew, a documentary series that strips away the glamor surrounding filmmaking ... Highly recommended.
The six episodes here introduce viewers to professionals involved in camerawork, makeup, and construction, among others fields, who talk frankly about their sometimes exhilarating, sometimes tedious occupations. Rather than overwhelming viewers with technical detail, producer/director Rouse lets crew members explain their roles and how they got into the industry and then shows them on the job.
The facts seem obvious: one must be prepared to network and make one's own opportunities in order to succeed in the business; hours are often long, with periods of furious activity punctuated by endless waiting; and what keeps these experts on the job isn't the pay but the thrill of seeing the fruits of their labor come to life, on the set and onscreen.
The Crew's production values are of a professional but no-frills quality, which is appropriate for both the subject and the treatment. The content is suitable for all ages. Here's hoping that Rouse tackles the pre- and postproduction aspects of filmmaking soon. The Crew is essential for libraries that can afford its high price and are looking to create or strengthen their performing arts collections; it is highly recommended for all other libraries.
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The Crew was filmed on-location during actual production, offering viewers real-life examples of working in the "biz"... Recommended.
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.
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The Crew is an excellent addition to any career investigation library at the district or school level.
Ask any eight or nine year-old what he/she wants to be and odds are over half of them will answer an actor or an athlete. Both careers are extremely hard to break into. The Crew investigates jobs connected to film production. Through six twenty-two-minute episodes director Michael Rouse takes film enthusiasts and would-be film producers on a tour of jobs connected to working behind the scenes.
Each of the six segments or episodes explores a different area of film production. It provides explanation by people involved in the area and a walking tour of their work environment. Areas include: costume, camera, grips; special effects, constructions, film location; paint, sound, special effects make-up; hair, production, make-up; props, assistant director, continuity and finally, art, set decoration and lighting.
The Crew shows how films are produced and provides students with a wealth of information regarding careers in film production. It shows them how to break into the film industry and the training required for viable jobs in film.
The Crew is an excellent addition to any career investigation library at the district or school level.
Thematic Links: Career Investigations; Jobs; Theatre Occupations; Technical Studies
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A fantastic tool for educators to inform students about the employment opportunities in the film industry
Films, video, television production - it all seems so glamourous. Choosing costumes, designing special effects, decorating sets, making a hair-style perfect for the star of a show - it's all part of being a member of "the crew". Members of a generation who have spent their lives in front of one video screen or another are undoubtedly interested in finding out how to break into film production, and The Crew, a 6-DVD set (each DVD is 22-minutes long, chaptered within each epsiode) offers an understanding of the various departments which work together to form a film production unit. It is intended to give students a sense of the business, what it's about, and how to get started in the many careers possible in film production.
Each episode of The Crew follows the work of technicians from three film production departments, as they perform their work. And, it's genuine - I recognized actors from
Da Vinci's Inquest, as I watched all six episodes! I knew that no job is as "glamorous" as it looks, and as I viewed the various segments, I heard costumers talk about friends who said "Oh great, you get to shop for a living", not realizing that a costumer's shopping is neither recreational nor leisurely, and might involve desperate drives from one mall to another, chasing down a remaining wardrobe item. And although one might be paid very well for one's work on "the crew", life in film production is often a "feast or famine" existence: as a cameraman pointed out, "you work sunrise to sunset for three weeks, and then you're unemployed for three months."
Still, a hairdresser in the "pretties department" (i.e. costume, make-up, and hair) began her career by volunteering to help with hair styling in amateur theatre, and over time, just came to love the work. Despite everything, members of the crew believe that "things in the end are great" and their enthusiasm carries them through and over the bumps.
But, The Crew is intended as an informational DVD for teachers and career counselors. I asked Sean Brown, Career Advisor at Kelvin High School, to view the video and provide his insights into how it might be used. Sean wrote that The Crew offers an "in-depth look into the world of film making; it's a great example of an informative, documentary-style educational series. It gives the viewer a realistic look into the expectations and responsibilities of a career in film production.
The casual nature of the participants in The Crew is the winning factor for its target audience. By presenting the next generation of film production crews with energetic subjects, the students will easily relate to the technician and his/her responsibilities. It is refreshing that the editing format stayed away from the modern MTV fast-cutting style, which is so commonly used to grab the attention of young adults. The Crew maintained a contemporary presentation and style, without distracting from the content.
The young and enthusiastic members of the crew help keep the energy high as we are taken through the different aspects of the industry which makes this a fantastic tool for educators to inform students about the employment opportunities in the film industry. The six-episode series makes it highly accessible for students; they could view portions or entire episodes, individually or in a class setting.
As for providing us with the secrets of breaking into the industry, it is hard to judge if "secrets" were unveiled. However, in providing positive, interesting subjects and specifics about each position, the tools to make an informed career choice are clearly outlined.
Each episode is well-balanced, with three different aspect of the production crew covered. In some cases, such as the camera segment, I would have liked to seen more information provided as to the job's education requirements, so that students are given a starting point for that career. In addition to education requirements, educational options would also be informative to students. For example, are there different avenues students can take to acquire the knowledge to become a set decorator or sound specialist?"
After each of us had viewed The Crew, we talked about its cost as an acquisition, either for a school library, a school board/divisonresource centre, or a career resource centre. The price (which includes Public Performance Rights) is competitive with similar products and makes it a possible acquisition for a Career Resource Centre, a board/divisional media resource centre, or a school library. Pricing for either home use or a public library's purchase does not include Public Performance Rights, making it rather pricy for that client group. Still, The Crew is definitely worth a look. Both Sean and I would award it 3 out of 4 stars for covering the career information thoroughly, its great cast choice, and the good flow to the series, in general.
Recommended, 3 stars
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As a teacher who has shown the The Crew in classroom situations, I say the production quality is excellent and the interviews provide very good information. I give the disc two thumbs up.
The Crew discusses and depicts the details of the talented labor found in the movie business: individuals reveal which departments they work closely with, who they report to, the skills they're required to have, and tips on getting into the industry. In these very candid interviews students thinking of a career in some aspect of film making will learn that a variety of abilities, hard work, and the desire to be part of a movie adventure requires long hours and above average people skills to be successful. The movie crew career is not for lightweights. The work can be grueling, with long periods of sitting and waiting, interspersed with times of high pressure and demanding individuals. It can be an unreliable and fickle business but it can also be a rewarding work that pays well as soon as you start.
The people interviewed provide realistic tips on getting into the industry and recommend volunteering to gain and improve skills needed for entry-level work. Not all crew positions are covered in these interviews, in particular the more high tech aspects of the movie making business like editing and special effects are missing here. Students thinking of going to work in the hair, costume, or makeup lines will enjoy the segments on these areas.
The interview segment lengths are just right for catching and maintaining the interest of students. Teachers will no doubt recognize an actor or two. The overall impression by teachers who have viewed and used this DVD in their classrooms is a positive one. They would definitely use it again for students interested in film set work.
This unique film answers many of the questions interested students will have about careers as crew in the movie industry. A viewing of this DVD, along with a follow up by a live, working member of a movie crew to answer some of the questions not covered in these interviews, would be an excellent way for students to gain the information they will need to navigate their way into a career.
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