FEED YOUR CAST AND CREW PROPERLY
SFTV students work on each others sets free of charge. Classmates will work diligently with the expectation that the director will provide all the thoughtful, nourishing and nutritious meals and snacks they can afford. This arrangement is foundation of the esprit de corps that binds SFTV together and makes it one of the top film schools in the world. Providing healthy food and drinks on set is not only a good investment in your crew’s creativity and productivity, it is also a matter of safety: people working twelve hour days need easy access to food and drink throughout their shift.
Crafty, Coffee, and Snacks
The human body runs on chemical energy sourced from food. Without food, the body will not function safely, which leads to accidents. Feeding your cast and crew a nourishing lunch, providing abundant snacks, providing cool water, and hot coffee will not only allow your crew to have the energy to work hard, but sends the signal that you respect their time and contribution to your show. Not planning out your crafty and snacks sends the message that you are a poor planner and do not value the well being of your colleagues. Word will get around quickly and your classmates may be less willing to work on your next set.
Production Planning and Budgeting For Crafty
Your budget for crafty, lunch, water, coffee, and snacks should inform the size of your cast and crew and how many days you can shoot. If you can afford $10 per person, per day, for three days of production and you plan to have 10 people on your set that equals $300 dollars for lunch and snacks. During your budgeting and scheduling phase, if you discover you cannot source enough snacks, lunches, and water for $300 you must make an adjustment. You will either need to increase your budget, lower your crew size, or reduce your number of shooting days.
Student Film Set Menus
Filmmaking is a physically and mentally intensive undertaking and cast and crew need calories to stay strong and alert. Consider the following tips when planning your menus for your film shoot:
| Bottled Water | Water is mandatory. Have enough water on hand for every crew member to remain properly hydrated all day, every day of production. Smaller 80z bottles create less waste than the standard 12oz bottles because they don’t get half finished and left lying around. |
| Coffee | You should provide coffee on set. A $12 coffee maker will last you for years and save you from going to Starbucks at 6AM during production. Also, your UPM or a PA can brew a fresh, hot pot all day long. |
| Individually Wrapped Snacks | Bananas, oranges, and other peeled fruits are essential. Single serve packs of chips, fruit snacks, granola bars will help crew keep up their blood sugar and stay alert all day. Sugary items are fine, but mix in protein-rich snacks if you can. Be sure to replenish at the end of every shooting day. |
| Dietary Restrictions | Send a mass email asking your cast and crew about their dietary restrictions before your first day of production. It is your responsibility to make a reasonable accommodation for your classmates and actors so they can be nourished and well fed on set. If you have a dietary restriction, advocate for yourself and tell your UPM. You are not being difficult and deserve to eat well for your work. |
| Lunch | Make sure you know your cast’s dietary restrictions and do not take for granted that meatless items are vegetarian. For example, no entree at Panda Express is vegetarian, even the meatless items are seasoned with beef and/or chicken stock. |
Failing to properly nourish your cast and crew can create safety hazards and will create the impression that you do not respect respect those volunteering their time to make your show the best it can be. Budget wisely and ensure you have assistance during production so you don’t run out of food while you’re shooting.