Repetition (Say That Again)

Film sets can run the gamut as far as how crazed they are, but, in the end, especially as the sun is setting, they generally resemble some form of mildly controlled chaos. Everyone has a job to do, everyone’s job is important, many jobs are dependent on other people doing their job first, and, through it all, the clock is always ticking. It's ironic, because, in the end, everyone is trying to achieve the same goal but no one wants to be the one who gets short-changed when it comes to time, so everyone is hustling all the time, interspersed with periods of intense boredom. It's an odd world, that’s for sure.

With this speed, urgency, called out directions, and general chaos, comes a need for repetition. If you are new in the business, and are still questioning yourself, this repetitive nature of some jobs can seem like it’s aimed at you specifically. (Trust me, I’ve seen this bristle people.) But it’s not. It’s built into a good system so that the information always gets passed on correctly, and so that anyone who needs to hear it can. It's like the old telephone game, but out loud, and hopefully without the change in message that creates such hilarity (oh, the hilarity).

Consider this: the director, DP, and myself are talking about the shot and we decide to look at a 65mm lens. Assuming he or she is not busy with something else, one of my assistants is probably standing nearby eavesdropping so that they are ahead of the game and have the lens we need as quickly as possible. But, with that in mind, I will still turn to them and say, “We are going to look at this on a 65.” 

This accomplishes a couple of things: the DP and the director may hear it, so it checks that we have communicated correctly and that they didn't say one thing and mean another, or that I didn’t hear it wrong (I’ve seen that happen too). Next, it lets the assistant know that nothing has changed and that we are still on target to look at a 65. So, that chain is now correct because it's been repeated and heard by everyone. 

But wait, there’s more. Our dolly grip is likely standing by, listening and deciding what the best way to do the shot is and knowing what lens we are on will help him with that task–longer lens, so maybe track instead of boards. Next, the set dresser might hear it and so then they have a better idea of what will be seen–ok, it's a longer lens so they don't have to worry about the far sides of the set which likely won't be seen in this shot. The boom operator hears it as well, so now they can start to assume that they will be able to get the mic pretty close to the actors, and this can help them decide which mic to use.

Bottom line is that, beyond simply checking that nothing has changed, repetition exists for so many reasons and is a way to not only pass on information but make sure that everyone is on the same page and nothing is missed.

Repetition. Say it again.