At the beginning of 2024, we asked our Supporting Artists to fill out a feedback survey.
Over 1300 completed the survey and their comments were incredibly insightful. We have always had innovation at the forefront of our operations and this was an extension of that, with the hope we can continue to understand all corners of our business. By doing so, and listening to our artists, we hope to not only improve our service to them, but also to yourselves, our clients.
The survey was incredibly valuable and many commented that no other agency had ever given them opportunity for this typ of feedback.
Digesting the responses took us over 2 weeks. We found a lot of responses confirmed what we know, but there were also some revealing comments.
We are beginning to integrate the ideas created from the survey, but we thought it might wise to share some of the interesting insights that relate to our clients with you.
BOOKINGS:
If a Supporting Artist receives no booking or release within three days of giving their availability, they often forget about the role or assume the opportunity has passed.
Effectively, the expiry date of each lookbook you receive is probably sooner than you think.
The slowness of confirmations also encourages artists to put themselves forward for as many other jobs as possible on those dates as insurance.
We’ve always intuitively known that the sooner someone is booked, the less likely it is that we’ll encounter diary conflicts or drop-outs, but now we know this for sure.
Solutions
In order to reduce the back and forth, we encourage productions to confirm people as quick as possible with us or keep us informed about the progress status of our live checks. We in turn can keep people informed.
People said that they decline enquiries out of principle if the location is too broad; this is especially true of “London” but also other cities too.
This means that we’re missing out on great faces if we only have the vaguest of locations to work with.
“If I see ‘London’, I decline. Even ‘North/East/South/West/Central London’ is better than just ‘London’.
Solutions
Please understand that we push for more precise locations precisely to avoid this situation and to get the best artists and to avoid drop-outs.
Vague or last-minute costume briefs cause stress and frustration.
We’ve seen this ourselves. Costume department sends out the next day’s brief incredibly late in the evening, forcing SAs to scramble to find suitable options.
“Send costume details as early as possible, maybe a seperate email if waiting for a late call time”.
“I hate finding out at 8pm that my wardrobe doesn’t match the costume brief. Or I’m forced to do late-night laundry and ironing. I dread becoming a burden for Costume to deal with. Please, just give us some time to prepare!.”
“If you could persuade productions to give us the costume information earlier than the night before that would be fab."
Providing the following information sooner reduces the likelihood of drop-outs and no-shows:
Whether the scene will be shot inside or outside (to prepare with thermals, thick socks, coats on standby etc.)
Whether the day will be a Continuous or Standard Day.
An Estimated Wrap alongside their Call Time.
“The less I know about a shoot, the more likely I am to decline and prioritise other work.Too many times I’ve been surprised with an exterior night shoot or a rain machine or a summer scene shot in the winter.”
“SAs are the only ones on set not given an estimated Wrap time. Why? Also we are often not told if we will be inside or outside until we find out on the day.”
“It would be good to know if it’s a continuous or standard day, the hours for the work day, the likelihood of going beyond these hours.”
Please don’t sit on information just because you’re waiting for the call times to be confirmed. I can be planning travel logistics, my wardrobe options, my child care cover etc.”
Supporting Artists LOVE it when a Crowd AD makes a speech in holding at the beginning of the day explaining what the nature of the scene is and what is to be expected.
It puts everyone on the same page, reduces questions and makes them feel like they’re in a safe pair of hands.
As SA's, we never get given the call-sheet. So we arrive at each crowd holding blind, where gossip is rife and information is currency. It makes such a difference when a Crowd AD stands up in front of everyone and tells us what’s in store, how many scenes are on the call sheet, when lunch is expected, when wrap is estimated for etc.”
“I like being introduced to all the crowd PAs, it makes approaching the crowd team and building an affinity with them so much easier.”
“ My favourites crowd PAs are the ones that treat us like teammates. We’re all there to get the same scenes done after all.”
“I have worked with many great crowd ADs and have been well looked after. They are very pleasant, professional people who work extremely hard and are being pulled in different directions.”
What about you? What requests, advice and wisdom would you impart to our Supporting Artists?
We’d love to publish a blog that compiles the thoughts and suggestions of several Crowd 2nd ADs. Your comments can be published anonymously.
An anonymous two-part blog we published last year, “A Day in the Life of a Crowd 2nd” was warmly received from our artists. We’d love to publish more in this vein, providing the perspectives and wisdom from our Crowd 2nds.