10 Lessons From 25 Years as Freelance Film Crew

After nearly 25 years of hiring freelance film crew, I've noticed the crew members who make the big money aren't necessarily the most experienced, but they know how to get rehired. They're the ones who do the little things right over and over again. I'm Rob Perkins and I'm on a mission to help 1000 freelance film crew build $1 million in wealth. So today I'm sharing the 10 most important lessons I've learned from from working on hundreds of shoots Lesson number one Arrive early, but not too early. Last summer, a grip showed up super early on set to a soundstage shoot. He wanted to impress the key grip and the producer, so he found an unlocked door, let himself in, flipped on the lights, and started organizing the cables. You might think that seemed helpful until the stage manager notified me that the rental clock started early. Suddenly we're paying for time. We weren't even supposed to be in that space. Being early is great, but initiative without awareness can backfire. If you're first to arrive, wait in the lot until your call time or text your department head. But not too early. They hate that. Offer help, but don't jump the gun. Lesson 2 your reputation is your resume I needed a gaffer for a WWE Cold Open starring Mark Wahlberg. The first thing I did wasn't to post a job posting on a job board, hoping to find the best candidate online. Instead, I texted Jake Zortman, a DP I trusted. Know any gaffers? He replied with just one name. That gaffer got the job. No resume, no reel. Just reputation. Your performance is the one thing that builds your reputation. When you're on time, dependable. Handle stress well. Your reputation works even when you're not on set. This is the best way to get repeat jobs. Not optimizing your resume or posting a thousand reels or applying for hundreds of jobs. It's to show up professionally and demonstrate that you can get things done on the job. That's how people determine if you'll be invited back. Lesson number three the most important networking happens on set. I once had a makeup artist I trusted. She was talented, reliable, and hard working. But on this particular shoot, she made a huge mistake. Instead of staying professional the entire time, she started casually chatting it up with the client, even posting behind the scenes photos without asking permission. It wasn't a disaster, but it affected my client enough that they had to pull me aside and talk to me about my makeup artist. Meanwhile, on my next shoot, another makeup artist stayed focused, respectful, and stayed steady under pressure. The thing is I didn't even know her before that day, and she's already been on two more of my shoots. Set etiquette isn't about being stiff. It's about respect. Skip the client chats, keep your phone off on set. And don't sit in Video Village unless you're invited. But sometimes the most important move isn't even on set. It's what you do when the work dries up. Lesson number four, build an emergency fund before you need it. A DP friend of mine told me something I never thought I'd hear from a cinematographer. He said he was about to sell his camera. I thought he was crazy until he told me that he needed to to make rent. I felt that pressure early in my career. I took a job delivering flowers between film jobs to pay my rent. Feast or famine, it's real. Having three to six months of expenses saved gives you power. The power to wait for better jobs. The power to breathe. The power to stay calm when the phone goes quiet. The one thing you need to do now is open a high Yield savings account. Call it your peace of mind fund. And at the end of every month, I want you to automatically transfer a small amount, $50 or even $100 to this account. It might seem like a small amount to start, but the months of stacking this little bit of cash will become the difference between you having to take on every single job that comes up and having the freedom to choose higher quality projects. Once that cushion's in place, you can stop surviving and start growing your money. And that's where most crew miss their chance. Because the real magic isn't just saving for emergencies. It's what happens when you start putting your money to work for you.

Start investing early, even if it's small. A production manager I know once asked me, how do I start investing when I'm juggling rent and bills and unpredictable paychecks? I told her I started out with 50 bucks. Didn't feel like much, but it grew into something real. That's the magic of starting early. She started with $50 then. These days she puts in $7.50 and earns hundreds each month in interest. That's more than her day rate every single month. You don't need to start with thousands. You just need to build the habit and give it some time. Think of investing like laying down Dolly Track one. Piece doesn't get you very far, but. But piece by piece, you build a smooth path that could take you a long way. Consider opening a Roth IRA or a taxable brokerage account. Start small, investing on a weekly or monthly basis. Don't chase perfection. Just build the habit and stay consistent. But not every money tool has your back. Some are sneaky little traps, and one in particular can trip you up fast. Lesson number six Use credit cards without letting them use you. On a New York shoot, a camera op told me, all my gear is technically mine and technically MasterCard's. It turns out all of his Top End gear he had paid with his MasterCard, and he owed tens of thousands of dollars at 24% interest. I've been there years ago. A $4,000 laptop took so many years to pay off on a coordinator's day rate, I could have bought two of them by the time I paid it off. But credit cards aren't always a trap. You just need to know how to utilize them the right way. Money mistakes can be fixed, but some crew get silently skipped over before they even say a word.

Perception is reality. There was this one time on set. A client leaned over and nodded towards a sound guy. He whispered, glad you brought him. He seems solid. And that was all before we even rolled camera. They hadn't even seen his work, just how he showed up. On set, people decide who you are before you open your mouth. Gear dialed in, great posture and looking people in the eye. Let your presence speak before your work does. Lesson number eight, situational awareness is a superpower. On a Coca Cola shoot, we had heaps of drinks in the cooler, but somehow a bottle of Pepsi made it in. The client would have been furious if they saw a crew member on our set drinking a competitor's product. But we were saved by the wardrobe stylist, who had quietly pulled the Pepsi bottle out of there before the client had a chance to even see it. She handled it without looking for credit, just doing her part and being proactive. That's the kind of crew I rehire. Spotting problems before they happen makes you priceless. The little things, like staying present, looking beyond your department, and protecting the production, they seem small, but it's what makes a big difference. On your next shoot, scan for one small thing that could go wrong, then fix it before anyone notices. Don't announce it. Don't take credit. Just enjoy that quiet win. It's your secret, because that's what the pros do. They hold themselves to a higher standard. Excellence isn't about being flashy. It's about the details nobody else even sees. But having high standards doesn't make you perfect. In fact, asking for help can actually make you a lot more memorable. Lesson Number nine, Ask for advice, not just approval. I watched an assistant stylist ask the head stylist what's the most helpful thing an assistant can do for you during a fast company move. The stylist. She lit up. She shared her preferences and told me later how much she appreciated that question. When someone helps you, they feel invested in your success. Don't try to impress. Just ask for input. Then circle back and show them that they made an impact on you. On your next shoot, ask for one practical tip. A few days later, send a quick thank you. It's subtle, but almost nobody does this, making you unforgettable. Being memorable is good, but being the full package is what gets you rebooked. First lesson number 10, be warm and competent. I hired an AC I'd known for years. Tons of credits, newest gear, inside and out. But on set, he was silent, efficient, but cold. By day two, the DP pulled the second AC aside, a bright, talented woman with a great vibe, and asked, do you know any other ACs more like you? Not more skilled, just more enjoyable to have around. This is a concept called warm confidence. It's a balance of being approachable and being capable. Competence only shows that you can get the job done, but adding warmth into the equation brings a level of trust and fun that crew people just want to be around. So the next time on set, be a positive listener. Look people in the eye. Be collaborative. Set a positive tone first thing in the morning. Being a person who brightens up the set's mood is an invaluable asset to the team. You've got the skills, the present, the mindset, but none of it matters if you're running on fumes. Bonus lesson number 11, take care of your health. I ran into a video assist guy I've worked with for years. I remembered him to be rock solid. When he looked completely wrecked. He told me he's been living on takeout and five hours sleep. We laughed, but it stuck with me. It wasn't just about him. It was about what he represented. Crew members I've seen and want to help slowly wear down under the grind. And from years of working on set, I've learned that the most important gear on the job isn't the fancy cameras, the lenses, or the lighting. It's actually your body. Because if it breaks down, the jobs all stop. Forget perfection. Just build a few habits you can stick with on a daily basis. Pack protein bars so you're not crashing on chips and candy. Drink water to stay sharp and focused. And sleep like like it's your next paycheck? Because I've seen tired crew. They were so drained they weren't themselves. And that can cost you your job or worse. Small changes keep you in the game for a long time. These lessons are how you go from stressing between projects to being the crew everyone wants to hire again. If you want to keep building the momentum, the perfect next step is my video, why Most Film Crews Stay Broke and How to Fix it in four steps. Click here to watch that video. Stay focused, stress less, and build wealth. That's a wrap.