You’re finally going into production. Awesome.
For months, you’ve planned every detail. Endured never-ending rewrites. Scoured locations. Cast meticulously.
And, if you’re like us, you’ve done absolutely nothing for you.
Get your Affairs in Order
In our case, here we are, a mere 5 days from rolling cameras on our month-long shoot for Scream Queens season 2. For nearly 30 days, there won’t be a single day off for the two of us.
Does the crew get days off? Of course. Does an Executive Producer get days off? Though we may try, the truth is usually no. Especially if you want your project to be any good.
…if you’re like us, you’ve done absolutely nothing for you.
The motto of an Executive Producer (or the lead creative) should be “I care more than anyone else, so I work harder than anyone else.” This mostly means 7 day weeks, 15 to 19 hours a day. Before you bite that bullet, here’s a few things to make sure you do for YOU just before you disappear down the rabbit hole:
1. Warn your friends and family
They won’t be hearing from you. At all. You’re in the abyss of production. Produce, eat, nap, repeat. No time for personal calls. Those close to you will take it much better if you warn them.
On a personal note, my dad’s finally forgiven me for vanishing during Beauty and the Geek. With Scream Queens season 2 underway, he knows what to expect…though he still goes out of his way to make me feel guilty!
2. Pay Your Bills
Rent, anyone? How about those credit cards? Utilities? People can wreck their good credit during production simply because they’re barely conscious enough to make it to set, much less remember to write checks.
People can wreck their good credit during production…
If you don’t have Joke for a wife (who’s brilliant and never forgets to do anything, even when she’s half dead) do yourself a favor, and write out all your checks in advance, seal in an envelope, and stamp. Set up a reminder in you email or calendar program so you don’t forget to actually send the sealed, stamped envelope.
3. Think About Your Health
You won’t be sleeping a lot, already a strike against you on your quest to live through production. Chances are, you’ll be over-doing it with the caffeine, increasing the odds that your heart simply explodes along the way. Take a daily vitamin, and try to drink a bottle of water for every energy drink you slam. It’ll help you keep hydrated.
If you’ve been putting off that trip to the dentist, do it now. No time for a root-canal during production. Probably want to make sure you see your doctor, and refill any prescriptions, too.
If, like me, you’re also watching your diet, make a plan to keep you on track. Personally, I’m staying away from the craft services table, having a P.A. bring me back diet-friendly food at lunch, and I’m bringing my Atkins bars to set for when I need to snack.
4. Get Comfortable Shoes
…you’re about to be on your feet for hours and hours on end.
You’re about to be on your feet for hours and hours on end. We all need to be frugal, but when it comes to shoes, I say splurge. Go to a good shoe store and find something that works for your body type. I wear a water-proof Allrounder with arch-support, and I’m far less cranky after those 19 hour days.
5. Take Your Car Into the Shop
This one is our personal Achilles heel. When your entire life is spent trying to make your mark in showbiz, changing the oil and getting a tune up just don’t seem to make the priority list. According to Murphy’s law, this means your car will spontaneously-combust on the fourth day of a three month shoot. Avoid that. Show your wheels some love.
6. Clean Your Home, Top to Bottom
Whether you’re in a studio apartment or big ole’ house, the 4 – 6 precious hours you’re granted at home need to be spent relaxing, preferably in an unconscious state.
If your place is a wreck (as often happens to us creative folk) it’s an added layer of stress you do not need. Make the space you call home a sanctuary—whatever that means to you—before the first day of shooting. It will be the only stress free location you see for a while.
And last, our super-secret, most favorite tip of all:
7. Buy Extra Socks and Underwear
Let’s face it: during production, you ain’t doing laundry. The jeans and tee-shirts can air out. Socks and underwear, not so much.
I am looking forward to Scream Queens S2. Enjoy the ride and sleep while you can.
all the best!
:0)
Julie & Jessica
@David Baker Yes, less tweeting, less blogging, until Scream Queens is in the can.
@Julie and Jessica Well said! A vacation without the benefit of anything that feels like a vacation. The upside is (hopefully) the real vacation you get to take after chasing your dreams so hard.
@David Olsen I wish you could be on every one of our TV shows. For those who don’t know, Dave won Season 4 of Beauty and the Geek, and is one of the coolest dudes on the planet (even if he refuses to get on Twitter!)
Good luck with Scream Queens 2 and I look forward to the great stories when you come back up for air.
Good luck with your production – I know it will fabulous!
I thank my lucky stars every day that we work together. We wake up together, work all day side by side, and go to bed together. Been that way since we met almost 13 years ago. It just works for us.
I do feel for people who want to be in this industry and keep personal relationships alive. From what I’ve seen, spouses/mates and even friends who aren’t in the industry cannot imagine why the hours are so long. Many times, the relationships that can withstand the stress are between people who work together or who are both in “the biz” and get the long hours. On the other hand, several of our closest co-horts are happily married to someone not in the biz.
I think the best you can do is make you priorities clear to your significant other, and see if they can support you through the long hours. Honesty is crucial…with your mate, and with yourself. At some point, for many, it’s a question of what truly makes you happy. I can tell you that if I had to choose between this business and my wife Joke, I’d choose my wife every day of the week. If that meant moving back to Ohio and being a wedding videographer or school teacher, no problem. On the other hand, some people would be miserable giving up their dream for love. Call me a hopeless romantic, but a warm bed with a woman who loves me is way better than an executive producer credit.
Best of luck, and let us know how it goes!
Thanks so much for your prompt reply! Especially since you’re shooting, wow! Very helpful advice.
The good thing is she does work in the industry. The bad thing is she’s cine and I’m post. We’re never on set (or at least I’m never on set) so it’s nice that she understands long hours. Just not long hours together. I know this one DP-makeup artist couple that always work together and it’s great.
It doesn’t help she lives on OC finishing school and i’m in LA when we used to live together. I too am a romantic and would choose her over anything Hollywood-related. I think things will work out
I’m sure they will. It’s a tough biz for many reasons, not just the fact that it’s almost impossible to break into. Wish you the best!
Biagio