What is Craft Service and why would I want to do it?
Craft service is different from catering in that it is not a designated meal. Craft service is snacks, finger food and drinks that are easily grabbed by the crew as they work. If there is no breakfast caterer, it is to provide a continental breakfast as well.
On big budget feature films, craft services is usually a union position. But on independent feature films, shorts, television commercials and corporate videos craft services is more often than not a non-union position. Many markets have seasoned craft service professionals. These folks make craft services their business and often have extensive kits and gear and may even have a special truck to work out of.
Often, a person new to this business is hired for the position known as craft service. This is not a form of "hazing" but is a trainee position. Like the experience of being hired as a production assistant, working craft service is an entry level position where you are paid to perform a needed service and to learn how production works.
As a craft services person, you'll get yourself on set where you'll get to watch and learn how a production functions, you'll learn the basics to budgeting and money management and how to feed and take care of the food needs of a crew. These seemly basic skills will serve you well as you advance in your career and are especially relevant to those seeking to become production coordinators, production managers and producers.
Too often “new” PA’s will answer a request to do craft services with “I don’t do that” or “I went to film school, why should I do craft services?” If that is your answer, don’t ever expect to get a call from that production company, producer or coordinator again. As a PA just starting out (“green”) you should be willing to do any and all PA duties, Craft Service included. If a PA is not willing to give Craft Service his/her all, why should we believe they’d do more for something else? Craft service is not an easy job. This could be your chance to strut your stuff.
A Craft Service Time Table:
The day before:
• Pick up petty cash from the production coordinator.
• Check on the ammenities of the specific location where the shoot is. i.e. Do they have running water? Will you be in one location all day?
• Get the Agency Food/Brand Preferences List from Production. This list contains other products made by the same client and products made by other clients of the same advertising agency.
• Ask about any Director/Producer preferences.
• Do the shopping. It is a good idea to get a membership to a warehouse store (SAM’s Club, BJ’s, etc.). This will save money and make shopping easier.
• Cut fruits & veggies, when necessary. It is often easier to buy things like mini-carrots, celery sticks, etc. This will cut your prep time.
• Bake! This is not for everyone. Some craft service PA’s like to bake and will make homemade cookies, rice crispy treats, etc. It is not a must, but is a nice touch.
• Arrange for your morning bagel or fresh donut/pastry pickup. Know where your local bagel/bakery store is, and what time they open. If you have an early call, they might not be open when its time for you to head out. They may be willing to open early for you or you may need to go to a store closer to the location. Buy fresh, the morning of, whenever possible.
The Morning
• Make or pick-up the coffee. Always arrive on set with coffee ready to go. It is okay to fill up carafes of coffee at a local coffee joint or convenience store. Keep your budget in mind as this can get expensive.
• Pick up bagels and/or bakery items.
• Pick up ice, and lots of it.
• Set up your table. The table you use will either be on a production van/cube or on the grip truck. Find out from the prod. coordinator or AD where they want you to set up.
• Be ready to serve when the crew gets there. Craft service and production usually have an earlier call than the crew. Even so, the crew usually arrives early so they can grab a bite and a cup of coffee. This may mean some initial improvisation on your part. If your table is not yet on set, make sure that the early morning grabs (bagels, donuts, etc.) and coffee are accessible.
• Make sure to fasten a large garbage bag to the end of the craft service table.
• Start brewing the coffee. Find out where you can plug in. Ask someone in the electric department if its ok to plug in to that outlet. They made need to provide you with power off the genny.
• Fill coolers and ice them.
• Mid-morning is good for cheese & crackers, more fruit or trail mix. Its ok to let the food get light as lunch time approaches.
• If it looks like lunch may get delayed, put out a little more.
After Lunch
• Make fresh coffee at the beginning of lunch
• Put out sweets after lunch.
• Make sure all breakfast items are gone. Having items from breakfast lying around gives the impression of neglect.
• An hour or two after lunch is when to pull out the dips, chips, veggies, etc.
• If you have deli stuff, and it looks to be a long day, its good to put it out around five hours after lunch.
• If it looks like a really long day, you may be asked to order a second meal. Know what restaurants are in the area. Ask the prod. coordinator if you aren’t sure what to order.
Craft Service Tips
• Keep the craft service area clean and the food fresh at all times
• Make sure there is hot coffee at all times
• Presentation is important. Arrange fruits or veggies, cheese & crackers nicely on platters. Baskets, white platters, a tablecloth and flowers always make food look more appetizing.
• Replenish the food as it starts to disappear. One bagel sitting in a basket becomes tired looking and left over.
• Gum and mints on the table at all times, including breakfast
• Always remove six-pack holders or other wrapping
• Buy locally bottled water whenever possible. Think about the fossil fuels that were used to move the water from where it started to where it is now...
• Make brewed decaf coffee whenever possible. If not possible, use coffee singles. Never use instant coffee.
• NEVER buy Styrofoam.
• Prepare food to be consumed easily & quickly, e.g. cut food into slices
• Recycle plastic, glass and aluminum
• When the set is not very accessible to camera, put a small cooler with mostly water and seltzer near (but not too near) the camera.* Move this cooler, as needed, to ensure the safety of the camera equipment
• Be aware of the crew. Don’t assume that just because you have a table set up they will be able to get to it. Often times those closest to camera can’t get to you. Go to them. Ask the crew if they need or want anything. Or just walk around with bottles of water to offer them.
• Make yourself useful. For many PA’s this is just a starting point in your career. It is ok to help out with production or other departments as long as you don’t neglect craft service.
• Know your surroundings. Keep a lookout for grocery stores, bakeries, hardware stores, convenience stores, gas stations, copy shop, etc. You will be making runs and not only for craft service.
What you need: Building the Craft Service Kit
Cutting board
Sharp knifes
Tablecloth
30-cup coffee maker
Coolers
Baskets
Serving bowls
Electric teapot
Rubbermaid bins
Serving trays
Can opener
Dish towels
Paper Goods & Staples
napkins
paper towels
kleenex
large garbage bags
paper coffee cups
paper bowls
paper plates
plastic cold cups
plasticware
ziplock bags
stirrers
sugar
coffee/decaf
tea/decaf
sugar substitute
skim milk
half & half
gum
aspirin, tyleonl, advil
lifesavers & mints
sodas
ice
bottled water
aluminum foil
babywipes
Morning Chow
bagels
cream cheese
butter
danish
ricecakes
peanut butter
donuts
muffins
fruit
cereal
raisins
juice
yogurt
Afternoon Chow
pretzels
chips & dip
chips & salsa
cheese & crackers
pita & humus
candy
trail mix
fruit tray
nuts
veggies
cookies
brownies
Drinks
Bottled Water
Cola (reg & decaf)
Diet (reg & decaf)
sprite/7-up
mountain dew
iced tea
juice
coffee/decaf
tea
About the Author - LOVE THE PALMER
- Palmer Enfield
- Los Angeles • Philadelphia • New York, CA • PA • NY, United States
- This blog is written by Palmer Enfield. Palmer is a producer-director and the founder of RedMaiden (www.redmaiden.tv), a branded content, boutique creative company. As a director, her forte is slice of life storytelling and visual imagery. Like RedMaiden, she is a warrior in her own right--a two time cancer survivor (Hodgkins Lymphoma & Breast Cancer) her strength has been forged in life or death battles. Palmer’s personal experience adds a unique weight and substance that is reflected in her work where her willingness to expose and share her own story helps people give voice to their own personal human drama. Out of this comes Palmer’s natural sense of dialogue and performance and her ability to capture spontaneity through great casting choices and direction. Palmer’s directing style is emotional, visual storytelling, dialogue and kids with a touch of subtle, dry humor. Her growing body of work naturally attracts pharmaceutical and healthcare related projects as well as many others. Palmer believes strongly that mentoring and sharing information is essential to the growth of a creative economy. This blog was born out of that belief. Contact Palmer at palmer@redmaiden.tv
2 comments:
>Too often “new” PA’s will answer a request to do craft services with “I don’t do that”... you should be willing to do any and all PA duties, Craft Service included. If a PA is not willing to give Craft Service his/her all, why should we believe they’d do more for something else?<
Because frankly, not all persons are mentally or, well, hygenically appropriate to handle food. Why give up a good PA because he won't do Crafty? It's a job not a frat pledge. Don't use Crafty as hazing.
Production is a serious profession. Craft services is not a form of hazing but an essential part of every production. On non-union jobs where craft services is often performed by entry level production assistants the job serves as an excellent training position and opportunity. Good producers, production managers, and production coordinators are able to explain how the tasks of performing craft services are the building blocks to become a good production professional. For instance, a entry level production assistant performing craft services learns a number of valuable money management skills that they will continue to use as they advance up the production ladder including, how to track and organize their petty cash, how to accurately shop in terms of cost and quantity for crews of various sizes. Like all entry level production positions, craft services provides an opportunity for the entry level person to learn the business and to meet contacts and to establish a reputation for doing reliable and quality work.
Good producers, production managers and production coordinators do take issues of skill, background, experience, personality, mental/emotional ability, hygiene, etc. into consideration when hiring and assigning jobs on a given production.
It is true that "not all persons are mentally or well, hygienically appropriate to handle food". Let's remember that this is an extremely competitive business and like in any business one's personal presentation is important. A person with questionable hygiene is likely to find getting work difficult, period.
A "good PA" isn't necessarily rejected because he or she refuses to work craft services. Production will generally make the effort to place this person in another area where the "good PA" can benefit the production. It does however make things more difficult for both production and the "good PA" with mental or hygiene issues. And it is not unusual to find the production simply chooses to hire other production assistants with more flexible skill sets. And the "good PA" may find that he or she is overlooked for jobs and opportunities that other more malleable production assistants.
It may not be fair but again, this is a highly competitive industry.
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