I've been a part of productions that ran out of money or lost key personnel even before shooting a foot of film (or video), mainly because they spent too much time in rehearsals, promoting themselves, or just trying to impress people. You know, "Look at me, I'm making a movie." There are three kinds of people I've run across that attempt to make no-budget films, those who are in love with the "idea" of being a filmmaker, ones who mistakenly think it's a fast way to make a buck, & those who really enjoy filmmaking.
Set a start date and stick to it. Tell your cast and crew "We're starting on_____ and wrapping on_____", and if at all possible, stick to those dates! Have your locations set and your shot list ready. Call times should be realistic so your actors aren't just sitting around. Think about it, if you weren't getting paid and someone had you standing by for hours or even days before getting in front of the camera, wouldn't you consider walking out on the project? Respect of others' time & talent goes along way towards successfully completing a film or video.
Every shoot is different. The best way to be prepared is by having a mindset that "stuff happens" and be ready and willing to adapt and change as things come up, because they will. As a way of helping you avoid some of the pitfalls that can swallow a project whole, next time I'll share some examples of roadblocks I've run into over the years. The names and faces will be withheld to protect the guilty.
In the meantime, if you have questions or maybe a project that needs a director or cult actor, contact me directly or start a discussion.
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