4 Tools to Help with Communication
In my experience, most of the fuck-ups in any work, especially in filmmaking, start with either just a plain miscommunication or with literally bad-to-no communication at all.
When I started teaching at FAMU, one of the first things in my classes was to do my best to explain how important it is to have clear communication channels. How important is it to set expectations, boundaries and responsibilities from the get-go. How important is it to get everybody in the crew, especially heads of departments, on the same page in terms of communications.
So when my classes start, the first lesson, right after we get through the introductions, is about communication. And one of the most important pieces of advice I give is this one:
Keep calm at all times. Panicking never helped anybody.
First things first. When you start a new project, it's essential to establish channels of communication. Communication works on different levels. If I had to divide it into only two classes, it would be:
- Non-essential communication
- Essential communication
That simple, nothing more. For non-essential communication, I honestly don't really care what you use. But I would at least suggest choosing channels that are private and secure, like Signal.
The tools I recommend
Anyway, back to the issue at hand. What tools do I recommend, and how do I use them?
Phone call
Number one. Not even a question. Nothing works better than phone calls in production, especially when you're on a tight schedule.
The production department is kind of expected to be on call 24/7, but they shouldn't. The world doesn't end because you can't be reached at all times. And I strongly suggest that everybody make sure they have times when they just are not available.
On the other hand, if you're in the middle of filming (or prep), and you see you got a missed call on your phone – call the fuck back. Once is enough, they will get back to you if it was an important call. In the end – they called you first.
The second most important tool you should be using. What's in the e-mails is the law (well, not literally, but you know what I mean). If you have something important to say, get a confirmation, or ask a question, do it via e-mail. Also, keep your e-mails at least for a year after a project ends. Better for two.
When you're done with the meeting, send an e-mail with a summary of it. When you make a decision about something over the phone, write a follow-up e-mail saying what you agreed on via the phone.
It will cover your ass and prevent any further misunderstandings. Make sure you learn this one and make it second nature to yourself as soon as possible. You won't believe how much it will help.
And for God's sake, get yourself at least a semi-pro looking e-mail address. Buy a fuckin’ domain of your name, set up an e-mail address and like that, you upped your game a level. It looks stupid if you say “My e-mail is topyoungster97 at gmail dot com". C'mon. Do better.
Slack, Discord and similar
Slack says about itself “Collaboration hub for work”. It saves time and replaces horribly long e-mail conversations.
You just make a workplace, add team members, create channels (aka ”chat rooms”), assign people to channels (or let them be a part of them) and start dealing with issues or topics related to it. Easy, fast, accessible and simple. Definitely recommended.
The cons of it might be limited archive and paid versions. But you know, we're in showbusiness; nothing comes free.
Discord is a free alternative with better voice-chat quality and screen-sharing, but it is built for gamers and streamers. It works quite well for me, and I prefer it to Slack, but that's because of the limited archive of Slack.
Skype, Zoom or Google Hangouts
Well, this one is easy - when you can't reach somebody because they are thousands of miles away (or just is not convenient to travel), and a phone call doesn't do them justice, because you want to see them and all, use one of the options mentioned above. Free of charge, reliable, and after two years in lockdowns, everybody knows how to use them. Don't be a dinosaur.
The tools I DO NOT recommend
So those were the tools I do recommend; now, let's go to the opposite side of the equation. There are definitely tools I think are not suitable at all for any essential communication.
FB Groups
Facebook groups are not so bad, but I am still more leaning towards a DO NOT recommend. The problem I see is it's Facebook; it is a social media platform. Therefore you are milliseconds from distraction. And when you work, you need to work, not watch cute kitten videos.
Otherwise, it’s pretty okay – you post what you need/want, and others comment. But still, social media. So for me, it's a no because the chances of distraction are just too big.
This is just a strict no. Group chats on WhatsApp are messy, disorganised, and you will get lost in the chat (especially when you got 4+ people). I recommend using Slack instead. Leave WhatsApp to personal matters and discussions.
Messenger
See WhatsApp. Literally, it's the freakin' same thing.
So, to sum it up, I recommend you use: phone calls, e-mails, Slack or any of its alternatives, Skype and its alternatives. I do not recommend using: Facebook Groups, WhatsApp or Messenger group chats and similar stuff.
Next time, I will tackle some basic rules of clear communication, as well as how to conduct a proper, productive meeting, and share with you some of my own experience with running them.