A new production is coming to Western Australia.
They don’t know the crew here, so what happens?
They ask the last production who they used, get a copy of their crew list and start calling the same people.
Or they jump onto a list and start searching.
It makes sense. You need crew, you need them quickly and starting with people who have already worked on productions in WA seems like the obvious thing to do.
But it can also cost you time and money.
In an industry where both are at a premium, getting the people part wrong can become very expensive, very quickly.
Because a list can only tell you so much.
A name. A job title. Some credits.
What it can’t necessarily tell you is the person behind them.
How do they communicate? How do they respond under pressure? What are their stress triggers? How do they work with different personalities? What happens when something goes wrong at the end of a very long day?
Perhaps most importantly, are they the right person for this production, this team and the ethos you are trying to create?
There is a science behind building a powerful team
Building high-performing teams and creating workplace harmony has been part of my wheelhouse for years.
I’m trained in behavioural profiling and have spent years working with communication, emotional intelligence, leadership, conflict and team dynamics.
We all communicate differently. We all respond differently under pressure. And we all have different stress triggers.
I know how to identify those differences and how to work with them.
That matters on a film crew.
Long days. Tight schedules. Budgets. Deadlines. Creative differences. Constant problem-solving. People working incredibly closely together for weeks or months at a time.
The domino effect is real.
It can take just one person who is the wrong fit for that particular team to affect communication and morale.
That flows into productivity and ultimately into the two things every production is watching closely:
Time and money.
So what do I do differently?
I don’t start with a list and work my way down it.
I start with the production.
I want to understand what you’re making, the ethos behind it, the people already coming together and the kind of team you want to build.
Then I start looking for the right people.
Of course I look at experience, credits and technical skills. They matter.
But I also look at the person behind them.
How do they communicate? What motivates them? How do they respond under pressure? How will they work with the personalities already in the team?
And then I will hunt high and low for the right person.
That might be someone already well known in WA.
It might be someone who has spent years working interstate or overseas and has recently returned home.
It might be someone elsewhere in Australia who is prepared to relocate for the right production.
Or it might be an incredibly experienced person who simply isn't appearing on the lists you're searching.
One of the things I’m loving about my work with Productions through Crew Connect WA is discovering just how much incredible talent we have here in Australia.
I don’t knowingly put difficult people into teams
This is important to me.
People can learn to communicate differently. They can learn to recognise their own stress triggers, manage their reactions and work more effectively with different personalities.
I’ve spent years helping people do exactly that.
But it takes self-awareness and a willingness to change.
A production shouldn’t have to carry the cost of someone who isn’t prepared to do that work.
When I’m helping connect people with a production, I’m looking for people who can do their job, communicate well, work with others and contribute positively to the team around them.
Someone can be brilliant at what they do and still be the wrong fit for a particular team.
That doesn’t make them a bad person.
But one highly skilled person who continually creates friction can have a domino effect across an entire production.
Then there’s the other side of what I do
I love working with people who are passionate about what they do.
I work with crew across Australia, New Zealand and Asia, helping them build strong professional profiles, present their experience properly and learn how to promote themselves, for themselves.
Because sometimes incredibly talented people simply aren't very good at talking about themselves or showing the industry what they can do.
That I can help with.
Some of the best people aren't necessarily the loudest people in the room. They may not be the names that keep appearing on every list.
Sometimes they just need someone to see what they bring to the table and help everyone else see it too.
We don’t do bums on seats
Crew Connect WA isn't a recruitment or booking agency. We don't negotiate contracts, take commissions or make the hiring decision for you.
That decision belongs to the Production.
What we can do is listen.
Understand what you're building.
Understand the team and the ethos you want around it.
Then help you discover people you may never have found by simply working your way through the same lists.
We look deeper.
Beyond the credits.
Beyond the job title.
Beyond who worked on the last production.
Because when you're putting together a crew, you're not simply filling individual positions.
You're building a team.
In an industry where time and money are at a premium, getting that team right from the beginning matters.
The best person for the job isn't always the most obvious name on the list.
Sometimes you just need someone prepared to hunt high and low to find them.
Let’s talk.
Productions: Bringing a Production to Western Australia? Let’s talk about what you’re building, the people you need and how Crew Connect WA can support you.
Crew: Based in Australia, New Zealand or Asia? Want to know how to present yourself professionally, build your industry profile and promote yourself, for yourself?
Let’s talk. hello@crewconnectwa.com
Crew Connect WA
Supporting Productions from Development through to Post.
Crew You Can Count On. Support You Can Trust.
