How much lead time do you need for a shoot?

Two to four weeks is the sweet spot. That’s when everybody stays chill, you get first choice on crew, and you get the best rates because no one’s being pulled off another job.

A week out is doable. I’ve turned a shoot around in five days. It costs plus 20 percent inside seven business days and plus 25 percent inside 72 hours, and you get a smaller pool of crew and fewer location options. The rush fee is what it costs to move that fast.