The Day I Filmed an Empty Room for Four Hours

I arrived at the venue at 8am with two assistants and a van full of equipment. The building was locked. Nobody answered the door.

Turns out the client meant the following Tuesday, not that Tuesday. I had confirmed the date twice by email, but we were looking at different weeks. My invoice said the 14th. Their calendar showed the 21st.

How beginners confirm dates

I used to write dates as numbers: 14/03. In New Zealand, that means 14 March. But this client was American. To them, it could have meant 3rd of the 14th month, which does not exist, so they guessed.

I also confirmed by email only. No phone call. No shared calendar invite. Just text in an inbox that both parties interpreted differently.

The client refused to pay the day rate because I showed up on the wrong day. Technically, they were right. I paid my assistants £340 each and absorbed the loss.

What experienced filmmakers do instead

They send a calendar invite immediately after agreeing on a date. The invite includes the full written date: Tuesday, 14 March 2024. It also lists the location address, call time, wrap time, and a contact number for the day.

They follow up with a phone call 48 hours before the shoot. Not an email. A call. This catches misunderstandings before they become expensive problems.

They also ask the client to confirm access details: who has keys, what time the building opens, whether parking is available. These questions sound basic, but they prevent the exact situation I found myself in.

I now use shared calendar software and make confirmation calls. Have not filmed an empty room since.