Abbey's Crew List Secret: How Great Coordinators Pick the Right DP Every Time
I have built thousands of crew lists in my career. And I can tell you that the person with the flashiest reel is not always the person who gets the call. Here is what I actually look at when I am building a crew list for a shoot:
1. Availability (Obvious, But Critical)
This sounds basic, but it eliminates 30-40% of candidates immediately. If you have not synced your calendar or updated your availability, I do not know if you are free — and I do not have time to chase down a response. The crew members who keep their calendars current get offered first. Full stop.
2. Rating History (Not Just the Number)
I look at the rating, yes — but I also look at how many ratings and the trend. A 4.8 average across 35 shoots tells me something very different than a 5.0 across 2 shoots. I want to see consistency over volume. A crew member who has been rated 4.5+ across dozens of shoots with multiple different coordinators has proven they can deliver for anyone, not just one person who happens to like them.
3. Equipment Match
If the shoot requires a specific camera system — and it often does, especially for multi-city shoots where footage needs to match — I filter for crew who have that gear. A DP who lists their full equipment package with specific models saves me a phone call. A DP with a vague "cinema camera" listing gets skipped.
4. Response Time History
I can see how quickly crew members typically respond to offers. The ones who consistently respond within a few hours get priority. Not because I am impatient — because fast response time correlates with reliability on shoot day. The data backs this up consistently.
5. Previous Notes
If someone on my team has worked with this person before, there are notes. "Great with talent." "Bring extra batteries, his always die." "Absolute rockstar, book again immediately." These notes are gold — they tell me things that a rating score cannot capture.
The Takeaway for Crew
If you want to get on more crew lists: keep your calendar updated, respond fast, list your gear in detail, do great work, and be easy to work with. It is not complicated — but the crew members who do all five consistently are the ones who are always busy.
And for producers: let us build the crew list for you. This is what we do all day, and we have the data to back every recommendation.