controlling traffic with another PA. I got called on the walkie we were rolling and to not let any cars through. I gave the hand signal to the other PA, production had limited walkies, that we were rolling. He nodded knowingly for two takes. During the middle of the third take he let a motorcycle roar through killing the take and getting us both chewed out. I later asked if he missed the signal, he told me he had no idea that signal meant rolling. He never worked on a film before. Asking what the signal meant would have saved us being chewed out.
That story ties into how crucial communication is when your making an urban action movie. You have to be clear to with everyone involved in your film about what you’re going to do, what you need, and what you’re looking for them to do. People look for this, they expect this from a director. Don’t leave cast and crew