Creativity, Leadership and Communication Skills were once considered as soft skills but are now seen as crucial to enable us to thrive in life – both personally and professionally.
Below is a list of the essential programs that I facilitate live or live via a webinar and/or a membership group program. Even though there are suggested time allocations for each program they can be amended to fit with a desired timetable.
- They can be facilitated as a “once off,” program that can include ongoing individual coaching sessions.
- They can be expanded on as a longer – more in-depth – program – membership groups.
- The content can be facilitated as a live webinar broken up into 60 minute modules.
- Time: Live facilitation – 1-1/2 days including the 1/2 day Effective Communication Module. (Can be tailor made for your preferred timeframe)
- Available as a 12 month online mastermind group. 2 60 minute sessions per month.
- Included in the program are personal manuals.
The content facilitated by the way of games, discussions, and exercises, and covers:
- Life and Leadership is a team sport. Everyone matters.
- The pitfalls of micromanaging and how it can be dealt with.
- The importance of teamwork and collaboration.
- (Self) awareness – the need to understand ourselves and our teams.
- Confidence- within us, and as a leader – how to achieve both.
- Empathy – it’s all about understanding.
- Accountability – we must take responsibility.
- The WHAT, WHY, and HOW of creativity – wherein bravery is included.
- Adaptability – how to deal with change.
- Decisiveness – it’s never set in stone.
- Commitment – with out there can’t be achievement.
- Integrity – Choosing courage over comfort.
- Optimism – it’s a mindset.
- Vulnerable – It’s not what you think it is.
- Adding Value – makes us indispensable.
- EFFECTIVE INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION (This is also available as a 1/2-day stand-alone program.)
- The art of speaking clearly.
- Listening to understand.
- Building Rapport.
- Dealing with criticism.
- Conflict resolution
2. Effective Interpersonal Communication
- Time: 5 hours as a once off including breaks.
- Available as a live webinar
- Included in the workshops are personal manuals.
The content is facilitated by the way of games, discussions, and exercises, and covers:
- It’s about talking and listening.
- The art of instructional talking – what do you want.
- Effective listening – not to reply but to understand.
- Why we need to stop interrupting.
- Creating rapport.
- Dealing with criticism – how to dish it out and take it.
- The importance of empathy in all of this.
- Time: 5 hours as a once off including breaks.
- Available as a live webinar – 4 X 90-minute modules.
- Included in the program are personal manuals.
Topics covered are:
- How we think both consciously and subconsciously and how it relates to our goals.
- Our imagination – the seed from which our goals and dreams sprout.
- The different types of goals- prevention or promotion focussed goals.
- The WHAT, WHY and by WHEN of the goal.
- The expectancy and enthusiasm value related to achieving the goal.
- The 3 Beliefs needed for achieving the goal and dealing with limiting beliefs.
- Working with a “journey” buddy.
- Identifying the first step towards the end result.
- Moving through the stations taking constant and effective action – questions we ask ourselves.
- Monitoring the progress, making changes, or celebrate.
- Who you must become to achieve your goal.
- Mental Contrasting.
- Ability versus Perseverance.
- Affirmations, well-directed questions, and Visualisation boards.
- Mind Mapping.
- Rewarding ourselves along the way.
- Gratitude- appreciation over expectation.
- “If-Then” Principle
- Incorporating the journey into our everyday lives.
Time is our most valuable commodity. Why waste it?
This program outlines how to manage your time most effectively.
- Time: 5 hours as a once off including breaks.
- Available as a live webinar – 3 X 90-minute modules.
- Included in the program are personal manuals.
The content facilitated by the way of games, discussions, and exercises, and covers:
- Where do you spend your time – an exercise.
- Distractions – are they worth the time?
- Avoiding distractions for 52 minutes at a time.
- “Free writing, “ what’s needed to be done, for the day/week/month.
- Prioritising the tasks.
- What are the 5 things you have to do?
- What are the 5 things you’d like to do?
- Creating a planner.
- Working through the planner.
- When to drink coffee- it effects our energy.
- Time management is a lifestyle, what we eat, when we sleep, why we need exercise.
- Power naps – they do add power.
- Time: Specific requirements need to be discussed to determine time frames.
- Available as a live webinar – Timeframes to be discussed.
- Included in the program are personal manuals.
This program which can be broken up and focus on any one of the 3 facets or all 3 together is suitable for:
- Brainstorming sessions.
- Problem solving sessions.
- Creative Development.
- Leadership development.
- Wellbeing Development.
This 5- day intensive course for new, future and existing, Driver’s, Runners and PA’s covers everything that’s needed to understand what life on a film set is all about and what is expected of the crew – whether new or experienced. This course is both theoretical and practical where what is learned in the lessons is recreated in an onset environment.
Included in the course are the Leadership skills needed to deal with life in the production workplace. Also included is an interactive presentation by a Human Resources expert who will go over the perfect CV and how to conduct yourself in an interview.
As this course focuses on employment opportunities, there is the option of being represented by a reputable crew agency with strong connections in the industry.
Videos linked to past courses can be viewed at http://bit.ly/2nS6F56
Candidate requirements:
- Code 8 license – unendorsed.
- Code 10 License – unendorsed – optional and recommended.
- Professional Driver’s permit which includes a police clearance certificate. (This can be obtained from the traffic department before or after the course)
- Theoretical – understanding, everything about film production from the pre-production days, onset production days, right through to the post-production.
- the industry works including the breakdown of International Client and crews, Prod Co’s, local crews and their responsibilities.
- The role of the Driver, Runner and PA’s and their relationship to the rest of the crew.
- Working with a PM – as an experienced PM I will go over everything that is expected for a successful working relationship.
- Meeting a Production Company Owner who will go over what is expected of them.
- Meeting with make-up artists, lighting assistants, digital assistants, and stylists, etc. to discuss their roles and their working relationship to the PA.
- Psychology on set – dealing with the different decision-makers and egos.
- Presentation by an HR expert – how to conduct yourself in an interview and drawing up the perfect CV.
- After hours reading and exercises will be included.
- Meeting the suppliers.
- Throughout the 2nd day, the trainees will visit, hotels, prop houses, lighting suppliers, clothing suppliers, studios.
- During this day they will be shown – by the experts on how to handle all the different types of equipment needed for production.
- During the studio visits, they will be shown how to work in a studio environment.
- They will go through the protocols of collecting a panelvan and checking it.
- To end the day there will a location gear collection and packing the van correctly which will be instructed by an experienced PA.
- After hours reading and exercises will be included.
- Onset experience
- From 1st light, the trainees will get to understand what’s needed for the morning-breakfast shop.
- Setting up an outdoor base camp.
- Visiting an expensive, house location and what is expected of them, including all the do’s and don’ts.
- Catering – including setting up craft tables, washing dishes, keeping cooler boxes full, keeping the craft section clean and tidy.
- Visiting different locations – how to deal with the weather.
- Assisting the lighting assistant – holding scrims and light shapers.
- Making lunch- for an international client.
- Leaving a set exactly how it was found – “idiot checks” etc.
- Setting up base camp on the beach and dealing with the public courteously.
- After hours reading and exercises will be included.
- Post production finances, leadership skills, exam, & meeting with a crew agency.
- Production finance – dealing with petty cash.
- This course also aims to develop the leadership skills needed to grow in production. Discussing the 10 traits of leaders will be covered and how to apply them.
- Course exam.
- Meeting with the crewing agency who will explain what they can do for the trainees to help them get into the industry.
- The leadership skills needed to be effective on set.
Booking: To book for the workshop please contact Gary Hirson at gary@garyhirson.com or on 083 608 2194
About Gary – The facilitator
Gary Hirson has been in the Still’s Production industry since 1999. He’s worked as a Photographic Assistant, a Production Manager, and a Producer, on both Stills and Commercial’s sets. In 2001 he started Peninsula Film Runners –a transport company which started out operating exclusively to the Production Industry. He is a professional photographer – www.garyhirson.com, and Life Coach facilitating goal-setting, self-belief and leadership skills development workshops to teenagers, young entrepreneurs and adults.
Gary is probably the most experienced PM in South Africa and has been involved in the industry since the beginning. While working in production he started a company called Peninsular Film Runners, which was a specialised transport service specifically aimed at our industry.” Sebastian Prinz – Owner Prinz Productions.
This 5- day intensive course for experienced Production Crew and PA’s who feel that they can step up into the responsibility of what’s needed to be a good Production Manager.
This course covers everything that’s needed to understand how to lead a crew while taking the responsibility needed to execute a production so that everyone leaves the job happy. This course is both theoretical and practical with a focus on Leadership Skills and how to effectively solve the problems that arise during a full production.
Also included is an interactive presentation by a Human Resources expert who will go over the perfect CV and how to conduct yourself in an interview.
As this course focuses on employment opportunities, there is the option of being represented by a reputable crew agency with strong connections in the industry.
Videos linked to past courses can be viewed at http://bit.ly/2nS6F56
Candidate requirements:
- Code 8 license – unendorsed.
- Professional Driver’s permit which includes a police clearance certificate. (This can be obtained from the traffic department before or after the course)
Course Outline
- Understanding, everything about a film production from the pre-production days, onset production days, right through to the post production.
- What’s expected of a PM and their role during a production – this will be presented by a Production Company owner or co Ordinator.
- The pre-production meeting phase.
- Meeting a Production Company Owner who will go over what is expected of them.
- Meeting with make-up artists, lighting assistants, digital assistants and stylists etc. to discuss their roles.
- Meeting with location agencies bookers – an explanation of what’s expected.
- Meeting with model agency bookers – an explanation of what’s expected.
- The importance of understanding the weather and sunrise and sunset times.
- Psychology on set – dealing with the different decision makers and egos.
- Castings and fittings – how to set them up and manage them effectively.
- Model bookings, hours and weather calls.
- Planning the call sheet, call times and route to location planning.
- Managing locations – whether a public space, studio or house location.
- 1st shop purchasing what’s needed for set.
- Planning lunch.
- After hours reading and exercises will be included.
Meeting the suppliers.
- Throughout the 2nd day, the trainees will visit, hotels, prop houses, lighting suppliers, clothing suppliers, studios.
- During this day they will be shown – by the experts how to handle all the different types of equipment needed for a production.
- During the studio visits they will be shown how to work in a studio environment.
- They will go through the protocols of collecting a panelvan and checking it.
- To end the day there will a location gear collection and packing the van correctly which will be instructed by an experienced PA.
- After hours reading and exercises will be included.
Onset experience
- From 1st light the trainees will get to understand what’s needed for the morning-breakfast shop.
- Setting up an outdoor base camp.
- Dealing with various problems that can arise.
- Visiting an expensive, house location and what is expected of them, including all the do’s and don’ts.
- Catering – including setting up craft tables, washing dishes, keeping cooler boxes full, keeping the craft section clean and tidy.
- Planning and moving to different locations .
- How to deal with the weather.
- Making lunch- for an international client.
- Leaving a set exactly how it was found – “idiot checks” etc.
- Setting up base camp on the beach and dealing with the public courteously.
- After hours reading and exercises will be included.
Post production finances, leadership skills, exam, & meeting with a crew agency
- Production admin– reconciling the daily recons.
- Model time sheets
- Location time sheet
- Production Finance – dealing with and reconning all the finances.
- Post production deliveries and completing everything.
Leadership skills, exam, & meeting with a crew agency
- The 11 traits of leaders and how developing the skills makes the job easier.
- The Psychology of being on set – dealing with skinner and egos.
- Being the father, mother, leader, doctor, chef, general dogs body etc. on set.
- Course exam.
- Meeting with an HR expert – CV creation and interview techniques
- Meeting with the crewing agency who will explain what they can do for the you to help them get PM positions.
Booking: To book for the workshop please contact Gary Hirson at gary@garyhirson.com of on 083 608 2194.
About Gary – The facilitator
Gary Hirson has been in the Still’s Production industry since 1999. He’s worked as a Photographic Assistant, a Production Manager, and a Producer, on both Stills and Commercial’s sets. In 2001 he started Peninsula Film Runners –a transport company which started out operating exclusively to the Production Industry. He is a professional photographer – www.garyhirson.com, and Life Coach facilitating goal-setting, self-belief and leadership skills development workshops to teenagers, young entrepreneurs and adults.
Gary is probably the most experienced PM in South Africa and has been involved in the industry since the beginning. While working in production he started a company called Peninsular Film Runners, which was a specialised transport service specifically aimed at our industry.” Sebastian Prinz – Owner Prinz Productions.
