3 Things To Know About Working With Animals On Set

If you will be working with animals on set for the first time, it is important to understand how you should work with and treat the animals as well as their trainers, who should be on-set with you. It is important to understand how working with animals is going to change the experience of filming.

In order to include animals in your film, extra patience is required from the entire crew. You are going to have to take extra steps to keep the animals on your set safe. You are going to need to clear the set so that there are not so many people on the set when the animals are present.

#1 Extra Patience Is Required

Once the animals start their work, you need to have extra patience on the set. In order to get the desired performance out of the animals, you are going to have to work together with their trainers and each actor needs to also be fully prepared and briefed on how to interact with the animals.

You can't rush through things and expect to get great results. You will need to have patience and not rush the process.

#2 Extra Space Is Needed

For the animals to focus on their job, less is more. So that means limiting the number of people who are on set when the animals are present. It is natural for people to want to get up and pet and look at the animals; however, these animals are here to do a job, and that job will be easier for them to achieve if there are fewer people around touching and interacting with them.

Only those who are essential for filming that scene should be on set. Most film animals also need the set to be quiet as to not get distracted, which is another reason why limiting the people on set can be beneficial.

#3 Extra Sanitation Is Needed

You don't want the animals on your set to get sick or to get distracted by food and other smells, which is why most animal trainers will ask you to deep clean the set before you bring the animals onto the set. This will create a safer work environment for the animals on the set and allow the animals to focus on the task at hand.

When it comes to working with animals on a film set, you need to clean the set, clear the set of non-essential personnel, and be patient with the animals as they do their work. Providing the right work environment will make it easier for the animals and their trainers to do their job, and for you to get the footage needed for the film.

To learn more, contact a service that provides trained animals for film.

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