Behind the Lens: Randy Fletcher
EMGWORLD SPEAKS WITH RANDY FLETCHER ON WHAT IT TAKES TO WORK BEHIND THE CAMERA
It takes great talent behind the camera to capture great talent on camera. For every great director, there’s a great crew working beside him. EMGWorld takes a moment to recognize a man with 25 years of experience behind the camera with Hollywood’s elite.
EMGWorld: Exactly how did you get started in this industry?
Randy Fletcher: Basically, I just stepped into s**t. I had no intention on being in the film business. I was working at Club Roxy in New York. Beat Street was being filmed at Club Roxy by producer Stan Lathan back in ‘84. He and the assistant director Dwight Williams asked me if I wanted to be a production assistant. I’ve been in the business ever since.
Randy Fletcher: Basically, I just stepped into s**t. I had no intention on being in the film business. I was working at Club Roxy in New York. Beat Street was being filmed at Club Roxy by producer Stan Lathan back in ‘84. He and the assistant director Dwight Williams asked me if I wanted to be a production assistant. I’ve been in the business ever since.
EMGWorld: How did you manage to position yourself to work with Spike Lee?
RF: One of the guys I hired as a PA contacted me about a film (School Daze) he was working on in Atlanta. Spike had trouble cutting the film because of the restricted $6 million budget. Within three days of being on set, Spike approached me with an offer to be 1st AD on School Daze. I ended up being a 1st AD on School Daze, Do The Right Thing, Jungle Fever, Mo Better Blues and Malcolm X.
EMGWorld: What was it like to work with Spike Lee?
RF: Working with Spike Lee was my best film experience ever. Spike’s just different and I love the hell out of him. He does things his way. We were young and had such a good working group that understood each other back then. By the time we shot Malcolm X, we had such a dynamic crew we could’ve shot anything.
RF: Working with Spike Lee was my best film experience ever. Spike’s just different and I love the hell out of him. He does things his way. We were young and had such a good working group that understood each other back then. By the time we shot Malcolm X, we had such a dynamic crew we could’ve shot anything.
EMGWorld: Would you say Spike has had the most influence on your career?
RF: Hell yeah. Spike was the one without a doubt. Spike did what he wanted to do and how he wanted to do it and it worked.
RF: Hell yeah. Spike was the one without a doubt. Spike did what he wanted to do and how he wanted to do it and it worked.
EMGWorld: How flexible and versatile must one be to work behind the scenes?
RF: You have to take a lot of shit in my position. You have to really decide what’s important to your well-being as a person and as a black man. I’m not going to take too much s**t. I’ll try to help create and fulfill the dream of the director, but I’m not giving up my manhood.
RF: You have to take a lot of shit in my position. You have to really decide what’s important to your well-being as a person and as a black man. I’m not going to take too much s**t. I’ll try to help create and fulfill the dream of the director, but I’m not giving up my manhood.
EMGWorld: What would you say it takes to get work in this industry?
RF: Relationships and understanding production. I’ve always dealt with people and understood how to get the best out of people. I never went to school for film. I had to learn my craft just from constantly working. Even while I was working with Spike, I continued to also work on other films. I wasn’t comfortable saying I worked on Spike Lee films as a 1st AD and didn’t know s**t else. I knew I had to continue to get more experience.
RF: Relationships and understanding production. I’ve always dealt with people and understood how to get the best out of people. I never went to school for film. I had to learn my craft just from constantly working. Even while I was working with Spike, I continued to also work on other films. I wasn’t comfortable saying I worked on Spike Lee films as a 1st AD and didn’t know s**t else. I knew I had to continue to get more experience.
EMGWorld: It’s been said that working behind the scenes can get pretty intense. Is thick-skin a must on the set?
RF: It can get very intense depending on who you work for. When I first started I use to yell and scream because I didn’t know what I was doing. That’s a natural reaction to things that you’re confused about. If you can’t accept being yelled at then working behind the scenes isn’t for you. It depends on what you can handle. I’m comfortable in it.
RF: It can get very intense depending on who you work for. When I first started I use to yell and scream because I didn’t know what I was doing. That’s a natural reaction to things that you’re confused about. If you can’t accept being yelled at then working behind the scenes isn’t for you. It depends on what you can handle. I’m comfortable in it.
EMGWorld: What would you consider the difference between working on the set of a movie versus a television show like "My Wife and Kids?"
RF: TV is not what I wanted to do. Every day you’re at the same place for 9 months, which is almost the same as going to an office. On a movie, you’re working with people for about 4 months and you usually don’t know them. On a movie, you’re usually traveling and shooting at different locations.
RF: TV is not what I wanted to do. Every day you’re at the same place for 9 months, which is almost the same as going to an office. On a movie, you’re working with people for about 4 months and you usually don’t know them. On a movie, you’re usually traveling and shooting at different locations.
EMGWorld: What would you say is the most difficult obstacle faced when working behind the scenes?
RF: People having confidence in your decisions and believing that you know what you’re doing. If you’re working with a black director people automatically assume that you’re hired just because you’re a friend. People will go online and check my resume “after” I’ve been hired for the job. People within a production crew are so quick to think “who the hell is this guy?”
EMGWorld: What are some detrimental mistakes to avoid for someone who desires to have a career behind the scenes?
RF: You never want the set to be ready and you’re not ready with talent. You never want to have to come up with an excuse. You always want the location to be secure. You always want to make sure you stay under the budget and daily schedule. You never want to go into a meal penalty or overtime. You never ever want your cellphone to go off during recording. You never want to be late.
EMGWorld: What’s one thing that can make or break someone’s career in TV and Film production?
RF: Not adapting to situations and sitting back thinking they’ll work themselves out. They won’t work themselves out unless you do something to work them out.
EMGWorld: What can we expect from Randy Fletcher in the near future?
RF: I’m working with the best commercial director in the world, Joe Pitka. I’ve been with him for 6 to 7 years. Every day that I work with him I can say I’ve learned something. Most commercial directors are lucky to direct one commercial a month. We direct 25 within the year. You can expect more commercials to come.
RF: I’m working with the best commercial director in the world, Joe Pitka. I’ve been with him for 6 to 7 years. Every day that I work with him I can say I’ve learned something. Most commercial directors are lucky to direct one commercial a month. We direct 25 within the year. You can expect more commercials to come.
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