Crew&Co was co-founded by Kieran Nicholson. Before it, he spent his working life behind a camera, on documentary shoots, on event sites and in a studio. Each of those jobs taught him something about crew, and together they explain why this network exists.
Trained to look
Kieran studied fine art, design, and TV and film production. Art and design taught him how a picture is put together. Production taught him how to get one made with other people, on a schedule.
A first job that's hard to forget
His first job was filming the culling of elephants in South Africa for National Geographic. It is difficult subject matter and about as far from a classroom as a first job can be. Documentary rarely offers a second take. You have to be ready, you have to be where you said you'd be, and you depend completely on the people around you.
Going freelance
From there he moved into freelance documentary work, and became a sought-after director of photography and camera operator. Freelancing brings a freedom that's hard to give up, and a set of problems nobody warns you about. You find your own work, set your own rates and solve most things alone. Anyone who has freelanced in production will recognise that.
Crew and logistics at scale
Kieran then moved into the sporting events industry, managing crew and running logistics. A sporting event won't wait for you. The start time is fixed, so the right people have to be in the right place with the right kit, and when someone drops out you need to know who to call. That is where knowing who is good, who is available and who is nearby stopped being useful and became the whole job.
A studio of his own
He went on to run his own production studio, the largest in York. A studio sees everyone: photographers, filmmakers, make-up artists, stylists, models and the brands who hire them. It also shows you how many talented freelancers are working without a crew of their own.
Why Crew&Co
Every stage pointed the same way. Good work depends on good crew, and most freelancers are left to build theirs alone. Crew&Co is the network Kieran wanted at each of those stages: somewhere to be found, somewhere to find work and pass it on, and people to call when a job gets big.