With walkaways, it’s all about being reasonably paranoid and cautiously careful that anything could happen to it while you’re not there. So by doing these 10 steps, you’ll be able to sleep easy and come to set the next morning ready to go.
Filmmaking Tips and Advice
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What It Really Means When You “Shoot the Rehearsal”
Ed Colman, a talented cinematographer, knew the value of rehearsals. Of all the great wisdom he shared, one remark speaks directly about the push-pull for rehearsals: “When you are told to ‘shoot the rehearsal’ it’s not a rehearsal any more.”
How to Eat Healthy on a Film Set and Avoid the Temptations of Crafty
Between all the pressures, anxieties, and sleepless days on set, it’s a wonder anybody manages to stay alive for long in the film industry — it isn’t exactly condusive to healthy living. A large part of the unhealthiness pervasive on sets is the diet of crew members.
Take 5 Minutes to Clean Your Camera at the End of Each Day
It’s tempting to pack away gear as quickly as possible when wrap is called and get home in time to eek a few hours out of your turnaround. But if you can afford five more minutes, you should take the time to clean your camera properly.
Watch This Honest “Behind the Scenes” Video of a Film Crew at Work
For those with heavy experience, this video is a nice reflection of what you encounter everyday. For those new to the film industry, this video is a brief, concise crash course in the basics of how a film crew operates.
Pay Me, Teach Me, or Create with Me
Not every job is worth taking when you consider the opportunity costs. An empty calendar may be scary, but I’d like to exchange my time for money, experience, or creative satisfaction. And I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
Why You Should Always Use Two Latches to Close a Lens Case
When you fetch a lens from the lens case, do you use one or two latches? I fall firmly in the latter group and always — seriously, always — use two latches on the lens case. And here’s why.
Five Tips for Holding the Slate Properly When Marking a Shot
The duty of slating falls to the 2nd assistant camera (AC) who must stand in front of the camera, hold the slate, and clap the sticks. Holding the slate seems like an obvious act — and it largely is — but you should take these five tips into consideration before stepping in front of the camera.
Dick Barth’s Four Rules of Camera Assisting
Camera assisting is an insanely complex profession. But at its core, it can be whittled down to four simple rules set forth by legendary camera assistant Dick Barth who took a no-nonsense approach to the craft.
The Camera Assistant’s Guide to Better Cinematography
By no means do I consider myself a cinematographer. But I do consider myself a pretty good camera assistant who has worked with talented cinematographers. These five tips are what I have taken away from my career as an AC and they are lessons you can apply right now if you’re striving to be a cinematographer.