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Camera Assisting

Camera Assisting

How to Get Better at Pulling Focus, Slating, and Being a Badass AC

Most Recent Articles in "Camera Assisting"

Page 4

What to Write on a Film Slate Clapperboard

Deciphering the Film Slate (Part 1): What to Write on a Clapperboard

by Evan LuziCamera Assisting

  • 56

All of the advantages of the slate in post-production start in the camera department with the camera assistants who step in front of the lens with the clapperboard. And it’s crucial you fill it out properly to prevent bottlenecks in post-production. Once you grasp what each section means, it makes it easier to leverage the slate into the useful cinematic tool that it is.

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How to Nail the Timing of Your Next Rack Focus

by Evan LuziCamera Assisting

  • 4

Pulling focus is arguably the 1st Assistant Camera’s most important duty. A shot can be beautifully lit, impeccably framed, and feature Oscar-winning acting, but if it’s not in focus, it’s likely to end up on the cutting room floor. That’s what’s at stake for the focus puller.

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The Physicality of Camera Assisting and How It Could Cost You a Job

The Physicality of Camera Assisting and How It Could Cost You a Job

by Evan LuziCamera Assisting

  • 6

No you don’t need to be able to run a marathon to be an astute camera assistant, but you’ll be much better and faster if you can last a whole day on set without getting sore the next day. And the AC’s that can keep up are the ones who keep getting phone calls.

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Evan Day 11 Slate

50 Things That Suck for Camera Assistants (and 50 Things That Don’t)

by Evan LuziCamera Assisting

  • 49

Filmmaking isn’t always fun. Sometimes it can suck — and suck pretty hard. The public persona of Hollywood may be glitz and glam, but there’s definitely moments when that facade falls apart, especially below the line.

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What It Really Means When You "Shoot the Rehearsal"

What It Really Means When You “Shoot the Rehearsal”

by Evan LuziCamera Assisting

  • 5

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.”

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Five Tips for Holding the Slate Properly When Marking a Shot

Five Tips for Holding the Slate Properly When Marking a Shot

by Evan LuziCamera Assisting

  • 17

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.

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Dick Barth's Four Rules of Camera Assisting

Dick Barth’s Four Rules of Camera Assisting

by Evan LuziCamera Assisting

  • 0

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.

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Don't Be Stupid: The IATSE Local 600's Free Guide to Setiquette

Don’t Be Stupid: The IATSE Local 600’s Free Guide to Setiquette

by Evan LuziCamera Assisting

  • 6

In the film industry, there are a group of rules known as “setiquette” — or, set etiquette — that defines the appropriate and safe way you should act on a film set. With so many different crews in different countries, it can be difficult to grasp these rules and the details of them without logging hours of experience.

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2nd AC Camera Assistant on Beta to the Max

Five Ways a 2nd AC Can Impress Their 1st AC Beyond Belief

by Evan LuziCamera Assisting

  • 15

As the intermediary between the rest of the film set and the 1st AC, 2nd AC’s are crucially important to the ebb and flow of the camera department. A slow 2nd will bring everyone down with them and, similarly, a fast 2nd AC will improve the speed at which the camera is ready. The more you, as a 2nd AC, can meet those demands, the happier you keep your department.

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How Well Do You Know "Depth-of-Field? Take This Test to Find Out

How Well Do You Know “Depth-of-Field? Take This Test to Find Out

by Evan LuziCamera Assisting

  • 24

Do you know what depth of field is? Are you able to calculate it with just the power of your mind? Well, it’s time to put you to the test with this 20-question quiz.

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