Some camera packages contain an abundance of cases that slow you down when you have to move them. Even simply turning around in a scene is a hassle as you move each case one-by-one until the whole lot is out of the shot. With a camera cart, you can simply wheel everything away all at once in an instant.
Filmmaking Tips and Advice
Page 24
What Can You Do to Save Time, Be Faster and Improve Your Efficiency as a Camera Assistant?
Are there times on set where you wish you were faster? I bet there are. Maybe it’s the way you slate, or the way you mark, or you struggle to carry the camera. Whatever it is, you’re tired of it: you’re ready to boost your speed and maximize your efficiency.
The Rollercoaster Ride of Landing a Film Crew Gig
You pick up the phone and you call the producer back, dialing each number slowly to delay the inevitable, but ready to pull out all the stops to help you actually get the gig. Before you know it, the phone is ringing and it’s like you’re strapped in to a rollercoaster — one you’ve never been on before, one built to scare the hell out of you.
How to Read the DP’s Mind & Stay One Step Ahead
As camera assistants, our job is to remove the technical aspect of camerawork from the director of photography so they can focus on creative needs. If you are able to stay one step ahead of the DP, that’s one less thing distracting them from their creative demands.
The Longest Moment On Set
Producers, I think, cringe at the thought of an “early wrap.” They cringe in the same way a struggling business trembles when you bring in a 50% off coupon. Both want their money’s worth and both, though they know it’s a fair deal, can’t shake the feeling they’re getting shafted. So whenever I’m on a shoot supposedly ready to wrap early, I wait a few moments for it to really sink in.
5 Tips to Help Keep Your BNC Cables Working
One cable you’re likely to encounter on set is the BNC cable. In my experience, BNC cables are highly fickle and, if not treated right, can easily stop working. So here best practices to keep in mind to help you make your BNC cables last — at least until you have to return them!
The Importance of Working for the Right People
Like any walk of life, the film industry has its fair share of hacks, setting out to make a quick buck and some fame, all while abusing those standing in their way. Don’t let the shiny golden statues fool you — filmmaking isn’t always full of glam. But there are other types of filmmakers. If one type is full of greed and malevolence, the other is full of merit and virtue.
Media Management 101: Basics of Data Wrangling
With digital cinema showing no signs of slowing down – and data rates accelerating – having the skill in your repertoire to properly manage data is crucial. Even if you never do data loading yourself, knowing how the process works helps you manage your department.
The Deadly Dangers of the Double Dip
Like water bursting from a dam, the calls flood in all at once. You fill up your next couple of weeks, hurriedly penciling in gigs without thought, blinded by the excitement of work. And then you end up with “the double dip” – a stretch of work where you’re doing two different jobs on the same days.
Make These Quick Adjustments Everytime You Move the Camera
When you make these quick adjustments, you’ll not only save time on set, but also make the DP or camera operator happy. And if they’re happy, you’re happy. The time it takes to do all of these steps should be less than the time it took for you to read them.