Getting started in the film world

Starman

Well-known member
I am used to ENG shoots on a small crew, but I had the chance to be a camera operator on a couple of bigger shoots and really liked the taste of it. I enjoyed being on a large crew, and the much smaller workload. I understand that to become a DP in the commercial/feature/cinema style world you have to work your way up as a 2nd AC, then 1rst AC or focus puller, and then a camera operator and then a DP. I am currently 34 years old, but I have 14 years of experience as a cameraman.

The reason I was able to be a camera operator was mainly because these were shoots my friends were coordination, or came from a smaller corporate job i did with a client. I would like to do more of this ad agency work however. But everyone keeps telling me I have to start as a 2nd AC, which I do not mind at all.

The question is, how can I break into the cinema side of things as a 2nd AC? How do I train to become a 2nd AC and get that first gig so that I can work my way up?

Here is a link to a job I did where I was the operator, I had an AC pulling focus, and the DP was my buddy who was just standing around watching on a monitor:

http://youtu.be/JBdlwO-vN9s
 

Necktie Boy

Well-known member
Well, a true DP doesn't operate the camera. Usually there is a camera operator, but that is with the big boys.

In my world, most started out working in a rental camera department, and on the side did film jobs. Just got lucky and found someone that would take them under their wing.

My buddy started that way. He work in Canada, and after many years, received his union card. Now, he is a television director, but it was a long road for him. He worked from PA to Steadicam to A-Cam to director.

The commercial world is a small one. Same crews seem to work on them. There is one sound mixer that only does commercials. He seems to do most of them in LA.

Since you live in a big city, it may be hard to break in as a 2AC. I think most companies would hire you as a PA, and you would have to work your way up. It does sound crazy, but you may have to step back to go up.

In this new digital world, 2 AC's don't really need training as with shooting film. I think, now a days, it's given to someone that the camera operator or company knows and trust. But I have been out of the film world for years.

Sort of a catch 22 since small budgets don't have full crews, so, you wear more than one hat.

It seems you have to find someone that will take you under their wings.
 

Starman

Well-known member
hmmm....a friend of mine who is a DP on national commercials and music videos told me to not waste my time, and just keep shooting. I can always hire the camera assistants to pull focus, but I should just keep building my reel if I want to become a cinematographer, I am taking his advice to heart and studying film lighting and just watching movies with the sound off.
 

Run&Gun

Well-known member
I actually think the most talented person is the 1st AC. Pulling focus without a monitor(successfully) could be an Olympic sport.
 

Max Girth

Well-known member
So I get an automatic message from the forum software on my birthday, and have a look-see for old-times sake. Here's probably my first and last post here for some time to come! Since the time I used to be on here more, I've been lucky enough to be doing more and more DP work with proper grip and electric crews and camera operators working under my direction. Last two days I had 4 Alexas and operators in my dept.

If you want to work as a camera op, and you're out of your 20s, I'd recommend just jumping and trying to get op work. The traditional "work your way up" model only works when you start really early (out of college) and have a lot of patience. The experience on a film set can be had as a camera op on lower budget jobs. It's going to be a bitch to get a foothold as an AC, and it's going to be a bitch getting in as an op, so you might as well just aim for where you want to be.

The biggest advice I can think of would be:

1-Be open to new ways of working, and understand that creating a shot on any job that's really a film style production takes much more time and is much more precise. 20 minutes to setup one shot that you were used to knocking out in 1 minute as a one man band is totally normal. 5 people heading up the respective departments will be making things perfect for that one shot.

2-The DP you're working for will likely be very picky about headroom, frame size, lens height, and most of all, focal length. Get comfortable with a DP being very picky about how smooth your moves are, and what is in and out of the frame at every microsecond, even with complex dolly and pan and tilt moves. Invest in an OConnor 2060 or 2575. It's a lot of camera operators (and DPs) opinion that the stiction in many other heads are visible under scrutiny. I will be probably be labeled as bourgeoisie, but so be it. You will be expected to provide perfect, smooth frames. I have one DP friend who is a freakin nutcase about this stuff. There's a reason the 2575 is standard equipment on every film set.

3-Be in shape. I'm not. I often have to make sure there is an op onboard to do all handheld days to the level the director or agency expects. I'm the fat DP stereotype; prototyped by Harris Savides.

4-Most of all, be patient. A complete EFP to film world transition would take 5 years in the best of conditions
 
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