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Cinematography and Photography
I just finished writing an epic novel on how I received a job offer as a cinematographer, but MM glitched out on me. So here's the short version: ⢠I shoot stills for a film ⢠the Director sees my work and asks me to work with his cinematographer ⢠Director offers me a cinematographer position on his next project ⢠I decline because I have no experience with lighting ⢠10 months later (today), Director offers a permanent position I've done other work for this particular person, namely motion graphics, animation, applying abstract concepts and brainstorming.. and I saw photography as a stepping stone into cinematography.. but i didn't see myself taking the "next step" for at least 36 months, not 10! I wanted to live in San Diego and New York for a year before returning to Los Angeles. I don't have a lot of experience lighting a model, nevermind an entire cast and set. Yet, I feel "ready" to take this step. I do have good understandings of rhythm, capturing emotion, unifying motion, story telling and utlizing colors. Plus, I'd be working with with an established crew - the director will be directing, actors will be acting, grips will be.... gripping?  Everything makes sense in my head... Aside from learning a new camera system and I don't see too many major differences between photography and cinematography... Am I missing something? Sep 29 06 02:27 pm Link It's all learnable. I learned over a decade ago in film school and I don't really know what's changed since then, but the changes could not have been quite as fundamental as over on this end of things. Sep 29 06 02:29 pm Link The one really big difference is there is motion. People moving, cameras moving and lighting does not. Watch them shadows. Otherwise, people lighting is not any different then stills. Great break for you. I wish you the best. Btw, my son graduates in Dec. majoring in film. Iâm sending him out to see you.  Sep 29 06 02:48 pm Link The best book on photographic lighting that I've ever read was written by a cinematographer (Ross Lowell's "Matters of Light and Depth") - the fact that your subjects are moving around a stage is important, but the trick (as with photography) is to make them subtly stand out from the background; so many of the lighting problems are similar. mjr. Sep 29 06 02:53 pm Link The director may be hiring you to train you. Don't strees him out, just take the job and start studying. Sep 29 06 03:17 pm Link heh heh.. just to clarify, it isn't a major motion picture production, just smaller independent films for now. never the less, it's a step in a different direction with room to grow. Sep 29 06 03:29 pm Link I started out as a cinematographer, and now find myself moving more into my still photography. Itâs all light and shadows. Learning the equipment is fairly easy. The only significant difference is post production, and final output. You have to anticipate the changes or degradations of the image as it passes through the various stages before it hits the screen. There are a lot more steps, and many different options. And thereâs no photoshop to lean on if you screw up! If you enjoy the story telling aspect of film then go for it. Itâs why I still do both. Sep 29 06 03:34 pm Link Go west my son! Oh, you're already there. Umm, well rock out then. Sounds like a great offer. Whether you pass or fail is almost irrelevant compared to the learning experience you're going to get. My advice, depending on the director that is, and his material, is to always look eye Daniel san. Always look eye! You trust your peepers on the still photography front, they will not fail you in the realm of moving pictures! Be inventive, and have fun! Sep 29 06 03:44 pm Link It's whole different world. You must be tuned to continuous motion, both the actors and the camera. As a DP you need to help the director figure out which shots will cut together and keep track of the pacing and the visual arc of the film. It's no easy task. The best way to 'cheat' is to hire experienced people around you. Hire the best gaffer (chief lighting technician) you can and the best camera operator you can and let them do their thing. They'd be the 'photographers' and you'd be 'directing' them...Director of Photography.... Sep 29 06 03:52 pm Link Cinematography and Photography are WAY different!!! Photography is easy compared to Cinematography, all you have to do is capture ONE frame. For the past 14 years I have owned and run a Video/Film Production Company in NYC, all the while doing my photography professionally, it's EASIER! First of all, you will be shooting 24 - 30 frames per second. If you are going to shoot film, you have to learn the limitations of each emulsion. You need to know how much you can get away with as far as exposure, contrast, color, etc... Also cameras are different, you need to learn about the way EACH camera treats the light. An Arri and a Bolex, Super 8, 16, Super 16, 35, Super 35, all have UNIQUE characteristics. If you are going to shoot digital, EACH camera treats the light differently, be it Sony, Canon, Panasonic. You also have to learn the limitations of SD, Beta, Beta SP, Digi-Beta, DV, DV Cam, H-DV, DVC Pro, DVC Pro25, DVC Pro50, DVC-HD, Cine-Alta, etc... In your port it looks like you are HEAVILY into Photoshop. That style will not fly in Film/Video. You can't Photoshop 24-30 frames per second, it would take you a lifetime! Cinematography needs to be near perfect, there's no FAST, CHEAP, or EASY way to "FIX IT IN POST!" Go to Barnes and Noble, pull up a sleeping bag in the Cinematography Section, and camp out and READ YOUR ASS OFF! Also, get on the Cinematography boards and READ YOUR ASS OFF! Get ahold of the camera you are going to be using and SHOOT YOUR ASS OFF! I know it can all sound scary, but hey, how hard can it be if Spike Lee can do it? Good luck! Sep 29 06 03:53 pm Link Hamza wrote: There's better production methods for film than photoshop - you know that. Sep 29 06 04:21 pm Link One question some management types ask now and then is, "IF the time needed to achieve objective X is N, why not 1/2 - or 1/3 or 1/5 - N?" It sounds like you have a relationship with an indie director you like and who has faith in you (and possibly some mercenary interests as well)--it sounds like a reasonable career move to me. Regarding readiness, who ever is? I suspect rushing your personal track a little bit will lead you into the kind of immersion associated with a good many successful personalities in the arts. Sep 29 06 04:38 pm Link commart wrote: I admire the subtle humor in your message } Sep 29 06 05:48 pm Link Mark Sebastian wrote: A director of photography on a set doesn't worry much about rhythm, capturing emotion, unifying motion, story telling. The rhythm, unifying motion and story telling is the writer's and editor's problem. Capturing emotion is the director's problem. Utilizing colors is the set designer's problem. Sep 29 06 10:12 pm Link Your actor is standing by the couch at f/2.8. In the scene the actor must walk across the room to answer the door which is approximately 12 feet away. How would you maintain f2.8 on your actor? It's a fairly wide shot so tracking with light is out of the question. Sep 29 06 10:27 pm Link Watch movies with the sound off. I think you need to focus on mood and remember how people will be moving. I am soooooooo envious I've always really wanted to be a cinematographer. Read all you can about how movies were done. Read "Memoirs of a Geisha, portrait of the film" and watch all the interviews with directors in films that you admire. Remember, your job is to interpret the visuals from the director above all else. Rock out and let us know how it goes. Sep 29 06 10:28 pm Link Oh and read "Painting with Light" by John Alton he gives an excellent overview of how things go on a film set. Sep 29 06 10:30 pm Link I have no advice for you whatsoever. Only my congratulations. I've been considering what it would be like to make a similar move myself. Fantastic opportunity for you. Sep 30 06 04:11 pm Link Marko Cecic-Karuzic wrote: Well..sort of. Except HD and lighting for it is very different and many films are going that way now. Sep 30 06 04:14 pm Link Congratulations. You have a rare opportunity, one many of us, myself included, are still working for. In my mind, the hardest thing you will have to learn is the difference between still and motion photography. That difference is telling the story in a single shot vs telling the story in motion and many shots that have to fit seamlessly together. Go to it. Sep 30 06 04:28 pm Link Mike Walker wrote: If shot direct on video rather than conventional film the work has to be done with a particular view to a fairly narrow dynamic range [of lighting and contrast]. probably like within 3 - 4 stops. Conventional movie films can be pushed or pulled to 18 - 20 stops. Sep 30 06 06:55 pm Link Sep 30 06 08:04 pm Link update! A LOT has happened since I originally posted this thread. For one thing, I met another director here in the SF Bay Area. An old co-worker refered me to him which resulted in a small video editing and motion graphics gig. To tell you the truth, the meeting was much more exciting than the project was. At least, thats all I thought of it at the time... After everything was said and done, he wrote me an email: Mark, It was a pleasure...I got to admit...I was totally inspired by your photography...I want to shoot more...I have been so busy lately that I forget about the fun side of what we do. Anyway I will definitely keep you in mind for projects and I have folks pinging me all the time Two weeks later, another old co-worker IMs me to see if I was available. Apparently, my old co-worker used to be co-workers with the same director 8 years ago. Starting next week, i have a 40hr/week video capturing, editing and compositing gig all the way through december. I will also be assisting in the shoots! Then, to top things off, my business partner and I became the official production crew for a 30 min informercial! Through December, we will begin shooting B-roll over the weekends in addition to the other video gig which equates to 7 working days a week. When January hits, we will be filming interviews, shortly followed by post production. Those two projects should be over just in time for my debut as Director of Photography To celebrate, I ditched my old system for a much faster workstation and larger monitor. (A friend gave me the slate as a gift today)  Oct 31 06 02:51 am Link |
