Camera Crew Who’s Who (continued)

nSecond AC: The second assistant camera (AC) is responsible for keeping camera reports, slating each shot, and sometimes loading film or videotape into the camera.

nGaffer: The gaffer is the head electrician on the set and is responsible for directing the setup of the lights and other electrical equipment.

nBest boy and electricians: The best boy is the first assistant under the gaffer and is responsible for managing the other set electricians in the setting of lights and other electrical work.

nKey grip: The key grip assists the gaffer with lighting and is responsible for coordinating the placement of grip equipment (flags, nets, and so on), special riggings, and the hardware used to move the camera.

nDolly grip: Big movies have special grips who are employed to operate cranes, dollies, and other heavy equipment.

nCamera department production assistant (PA): The camera department often needs a PA (or two) to run errands to the equipment rental house, purchase film stock or videotape, and so on.

Putting Plans into Action

In Chapter 5, “Planning Your Shoot,” we discussed storyboards, camera diagrams, and shot lists. Now they’ll come in handy. It’s possible that weeks or months have gone by since you first planned your shoot, so it’s likely that you’ll need to revise these elements so that they match the shooting script.

Whatever the nature of your project, you should always arrive on the set with a shot list. Documentary filmmakers will find it useful to second-guess what will happen during the shoot and plan their coverage in advance. Is a close-up of a sign or other object needed? An establishing shot? A shot list serves as a simple checklist detailing the day’s plan, and it can go a long way toward helping you achieve your goals and communicating your vision to the crew so that you get the coverage you need for each scene.

Get Releases on the Set

For documentary producers and anyone else shooting in a “real” location, it is important that you get releases from anyone in the shot and from the owner of the location. It is much easier to obtain releases as you shoot than it is to go back later and track people down. If you succeed in selling your project to a TV network or other distributor, their legal department will require these releases. For locations filled with lots of people, it is standard to post a sign at the entrance of the location informing those who enter that they will be taped. For legal purposes, have your camera person get a quick shot of this sign.

206 The Digital Filmmaking Handbook, 4E

Double-Check Your Camera Settings

Right before you shoot, go over all of the controls and settings on your camera to make sure they are all set appropriately. Be certain that any features you don’t want, such as auto iris, are turned off. Ensure that your sharpening and white-balance settings are configured appropriately. Make sure you have the correct frame rate, image resolution and aspect ratio set. Bear in mind that some settings might change back to their defaults when you power down the camera or even put it in standby mode. So you’ll need to double-check your settings anytime you change tape or do anything else that takes the camera out of recording mode.

If you are shooting from a tripod or some other image-stabilizing device, turn off any electronic or optical image-stabilization features on your camera. Electronic image-stabilization (EIS) algorithms typically shoot at higher shutter speeds. In addition to producing a harsher image, you’ll see a reduction in gain. Some EIS mechanisms will also soften your image, even when the camera is sitting still.

Optical image-stabilization mechanisms won’t change your image quality, but they will drain your battery life. Since you won’t need stabilization if you’re using a tripod, turn off optical stabilization when your camera is tripod-mounted.

And don’t forget to make sure your audio equipment is working properly as well.

The Protocol of Shooting

Because a movie shoot requires the coordination of many people, each with unique job concerns, it’s important to stay organized and follow a regular procedure on your set.

Believe it or not, there is a very specific protocol to follow when calling “Action” on a traditional film shoot. Shooting a shot begins when the assistant director yells “Roll sound.” The sound recordist starts the sound recorder and replies “Speed” when his equipment is ready. Next, the assistant director calls “Roll camera,” and the camera person answers “Speed” once the camera is ready. The assistant director calls “Marker,” and the slate is clapped for synchronization (see Figure 9.1). Finally, the director calls “Action!” Even if you’re not using a sound recordist, assistant director, or a camera operator, it’s still good practice to warn everyone on the set vocally that you’re about to start shooting, and give your camera and audio equipment a few seconds to get going before you call “Action.” Additionally, actors and crew members are expected to keep going until the director calls “Cut.” If the disk, tape, or film stock runs out in the middle of a take, the camera or sound operator calls “Roll out” to end the take.

Respect for Acting

In the sea of technical details, you might forget the most important thing on your set: the cast. Here are a few quick tips on how to help them give a great performance:

nTry to maintain some type of story continuity as you shoot. It’s often necessary to shoot out of sequence, but at least try to stay continuous within each scene.

nHave a closed set if you’re doing a scene that involves highly emotional performances or nudity. In addition, try to keep your crew as small as possible for these shots.

Figure 9.1

A typical camera slate marked with the scene number and take number.

nRespect actors’ opinions about the characters they’re playing. Even if you wrote the script yourself, you might find that they have new ideas that make your script even better. Remember, they’ve probably spent the last week or two thinking a lot about that character, and they might have come to a deeper understanding than you have.

nTry to remain sensitive to the mood and material of the scene. If the actor must play a sad scene when everyone is joking around on the set, the actor might have a hard time concentrating or getting in the right mood.

Make a Shot List

Take your shooting script or outline and use it to make a shot list. Think about how you want the final edited project to look and make sure the shots you’ve listed will get the results you desire. Take into account the assets and limitations of the crew, locations, cast, and other key elements. Take the most complicated scene in your script and make a camera and lighting diagram as well. If you already have storyboards, shot lists, and camera diagrams, go over them and make sure they are appropriate for the actual conditions of your pending shoot.