Thursday 25 November 2010

Job of the movie camera man

By Edward King


Having a creative edge and knowing how to set up lights so that they create a specific mood is only a small part of a cameraman's work. A lot of cameramen are proud of their work, especially if they've joined the union. With a good editor, the end result of your work can look even better before and shock your audience.

To see your audience has been affected the way you wanted them is a treat as a cameraman. When the audience feels how you want them to after watching your movie, a sense of accomplishment arises within. The blood, sweat and tears that are poured into creating a movie are well worth it when the movie is said and done.

A cameraman has the duty of painting the picture in the frame-and a lot of people can't paint with light-which is indeed what the cameraman does. It takes skill, talent and a lot of focus and good vision to be able to paint with light and make the final picture look both unique and beautiful at the same time. Camera movement is also very important and also takes skill and a steady hand to create believable movement. Being able to move the camera flawlessly is very important and can help to tell the story better.

Movement is also very important because without camera movement, the shots become boring and it's more apparent that you're watching a movie. Jerky or unstable movements ruin your shot and kill the moment, hence why a cameraman must also be in shape-to be able to hold shots for long takes if it's hand-held or on a Steadicam system.

Normally, cameras are rented for productions, and each camera comes with many little pieces, each with their own case. For this reason, the cameraman and all the various camera assistants must show up to work early and stay late. Every little piece must be accounted for and nothing can be lost or damaged otherwise it's considered the production's fault.

Getting your "foot in the door" as a cameraman (or any crew member for that matter) is incredibly hard and requires a lot of time, persistence and ambition. Being able to operate and put together numerous cameras is an important skill to acquire in your camera career as well so you can be quick and efficient getting ready to shoot every day of the production. Lagging is bad in production work because there is never any time to waste. The quicker and more efficient you are at putting cameras together and operating them, the more jobs you'll attain.

Creativity and perseverance are key in this industry. The more creative, outspoken and efficient you are, the more people are going to want to work with you. Knowledge of the cameras you work with is also key, as you should know at least a little bit about all cameras currently in the industry.

The majority of getting your foot in the door has to do with networking, meeting and keeping in contact with other camera people from previous shoots or random contacts you just happen to meet. Even if you're still a student, there are a lot of people who have contacts and networking is a big deal and a big part of getting work in the film industry.




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