Cinematographer Notes

I was in film school between the years of 95 and 2000 and I had a few classmates who had been union grips and A.C.’s for years who decided to come back to school to learn how to direct.  They’d worked on major features and were bringing in a lot of money but they did the same thing day after day after day and never got to be really involved in the actual “filmmaking” part of it. So they were in class with me, learning scriptwriting, directing, editing etc.   The best piece of advice I got from them was to just shoot.  I thought I was going to work in a rental house and learn all the gear and go from there.  Be a loader, then a 1st, etc.   They told me that was more or less a path to where they were and I really should just skip it and shoot.  Don’t crew, just shoot.   I remembered that but I was still really eager to get onto an actual set somehow.

As a Junior in film school, I signed up with a cinematography teachers crew for a feature as a 2nd A.C.  This was my first crew job.   I was still in school but was able to do the film.  On the feature I met a 1st A.C. who had done a lot of features including one of my favorite indie films of all time.   I told her I went to Purchase and she took a moment and confessed she’d been thinking of going back to film school.  I didn’t quite understand because I wanted to be where she was and she wanted to be where I was.  It didn’t make sense to me.

The film I signed up for shared office space near Union Square with Requiem for A Dream.  At that time though I hadn’t seen PI and had no idea who Aronofsky or Matthew Libatique was.  That’s probably a good thing.  I’d have jumped ship and pissed off my teacher.   The only other time I crewed was many years later after I’d shot 3 features.  I worked as a swing on Virgin starring Elizabeth Moss and Robin Penn.  I took the job because it was a feature shooting nearby in Nyack and I thought it might be good to watch another DP work and maybe pick up some tips.    This was also going to be my first time working with stars on set.

At that time, after my 3rd feature I began to replace a lot of my custom, homemade lights and gear with Arri fresnels and real grip equipment.   I’d been working with clip lights, bat strips and other things I learned how to make in film school.  They did the job and gave me great shots but I knew eventually I’d have to buy real equipment.  I mean, I couldn’t show up to a professional set with a lightbox made out of foam core, right?

That was my perspective at the time when I jumped on board Virgin.  I was surprised and bewildered when I was in the van and saw along with the baby 1k’s and parcans,  the very same sort of gear I’d made in film school.  The DP who had been a professional key grip for 15 years had included  a lot of his own custom lighting and electric that was very low budget and very clever.  We were lighting Robin Penn with a foam core box full of 213’s.    I immediately felt silly for being embarrased about my film school roots and set to work on figuring out how to improve on my designs and create lighting that was cheap but beautiful.  I eventually built a jib arm, dolly and assembled carts that have so far, proved really useful and very effective.

Most crew who see my toys are interested in the parts, designs and want it for themselves.  I’ve recently been on a set though with sophomores who’ve never worked with or seen this type of thing and who complained to production who also had never seen or worked with it.  This was an occasion where I began to doubt whether it was appropriate or not.  Something I haven’t questioned in a while.

What was said I’m not sure but there were other issues that arose that gave me pause to consider “dealing” with attitudes.  Sometimes you can’t get your regular crew on board but it’s even worse when the entire crew knows each other and you’re the only stranger.  Immediately there are doubts on the crew’s side that you have any clue what you’re doing.

On Virgin, I was young and full of energy and wanted to show what I knew to the DP and must have bothered him bonkers pitching and selling setups.  He declined always and I’d just smile and say okay.  I never forced it on him or threw a fit if he didn’t accept my suggestions.  I let him work.  After the film wrapped he told me “Don’t Crew.  Just shoot”   I did just that but I never really understood till now what he meant.  DP’s make the worst crew members.  We’re awful as crew.

I only crewed once more on a short film called Falling Down.  This was just for the cash.  I rented my lighting van to production and  signed up.   It was all night exteriors and it was another occasion where I wanted to watch another DP work.  This time around however, I didn’t sell, pitch or bother the DP at all.  I was determined to help him and my method was to be as unobtrusive as possible.  What I’d do is, if I was free and had nothing immediate to do, I’d look at the monitor and evaluate anything I thought was off or needed adjustment.  I would then quickly and quietly get that adjustment ready and then ask the DP to look at monitor.  He’d look over and I’d A/B the adjustment and he’d say “buy it” or no.  Most of the time, he bought it.  But we never exchanged words about any of it.  I never bothered him.  Nor did I change his lighting without his knowledge. I’d just get the change ready and then let him choose.   The key though, was to wait till he was done lighting.  I’d let him be finished with his setup and ready for a take before I’d A/B anything.

As a DP, I’m not much of a “shopper”.  I know exactly what I want and lately I’ve worked without an official “gaffer” to avoid having to discuss anything about setups.  I just want to call out the units and place them and all I need are hands to do it.  Unfortunately, when you ask nothing but manual labor from the positions of G&E there are very few people who will be satisfied doing that job unless they are a professional grip or electrician and they’re generally too expensive.  The crew I normally hire come on board at half their usual rate because they know me, trust me and they know that I’m quick and know exactly what I’m doing.   I took it for granted that just any crew would assume that.   How wrong I was.  I’ve learned a lesson though and that’s to discuss these matters with the crew before production begins.