what is the most the DP is required to do?

Indywannabe said:
Unions usually specify jobs and the various different functions that job can perform.

I was just wondering what those functions are for a DP. Usually, different job classes have an entry level, journeyman level, xxx level, etc. I'm thinking that the DP job class would be able to perform multiple other jobs because the DP would have that accumulated knowledge and training.

There may be jobs that the DP is not qualified for, such as wiring electrical components. On the less technical side, however, I don't consider plugging in a light fixture as a job reserved for an electrician; but some unions do.
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The reason certain shows might not allow a DoP, AC, Grip...etc to plug in a light is because of safety and balance. If the show is running on a generator and you are receiving 3 phases, if you plug-in a light to any socket that the genny op and gaffer have very carefully balanced, you might stall or blow up the genenerator.

The excess power received from a source has to be balanced or thrown out. On film sets/larger shows you might find lights pointed towards the sky to balance the phases.

At your house if you look in your breaker box you will see 2 lines of breakers. If you had a good electrician tie it up, your AC,Range,Heater,garbage disposal, fridge...etc will be evenly distributed between the 2 phases (left and right).
 
lairhair said:
Just curious. Is the bare minimum choosing angles and where and what lights to put? Or is the DP mostly in charge of camera operation? Just wondering because I have DPed on 2 movies so far and both of them I was the camera opp and I was wondering if that was normal. (I know big studio produced movies have camera opps and ac's but I am indy) So this new film starting monday that Im dping on has a camera opp who is either going to be the camera op or the ac with me being the camera op. Would it be unprofessional to let him take over camera operations? If so what exactly would my job be since the director already made the damn shot list.
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As everyone else has said, it really depends on the type of director. I just wrapped up a music video where I was hired as DP but I was mainly the camera op as it was small budget but the director already had in mind what lenses he wanted for each shot and what angle. I basically just got the shots and offered some input which when I did offer, he accepted. But knowing the director well, I know he likes to wear both hats as director and DP so there were no problems on set.

I agree what others have said, its vital you sit down with the director and hash out exactly what he wants from you, that will help things run more smoothly on the days of shooting.
 
Indywannabe said:
Unions usually specify jobs and the various different functions that job can perform.

I was just wondering what those functions are for a DP. Usually, different job classes have an entry level, journeyman level, xxx level, etc. I'm thinking that the DP job class would be able to perform multiple other jobs because the DP would have that accumulated knowledge and training.

There may be jobs that the DP is not qualified for, such as wiring electrical components. On the less technical side, however, I don't consider plugging in a light fixture as a job reserved for an electrician; but some unions do.
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emretufekci said:
The reason certain shows might not allow a DoP, AC, Grip...etc to plug in a light is because of safety and balance. If the show is running on a generator and you are receiving 3 phases, if you plug-in a light to any socket that the genny op and gaffer have very carefully balanced, you might stall or blow up the genenerator.

The excess power received from a source has to be balanced or thrown out. On film sets/larger shows you might find lights pointed towards the sky to balance the phases.

At your house if you look in your breaker box you will see 2 lines of breakers. If you had a good electrician tie it up, your AC,Range,Heater,garbage disposal, fridge...etc will be evenly distributed between the 2 phases (left and right).
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I was on a shoot that was running behind.

The dolly was squeaking. The secret fix for this? Spray the tracks with Pledge. So like I said we running behind. The DP was tinkering with the camera. I couldn't understand why no one was spraying the tracks with Pledge while we waited for him. I mean get it done right?

So trying to be proactive, I grabbed the pledge, stood there ready to pounce as soon as people were out of my way, only to learn that you can't spray the lemon pledge anywhere near the gazillion dollar lens unless the lens cap is on. Since the DP was tinkering with the camera the lens cap could not be on so no one was spraying the track with pledge.

Much like the electrical issue mentioned above, that's why on union shoots people are only supposed to do stuff within their departments. I could have cost the production hours or maybe even a whole day if the pledge got on the lens and it was too oily or alkeline to be easily gotten off.
 
Very good. My comment was not to try and belittle, but was an honest reaction to my surprise. It's good you are learning now. Best of luck.

Keep on truckin'... er well, you can't drive yet... Keep on keepin' on!

:beer:
 
to keep it basic the DP is head camera, and head gaffer, the director tells the de what he wants to see, and the DP makes it happen by telling the gaffers what lights, where lights, what gells, flags scrims and so on he also does this by informing the camera crew of exactly what is to be done, on smaller sets ofter the DP is also 1st camera, and the gaffer but on larger sets he/she oversees the camera and gaff crews, the DP is often somewhat of a td, while the director directs the actors the dp directs the tech around the actors, within the wants of the director.

so to dp, you need to know camera and gaffing,
 
last question. Is it alright for the director to walk up and move a scrim and put a different jell in even if its destroying the picture? FYI he is a bit trigger happy with the zoom. I told him the last thing you want to do in a film is zoom and he said he agrees but he thinks it can work here (which it didnt)
 
You're the director so you tell him not to touch the zoom button ever. Seems like this guy is very inexperienced... I hope you're not paying him...

Sometimes you have to lay down the law. I know it can be hard (been there, done that) but you're going to sometimes have to be a dick. Sit down with him and say that you understand he has a certain style but you'd rather follow your vision. Tell him you have a strong vision and it doesn't include zooming in. ever. because the zoom button is for amateurs.
 
As far as I know, lairhair is NOT the director, but the DP on this film. Just clarifying.

-Kegan
 
lairhair said:
last question. Is it alright for the director to walk up and move a scrim and put a different jell in even if its destroying the picture? FYI he is a bit trigger happy with the zoom. I told him the last thing you want to do in a film is zoom and he said he agrees but he thinks it can work here (which it didnt)
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I understand that you are working in a small crew with people who are starting their career. But I believe you can practice rules of a large film set regardless of project and size, as that discipline will be a part of your structure all of your career.

I had the very brief and unfortunate job of working with a director that wanted to be very "hands on". He was putting gels, removing scrims dropping ND's (The AC was very pissed). I told him every time he touched a scrim, or dropped an ND my meter calibration was off and I was getting incorrect results. He would not quit and he was trying to correct lights by eyeballing gels. I pulled him aside and very politely explained to him my gaffer was using a color meter and I was using a mired chart to compensate for the shift. I asked him to trust us for the job he hired us to do.

He would not give up, so by lunch time we did and walked away.

If you are DoP, you are hired to do a specific job because if your knowledge and experience. If they do not trust you to do your job, they shouldn’t have hired you.

As far as zooms are concerned. There is a time and a place for everything.
 
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Ok, I'll ask the question again...mainly because I'm just curious...

What is the DP's range of jobs? Camera oriented only, or can he do gaffer/grip/electrician stuff?
 
Indywannabe said:
Ok, I'll ask the question again...mainly because I'm just curious...

What is the DP's range of jobs? Camera oriented only, or can he do gaffer/grip/electrician stuff?
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He should know how to gaffer/grip/be an electrician, but should not be hands on. If it's not your department, dont touch it. You might see a DoP giving intructions on what he wants where, lights, stands, cutters, power...etc but he will let his gaffer, key grip and best boys take care of it.
 
heres another question. DP vs AD? Im pretty sure all the AD does is call role camera and cue actors but id like to be prepared.
 
lairhair said:
heres another question. DP vs AD? Im pretty sure all the AD does is call role camera and cue actors but id like to be prepared.
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AD is the "bad cop" on set. AD will get all status from all departments (including DoP) and report to the Director where things are. He/she is responsible to the director for making things run on time.

I guess you can say the AD is the proverbial whip on the set.You do not want to be called out by the AD. BAd bad bad bad.....
 
AD is supposed to be concentrating on time so creatives can concentrate primarily (but not only) on being creative. So the DP and Director have some idea about what kind of time they have to do something but may get lost in the creative aspect of what they are doing and the AD has to keep them grounded in reality and in check.

AD is almost all left brain with a little bit of right brain.
DP and Director are left brain with some right brain but the AD is there to make up the balance when the DP and Director become all right brain.
These three are ideally all working together to get what the DP and Director want, which may mean they only have "X" minutes per set up if the DP and Director want a lot of set ups during the day. So the AD will point that out. And then when things go wrong or run over, these three, again ideally, will be working together to improvise a new schedule and make compromises that most closely realize the director's vision given the amount of time they've lost / have left. etc.
 
Indywannabe said:
Ok, I'll ask the question again...mainly because I'm just curious...

What is the DP's range of jobs? Camera oriented only, or can he do gaffer/grip/electrician stuff?
Click to expand...

Well the Dp is the department head of the Camera department, who in tern, is the overseer of the Grip and electric departments. He shouldnt be doing Grip and gaff he should be on the walkie with the Key grip and Gaffer, they should be telling their respective crews what to do.

When the production is tiny, then yes the DP can jump in... it depends on the job.
 
On the largest shoot I was ever on, the DP was doing tons of grip/electric work even though people kept telling him to slow down. He was real sick for the entire second week due to overworking himself, and the production moved slower overall than if he hadn't helped out with the physical labor.

The crew did respect him for how hard he worked, though.

Lesson? Don't ever work very hard.
 
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