can we call cut?

Steve Laramie

Steve Laramie

Veteran
Just wondering if a cinematographer will be smacked for calling cut if he botches a shot. Iv always let it run through incase there were some good moments.
 
Ask the director before hand, he will most likely allow it, if it will help the production. I personally won't yell cut unless it will help the film. Otherwise, after the botched take you tell the director and 2nd AC "No good for Camera".

Reasons I would yell cut:
1) Shooting film on tight budget and the shot is supposed to be a one take shot or there won't be any 'cutting around' the mistake. If you mess up early, the shot is useless anyway. This will save film, time, and money. Get permission from the director first, if he cares about staying under budget he will grant you full permission.

2) Anytime a large reset is necessary. If the actor is about to destroy a room, clean up a mess, eat something, etc. Actions not easily repeatable or which need to be re-done or re-undone are a pain. If there is a camera problem at the beginning or before the event happens I would call cut. No reason to make art department rebuild or reconstruct if they don't have to. This includes stunts, anytime something is built, damaged, etc. Ask the director before hand, shouldn't be a problem.

3) If you realize something horrible or very dangerous is about to happen. Break chain of command if it's an immediate safety issue.

Most of the time if you screw up, just fix yourself, continue the shot, and at the end notify the director and 2nd AC with "no good for camera". Most likely the director will reset the shot and take it from the top. Note: Unless the director specifically asks you, there is no need to announce the specific reason you botched the shot in front of the entire cast and crew. It only makes you look incompetent. 'No good for camera' is a polite way to announce that you need to do it again.
 
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You can call cut if there is a catastrophic error with your camera. If you hear crunching of film in the magazine. You can call cut. If the RED shuts down mid take, call cut. If your Genesis runs out of battery, call cut.

For a small focus issue, calling cut will get you in trouble especially if the take is great. Coverage should take care of it. Mark it no good, and your director might decide to take it again. Especially with a camera error.
 
ok. Is it really unproffessinal to botch small stuff with complicated shots. Ie crane dolly pan and have to land in a perfect frame and it ends up ending slightly off the planned frame will a director be pissed over that?
 
work out a system with your director or first AD, like a hand signal for 'total failure'. i've seen the detrimental effects of actors being interrupted cold from a myriad of sources. minimize the potential for distraction.
 
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If you mess up the shot - note it. Dolly shots are a pain. You might hit a glitch in the track. Basically the shot is ruined at that point. Note it, and go again - correct the shot then.

If you think you need time to try the shot, as for a rolling rehearsal, practice the move during the blocking, practice when rehearsal is up. Ask a script super, PA, 2nd AC to watch the monitor or send someone to village. Even in professional shoots something can go wrong. Just don't let it be a habit.
 
lairhair said:
ok. Is it really unproffessinal to botch small stuff with complicated shots. Ie crane dolly pan and have to land in a perfect frame and it ends up ending slightly off the planned frame will a director be pissed over that?
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If it is easily repeatable, no. Just say 'no good' after it's done. Dolly and crane can be reset many times. If I were a director and the DP called cut on a dolly move or crane, I would be angry. Only emergencies or if needing to get it right the first time is incredibly important.

Zak is right about actors, some get really pissy if you interrupt their performances. A hand signal is good, but I've found it difficult in the past because the director and crew is never looking at you!
 
This is true. Thanks for the help. I like the hand signal idea to an ad and then the AD can just tell the director quietly and i can continue with the shot.
 
yeah, in all likelihood, the director i very focused during a take. but a good AD is watching everything because they are running the set, and they will notice if you've got an issue. wouldn't hurt to have a discussion beforehand.
 
I've worked with some Dps (even with an 1st AC) who stop in mid-take and just go "Noooo" and pan away or take their Eye away from the eyepiece.
If you did a mistake and don't want anyone to use it, you can "kill" the shot.

I don't recommend doing this in an intense scene. But since you want to put your name under the Product you want it to be perfect.
 
Since a botched take might still have useable parts, don't call cut ever. Discretely let the director know there's a problem and leave the call to him. Even if there's an equipment failure the director may still want the action to continue for other reasons, like for example the actors are doing something new and interesting that he wants to refer to later.

There's really no good reason to ever call cut from the camera position.
 
if I had a dp that killed the shot, it would be his last day as my dp, and you can damn well bet even if I relpace him on the last day of shoot, he will not get the top dp cridit.

however if the camera screws up. something really bad happens either call cut, or if you have actors who are high strung stop the camera, ad pretend to keep filming loil.


same goes for sound.


but killing the shot cause you don't like the framing or something bumped, or what have you is not up to the DP, NEVER its the Directors film to make good or screw up, the DP has no say in the end. and should just do his best, Killing a shot because in your opinion something could be batter, is the quickest way i know to get black listed.
 
Zak Forsman said:
work out a system with your director or first AD, like a hand signal for 'total failure'. i've seen the detrimental effects of actors being interrupted cold from a myriad of sources. minimize the potential for distraction.
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Right on, Zak. "Living In Oblivion" is the classic satire low-budget movie-on-moviemaking to illustrate how an actor can get rattled from an incompetent crew.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113677/trailers-screenplay-vi111870233

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGvH81rA1bM

A must-see for anyone in the business.

Regards, Michael
 
firing a DP and dropping a unit is not the same thing, the DP is one man, who either works for the studio, or is an indi who is normally working with a rentle, while some DPs do run their own crew and equipment on every project they work on, most DPs are one man shows, who while they have people they like to work with, they are not his crew.

The DP does not have crew, every single crew member on set is part of the Director's crew
 
all this being said I've never fired a dp, nor have I ever been fired as a dp, it is important that the dp and director have a good working relationship.

I did have one DP i wanted to Fire, but we were able to work things out.
 
Jason Miller said:
firing a DP and dropping a unit is not the same thing, the DP is one man, who either works for the studio, or is an indi who is normally working with a rentle, while some DPs do run their own crew and equipment on every project they work on, most DPs are one man shows, who while they have people they like to work with, they are not his crew.

The DP does not have crew, every single crew member on set is part of the Director's crew
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The DP should never be a one man show. If this is so, you are detrimentally understaffed. Expect to lose valuable time if the DP is placing camera, checking focus, running slate, setting lights, operating camera and etc.

Although the Director is the head of everyone, the crew members such in electrical dept., grip dept., and all camera team fall under the DP (who falls under director) and there is little reason for a director to skip chain of command and deal with a camera crew. The obvious and respectful thing to do, is to inform the DP what you want, and he relays the information to his crew.

The director could decide to give orders to an AC, but why? If this is happening, the director is either being disrespectful to protocol or the DP is incompetent, and should be replaced.

The electrical, camera team, and grips ARE the DP's crew. They are the men and women who execute the DP's plan, which is from the directors vision. Please don't ever think otherwise.

As a fan of analogies, this would be like the GM of a baseball team skipping the manager and coaching the player himself. :(
 
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Well, the camera droppage was a joke. I can assure you that you will not be on crew if you drop a camera package. You will be fired faster than you can say 'oops'.
 
Your wrong Ryan, Many Directors, bring in a dp, a camera crew, and an electrical crew, all of which can and most often are hired sepritly by the Producer or Director. so if you replace one member, even the DP, then thats all you're replacing.

If your a DP and you have equipment a staff of camera and lighting crew members working for you, then you are no longer just a DP you're a production company.

and yes it is normal protocal for a director to distribute responsibilities to the dp. but the fact that the DP is directly over the crew, does not make them his or her crew. he is just the top member of the crew under the Director.


but we're getting off the point of calling cut and shot killing,

calling cut has its place, shot killing is unprofessional , as soon as you do it, you take the decision away from the Director and it is hes decision, and his alone.
 
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