DP to Director

L

Loren Simons

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I am a DP on a shoot with basically all friends. We are trying to make it as real as a shoot as possible because were all trying to get into the business, so its kinda a dress rehearsal if you know what i mean.
Now, the director is also acting in it, he wants me to rewind the tape after every shot so he can look over it and make sure he likes it. That doesn't seem right to me, isn't the DP supposed to "make the shot come alive" hence he decides if the person should be dead center or in one of the thirds of the frame? Or am i totally wrong? Does anyone have a solution so that he can watch it without me running my heads dead, and wasting time??
 
I say, run the dailies at the end of the day. He really shouldn't be acting and directing.

It will run over, it will go past budget.
 
thats what is great with the hvx200 and a great monitor. thats how everybody learns . time permitting. confidence and speed will come with time if shots are good.
 
Macaholic,
When it comes to filmmaking you will find that even though we strive to have well defined jobs is a blurring of lines in every set. There are directors who chose to operate the camera during specific times just like there are DPs who might tell their gaffers exactly where and how to place every light for the scene. Conversely with certain gaffer that I work with I simply tell them the mood of what the director wants in the scene, what specific parts of the scene I want highlighted and let him rough it in while I work on the movement/composition of the piece. If I'm lighting with someone else I take a much more active role in lighting. Telling the gaffer specific heads, placement and gelling. It all comes down to communication and familiarity. The reason why most crews tend to stay together from job to job is because that familiarity breeds trust and efficiency.

Yes the DP is technically in charge of the composition of the shot, but filmmaking is not a democracy and the director is king. It sounds to me from your post that you feel he's upstaging you somewhat and diminishing your place as the Director of Photography. Work on your communication with this director more. Is he reviewing the footage because he does not like your composition or because he's trying to see if his performance for that scene worked? Try sitting down with him before the day of the shoot and going over the shot list, figure out what he wants out of the shots. Conversely, sitting down immediately after a shoot, reviewing the footage, and talking with him can also be huge to help you figure him out. The biggest part of being a DP is realizing that it is not your film, you're there to make his film better, make his vision come alive on the screen. Sometimes that means arguing your point (respectfully and never in front of the crew) and sometimes that means tucking your ego between your legs and doing the shot the way he/she wants it done. Even if you feel it wont work.

The most successful DPs have a way of getting things done their way, while making the director think it was his idea from the begining. They also develop long term relationships with their Directors and have earned their trust. Just like a successful diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell and you'd be happy to be on your way. Being that kind of persuasive diplomat is part of our job description.

If his reviewing the footage bothers you so much then the time honored DP skill of the techno-lie works relatively well. Explain to him that running the footage back and forth like that can not only wear out the heads faster but could increase the likely hood of drop outs, specially since you're not shooting on the more expensive Advanced Quality Master tapes or if you're shooting in HDV that you'd be happy to play back every take, if you got the Sony HDV Master Quality $18 a pop tapes. Perhaps if you played back the shot only after he feels he's got the right take, then you could mitigate that risk and the wear and tear.
Of course this only works if your technical knowledge is greater than his and if you can make yourself sound convicing. This is another way DPs get what they want while making the Director happy.

This sounds like a couple of friends shooting some stuff on their free time of a no-to-low budget nature. If your relationship with this director permits, maybe talking to him outside of the set, explaining that you need to grow as a DP as much as he does a director and asking for him to let you have a more active role in composition/lighting/movement should probably work. After all you are all doing this to get something for your reels and grow as filmmakers.
 
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yeah, i really didnt think it was a good idea for him to act in it, but, hes pretty determined....
@VenezuelanD
thank you, that put a lot into perspective for me
 
I have to disagree with a lot that I'm reading here. It is the DoP's job to capture the scene as the director envisions it. That’s not to say the DP doesn't have input, but that should be done long before you get on set. Could you imagine telling Spielberg, uh, I don't think we should shoot it that way....

Many directors come from an acting background, and many will leave it to you the DP to frame the shot as you see fit, others will be very specific on how they want the shot framed and executed. If you have a director that is specific and you can't do it, then leave the production.

Also most directors that act in their own film want to see play back, a lot of times not only on a scene in which they act but also on scenes they don't. In the film world you have a video tap that runs to a VCR. They pay a guy to sit there and record every scene and play it back whenever requested. It is better to reshoot while on location then have to come back.

As a DP be the best technical expert on your equipment around. Know how to get the shot and have the confidence to know when you've got it. Know lighting the technical and aesthetic side. But know, it is the directors vision and final decision.
 
VenezuelanD said:
The most successful DPs have a way of getting things done their way, while making the director think it was his idea from the begining. They also develop long term relationships with their Directors and have earned their trust. Just like a successful diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell and you'd be happy to be on your way. Being that kind of persuasive diplomat is part of our job description.
Click to expand...

I'll preface this response with the disclaimer that historically I come from a music recording background, where playbacks are a vital part of the process. Nonetheless, the hierarchical relationship in that posistion (engineer) with the producer (equivalent to a director in film) is very much like that of a DP.

So I would just take a slight objection to the notion of, as you said "getting things done [your] way, while making the director think it was his idea from the begining".

I've done this, successfully, many times, and earlier in my career I'm sure I offered that same advice to others numerous times. But now, from further down the road, I've come to reconsider that the better approach is to get as much inside the head of the director as possible, and find out how to get *his* way while managing to 'make it your own' instead. It's a more difficult path, but one that your director will really appreciate, and will likely bring a more coherent vision to the screen. You will also find that you can learn a great deal by asking yourself to see things through someone else's eyes.

Not to put too fine a point in it, but it's become part of my long-evolving view that "it's all about me" is possibly the worst position anyone involved in a team-based creative endeavor can take.

I should add that that applies to no one more so than the director : )
 
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man, so now im confused...do i want to be a DP or a director....i mean im 15 so i really have time to kinda dabble in both...anyone have any suggestions? i know its kind of a big question to throw out there with no one really knowing me here? lol
 
I would recommend learning as much as possible about every aspect of filmmaking, which is pretty much what film schools do, to the best of my knowledge.

So, study it all: cinematography, lighting, sound, workflow, screenwriting, acting, directing...

At 15, you probably don't really know what you'll be best at, and you may very likely surprise yourself in that regard. Taking a broad-based approach for now will allow you to better find your own particular strength, and while you're at it, the stuff you learn will serve you well in that area of specialization too.

As an example, in my experience, way too many film directors know almost nothing about acting. That alone would put you ahead of many others.
 
Whenever I've worked with directors that act, we have an assistant director that works as director during the scenes that the director is in.
 
I would echo that advice to try as many positions on set as possible. I thought for sure that I would love being a director or producer, but found out quickly that what i really enjoy is DP'ing and Gaffing.
 
If you are DP, your director needs to trust you to do your job. If he is acting in the film, he should know whether the energy is right and should be aware of good and bad performances with each take. That's his realm. Your responsibility lies in framing it correctly as well as the lighting and movment. I would not rewind every take just so he can see if it "looked cool". I would maybe run and record some rehearsals before each scene and replay them for him if he absolutely HAS to see the framing...but he needs to keep the main thing the main thing with telling the story and keeping track of the performances. Set your boundaries FIRST!
 
Whilst I agree with the post so far, I will add that i was on a shoot for a TVC where we had the camera connected up to a laptop and the laptop captured the footage with sound while shooting each take and after each take, the director would run the take over and over until he was certain he had what he wanted. He wasn't even acting in it. He had his monitor and the agency had theirs and it was run on a loop to make sure everyone was happy with the take. I think it probably depends on your director, but showing the take after its shot isn't neccessarily a bad thing... Justmight get annoying if you have to rewind...
 
You really need to explain to him that rewinding and playing back will put alot of wear and tear on the heads of your camera. Also that it will cost a ton of time.

If he is cool with both, then you can either go for it knowing your heads will be worn out a bit more than otherwise and that production will go slowly, or quit. What you MUST NEVER do is bring it up again if you agree to his conditions. That will not be good for the project.

He is the boss on the set. It is HIS movie and noone will be more responsible for it's success or failure. You must see yourself as a tool in his tool box. You must be the best and most knowledgeable tool in his bag. He must trust you completely, or he will not be able to work with the actors without worring that you are not there for him.

It is all about the story, and the project. If you only worry about those two things and forget the ego thing you will do very well in the long run.

The funny thing is that your most self satisfying moments will come from being the least selfish in the pursuit of the project. And you will get a reputation as a single minded razor sharp focused film making machine.
 
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