From zero to DP

N

nvaneer

Member
Hello

I`m new in the field of cinematography.It will be nice to hear your experiences.How did you start, and build your carrier. Eventualy some ''to do and not to do''
Thank you
 
was a pa. then director had falling out with crew. I was last man standing, so I got promoted to DP. the film went on to win a festival. had that on my reel, and been a dp eversince. when I needed to learn I 1ST AC'd for more accomplished DP's, and picked up the tricks of the trade. working to make a living in the film industry is the best film school. I went to college for sculpture. no film school anywhere on my resume.
 
I always had my sights set on directing until I went to film school. Entering USC, I had a background as a news cameraman/editor, so I was pretty self-sufficient with my smaller class projects. Not until I was in a crew setting did I realize how much I enjoyed the camerawork when I didn't have to worry about sound, producing, etc. I'm also a very visual director, so imagine my enjoyment at being able to focus on the most satisfying part of production!

After graduation, I sought out any student films I could- they have more production value than non school-related projects because they have access to better equipment and more dedicated crew. From there, it's all networking- even as an AC or swing on bigger shoots, my education as a DP continues.
 
I hadn't barely shot a thing before 4 months ago when I started my first feature. I have a great gaffer who's helped make things look nicer and hey you can't argue with the results. I'm not saying it works for everyone, but go out and just start...you might have an eye you didn't know you had. Worked out pretty good for me lol.

http://www.standingfirmmovie.com/btsgallery.html
 
Start PA'ing. Find sets; work on them. Slowly work your way up in either the camera or grip department. Keep shooting your own projects while you do this. Read books. Ask questions. Those sorts of things.

Just don't think you can start at the top. It takes a bit of patience, but in the meanwhile, you're living the dream! Right?!
 
guys,

thank you allot
i really appriciate your time and your advices are very informative

best regards and good day for everyone

nico
 
Hmm, well, I'm a maverick but I somewhat disagree -- you can start at the top, at least at the top of the bottom. We all start at the bottom in knowledge, this is obvious. But you don't need to start at the bottom of a film set and "work your way up." You can indeed do that, especially if it makes you more comfortable, if you meet more people, if it helps the way you see things and learn, this is all great and I don't frown upon it.

But I didn't want to grip, PA, or do any of that crap. I wanted to direct. So I hired professionals crews and started directing after screwing around with some lower budget projects without pro crews where I could at least learn a thing or two. Now people see me as a director because I called myself one, and when I go to meet people or go to a party with film people, I'm not a PA or a grip or someone who wants to make it one day as a director, I AM a director. I may be at the bottom as a director, I'm not working on big projects and making big bucks, I'm not even a "working director" yet, but at least I can call myself a director and everyone else can call me a director because that's all I do -- direct (well, and produce). Of course, this path does need a bit of financial backing, because if you want to create your reel you need some money to do that with, but what risk isn't a bit expensive? I mean it's just how it goes.

If you want to be a DP I think it's a bit more technical, so you can work your way up a bit better, and being a grip will give you a good knowledge for how different DPs work, tricks they use, etc. But I think you should be out there shooting constantly, even stupid stuff, even just random people at the beach, playing around, figuring out what works, etc. I mean it's trial and error.
 
JonathanLB said:
But I didn't want to grip, PA, or do any of that crap. I wanted to direct. So I hired professionals crews and started directing after screwing around with some lower budget projects without pro crews where I could at least learn a thing or two. Now people see me as a director because I called myself one, and when I go to meet people or go to a party with film people, I'm not a PA or a grip or someone who wants to make it one day as a director, I AM a director. I may be at the bottom as a director, I'm not working on big projects and making big bucks, I'm not even a "working director" yet, but at least I can call myself a director and everyone else can call me a director because that's all I do -- direct (well, and produce). Of course, this path does need a bit of financial backing, because if you want to create your reel you need some money to do that with, but what risk isn't a bit expensive? I mean it's just how it goes.
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I think that could be a good route for directing, but for becoming a DP, I don't know...

I agree it's trial and error and you should constantly be doing it while you PA/grip/whatever on other shoots. This way you'll work your way up and all that time have been shooting too. I constantly try out things I see DP's doing on my own films and I think that's the only way you'll learn.
 
Probably harder for a DP to buy their way to the top. Part of leading a crew is knowing what the crew is capable of and how much they can handle. That goes for ANY leadership/director role. You've got to have your own scars before you demand others to bleed for you.
 
I don't consider any position or task in the making of a production "crap". In fact if something needs to be done and nobody is available to do it, I'll do it myself and from a position of knowledge and experience. Effective production is a collaboration of everyone and every position.

I also don't believe in everything is trial and error either. Its tantamount to reinventing the wheel. There's a 100 year history in movie making and its simpler to build on an existing body of knowledge than to fumble along and spend pointless amounts of time rediscovering what's already known.

Experience is gained hands on but knowing first going in makes a world of difference. The ability to externalize knowledge and pass it on is one of the great cornerstones of human progress.
 
I would say it's trial and error in that you need to see things and try it yourself to see what works and what doesn't. You'll be a much better DP if you shoot while you work on other sets, instead of just deciding to market yourself as a DP one day. A lot of what doesn't work needs to be seen through first hand experience, but you're right, there is a wheel, and we don't need to reinvent it.

I think it's also about respect. If some DP comes waltzing in and would openly admit that he has issues setting a C-stand or pulling focus, I would have a hard time trusting what he was doing.

I think in the end, I'd much rather be a grip on a big production than a DP on a small one. Much more fun.
 
Buy a camera and shoot something. Get a book on cinematography and study it like the bible. Try working on some smaller shoots or be a grip on larger shoots. Eventually you'll learn the trade and make connections with people in the industry. Maybe in 10 years or so (probably more) you will be a full time dp making 50 to a 100 G's a year.
 
Find a good DP and be his assistant for a while. Also realize that you have two eyes and two ears and only one mouth for a reason.
 
RyanT said:
I would say it's trial and error in that you need to see things and try it yourself to see what works and what doesn't. You'll be a much better DP if you shoot while you work on other sets, instead of just deciding to market yourself as a DP one day. A lot of what doesn't work needs to be seen through first hand experience, but you're right, there is a wheel, and we don't need to reinvent it.

I think it's also about respect. If some DP comes waltzing in and would openly admit that he has issues setting a C-stand or pulling focus, I would have a hard time trusting what he was doing.

I think in the end, I'd much rather be a grip on a big production than a DP on a small one. Much more fun.
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I've noticed that attitude a lot, and that's why I took a different path. When I was in film school, my business partner and I did an informal quiz, "Director of your own project, or grip on a major blockbuster?" Basically every person said grip on a major blockbuster, for various reasons, some because their friends / family would have heard of it, others because they liked the idea of being on a big set with lots of people, others because they thought it'd be good on their resumes, some because they always dreamed of working on such and such type of film, no matter what position, etc.

I totally disagree. I'd rather direct my own project, no matter how small, than be anything less than a director on anyone else's project. I just don't have that interest. I guess it's a matter of degree. I don't love film THAT much. I love it, but on my terms. I don't love it enough that if it came down to it I'd rather PA on someone's project than just switch industries. Then again, I think that path would be foolish for me as I have other opportunities to make lots of money out of the industry, so there'd be no reason for me to be at the bottom of this industry if I can be in a position of some power in another industry. So that's why for me I go with the "Go big or go home" slogan. I'd rather try to make it big and risk more than to be satisfied with a lower set positions just so I can say "I'm in the film industry!" I'm sorry moving c-stands around isn't being a filmmaker. You're in the film industry, yes. But you're not a filmmaker.

I agree, though, that in cinematography I don't think you can so much buy your way to the top, i.e. create great work and hope to get hired off that, without a strong resume or whatever. You need the skills built in the trenches, like working your way up from grip, etc., so that you've really done it all and know it all before you progress to the level that you can command the whole process.

Then again, I work with one DP who is just 25, he knows his stuff, has a great reel, and can do very good work. So I don't really care if he's not the best grip or whatever, all I know is he can do good work as a DP or a camera operator for smaller projects, too.
 
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