My first DP job

F

finchy

Well-known member
Hey guys,

I just wanted to get some input from seasoned DP's and other crew members about how to go about my first DP job....

A producer contacted me recently about a (low budget) short that they are wanting to shoot soon and that they are after a DP...
I sent him over my CV and a reel of my past work and he wants to meet me with the director later this week.

This will (hopefully) be my first DP role in drama so i am a little apprehensive about how to go about things.
I am confident in my technical ability although most of my experience is in corporate/factual camera work and lighting. I do have a bit of lighting and AC drama experience though with the 5D mk2 (which they are shooting on)!

From what i know already, this shoot should be two days and expenses only for me but they are hoping to get a well known and experienced local actor who has a lot of TV experience involved, as the main character.

Although i don't have the job confirmed, i am starting to prepare myself a little and try and get a head start with the production (Nothing major) so i just wanted to know, before i go to meet them, what would usually be expected of the DP in terms of on-set 'authority' and also pre-production work. Also, what should i expect from the producer and director to make things run smoothly for me??

How do i go about things if for example, they haven't set aside much/any money for lighting and grip etc... I don't really want to be in the position where i have to turn the work down because they cant provide the tools because it will be good experience for me. Obviously i will find out the 'ins and outs' of the production later this week but i want to make sure that i have some good knowledge to go in with because i am a bit cautious that they wont really take me seriously because of my lack of drama experience ON PAPER.

I do have some good knowledge of the 5D mk2 and also most common lighting/grip kit etc so i don't really feel that this job is above me at all... i am just hoping that they realize what i am capable of and don't dismiss me because of THEIR lack of experience... haha


Sorry if i was waffling on there and i hope you get the points that i am trying to make/find out... Its just that it is a big step for me to basically be responsible for the whole artistic/visual look of a drama so i want to get it right! haha


Many thanks for any input!!
 
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Congrats. Isn't it great to get paid for what you love?

The DP position varries from set to set based on the people and personalities involved. Generally, the DP would be in charge of the camera/grip crew. The director is generally in charge of the actors/HMUA.

As a DP, I tend to be relaxed about on set authority and even try to release my team to be creative and answer question on their own. Most importantly, the director should not be bothered by crew questions and the DP is the buffer for that.

Pre-production can be very intensive or very light depending on the producer and budget. You should do a location scout and answer and issues that may crop up (shooting in a closet sized room with only an 85mm lens...etc). You should also discuss the 'look' of the film in advance. Contrast, saturation, camera style, composition style...etc.

You need to be on the same page with them before the camera turns on. The last thing you want is to land the job only to realize that they are asking for something that is impossible with the camera/lighting/grip/locations that are provided. For instance, shooting a helicopter shot with a jello vision camera, or daylight interiors without CTO gels on the windows or HMI lighting.

My advice would be to help them achieve their vision without being a naysayer or saying yes just because you want the job. If they want a shot that is unrealistic, you can say "sounds like a great idea, but I'm not sure with the budget/time constraints you outlined we can accomplish that" or "to pull that off we'll need $5,000 just for that one shot". Give them healthy boundaries for the budget they have - "well we can rent the crane and extra lenses, or rent the arri-sun...which is more important to the final product, color accuracy or production value?"

Finchy, you sound like you have a great head on your shoulders. Just the fact that you have been doing research means you are going in the right direction! FYI, I mainly do corporate and documentary but have also transitioned to shoot some narrative and feature work. In my experience, it is not about what you have done in the past, its about presentation of who you are as a whole package. You may need to let a little money stay on the table to show them that you are serious about taking on the role, but don't be mislead, in this business everyone 'practices' on everyone. Unless you are at the top of your game in Hollywood (or the UK equivalent), we are all learning 'on the job'.

If they can see the work ethic and hidden creative skill that I see, you will get the job. If you don't get the gig, let this be a learning experience so that you get the gig next time.


Jason
 
If you have a treatment, a script, or even the most basic of outlines for the piece, start to develop some ideas for the visuals. It could be as simple as general shooting and lighting styles to specific references (photographs, movies, paintings) for the type of look you think might be appropriate. And of course, be open to the director's wishes and prepare to adapt on the fly. Even if it's not exactly what the director and producer had in mind, going into the meeting with ideas shows you're willing to take initiative and heck, if they like the ideas you're another step ahead. Experience on paper can be overlooked if you come to the table with great ideas and enthusiasm.

Also - and I can't stress this enough for low budget projects - go into it with ideas on logistics at multiple budget levels. For example, "ideally for this outdoor scene we could fly a 20x20 silk for the wide and fill in with.. blah blah blah..." and follow up with, "but if we're on a budget, we could shoot with just un-altered natural light for a wide establishing shot and plan to cover the scene in full in medium and close shots using a smaller frame and some showcard for fill... blah blah..." You want to show that you've got the big budget know-how but also a firm grasp on reality and how to work within a smaller budget.

As for expectations, in the low budget world, they want GREAT stuff quickly and cheaply. You should expect to compromise on certain things, like shooting faster than you want, and simpler setups.

Also, scouting is very important, especially if you're going to have to come up with something great with not a lot of gear. If you've got a location that will be damn hard to light with cheap gear, you can convince them to change it or at the very least take pictures, measurements, etc, and have time to think VERY hard about how the heck you'll make it work.

In terms of tools available, for low budget work, there are a lot of things you can do to light on the cheap. Clamp lights are your friend, and so are chinese lanterns and CFLs. Ultimately, if they can't provide you with the tools you want (or you can't afford them) and you can't do good work without them, don't take the job.

Good luck and keep us posted on this endeavor.

~~Dave
 
Thank you very much for your input and kind words Jason!

I think that to an outsider... some of my best assets are my work ethics and professionalism....( i hope! haha)
Unfortunately i haven't had the opportunity to get stuck into drama and i must say, it is abit daunting because time is money and there a lot of people out there that put their mouth before their brain so i want to make sure i do the best that i can and they feel that they made teh right decision hiring me.

I have no problems with telling them if i am not happy with what they are providing to me... E.g budget for kit, camera crew etc. At the end of the day, if they give me just a camera and say shoot this drama... i wont be too happy. I am the one that is going to look useless if the shots dont look upto scratch because they couldn't provide me with basic lighting and grip. I don't mind working for free if i am able to get a good result so lets hope they understand that and just because they own a 5D, that doesn't necessarily mean they are going to get a great looking film... hahaha
At the end of the day, they will get the best out of me if they understand what i need from them and they do all they can for the camera dept., if they genuinely cant provide, then i'll do what i can! I just hope 100% of the budget isnt going on tying down this actor...! (from a camera dept. POV) haha
I only sound negative at this point because i am cautious of low/no budget dramas as they sometimes (not always!!) involve maybe inexperienced crew/mates and a lack of decent kit and organisation. I am sure that once i meet the producer and director then my mind will be at rest! haha

Also, if all goes well... where should i stand i terms of contracts etc... it is unpaid but i want to make sure i get my expenses and can get a copy of the rushes and proper credits etc etc
What would you request in writing??


Thanks!!
 
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Thanks for your advice Dave! Some really useful points!

From what i have heard, i think they want to use a room in a retirement home for most of this...
So i assume space will be minimal... i am thinking about getting some chinese lanterns from IKEA anyway and also making the most out of the DL from the windows might be the best way to go.

I am certainly going to make the most of of scouting the location(s)... There is nothing worse than being poorly prepared and hopefully it'll mean that we can make the most of the budget.


I should probably stop talking as if i have this job already! haha we will see...
 
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Tom, do you own any of your own gear right now?

I own a decent amount of lighting and camera gear so when I get asked to DP a project, usually I'm using my own gear. Which allows me to be more familiar with how I'm going to light a scene (and makes me more valuable to my client/director).

If not, what have you lit with in the past? Tungsten fresnel, CFL, LED, HMI, etc.?
 
Tony, i own basic redheads w/gels and polyboards... along with things like cable reels and sandbags.
We usually rent most of our kit but we tend to get similar stuff time after time as we do a lot of interviews and GV's etc on our factuals.
I am familiar with most ARRI fresnels and also Kinos. I have worked a bit with HMI's also.
I think i would probably work mainly with DL balanced lights for this so that i can use the DL from windows as much as possible.
Also from what i know of the script... a slightly 'cooler' feeling to the scene would be more fitting i think so if i used tungsten it would mainly be using the small practicals found/placed on the location.

Thanks for your input Tony!
 
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I'm a big fan of Cool Lights. I've got a bunch of their CFL soft box kits with both 3200K & 5600K bulbs. They are great and very cost effective. Definitely not as good as say a Kino, but a great alternative. And obviously you'll probably want a bunch of CTB gels to use with the practicals so they balance with your DL bulbs.

Not trying to tell you what to do...just want to pass on a few things I've learned from shooting interviews and then shooting narratives.
 
Thanks Tony!

I will have a bunch of gels but i'm thinking that if i do use practicals then i will keep them at 3200k to as a way of warming up the scene if required... or maybe some 1/2 CTB.

What would you recommend as useful lighting grip for the kinos/fresnels Tony... so that they can be used in tight spaces....'Pole-cats' etc...?

Thanks
 
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I bought a couple of these and found them to be quite useful: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130327483107&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

For example: I attached one of my Mini Mole 200w lights to the edge of a cabinet door in the kitchen for a short I recently did, "Home Alone". (The scenes where the guy is washing the dishes)

I shot that entire short with 1x 650w Arri, 1x 1K Arri, 2x 200w Mini Mole, and my Wescott Fast Flag kit. We shot over the course of a day and a half so I didn't have a lot of time to pull out all my gear. Plus a lot of the locations were super small. The laundry room was about 6'x8'. Thankfully I had my 28/f2 Zeiss on my FF sensor 5D :)
 
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