Where to start/how to learn good shooting?

B

bobbyt

New member
I've checked local colleges and Universities here in Ontario but none offer hands-on in depth learning on cinematography. Most of the courses barely touch on shooting material, lenses, lighting and assessing shots based on that. Most are mostly post & script theory oriented as well as bloody expensive. Should I start with basic photography classes and then just get out there and expieriment?

How did our more experienced HVX users get to where they are today?
 
Bobby,
The easiest way to get into cinematography is to use the resources you already own--your eyes! Watch as many films as you can that are shot by respectable cinematographers. A nice place to start would be to look up the Oscar nominees for Best Cinematography from any particular year and watch a few. Many libraries allow you to borrow DVDs for free--and they usually have the classics you will want to reference. You can find a nice list here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Cinematography

If you are wanting more into the tech-aspects of cinematography, definitely read up in American Cinematographer (magazine) or Masters of Light (book.) The latter is probably available at your local library. I would suggest reading Masters of Light and watching the films that the cinematographers in the book describe.

Another way to learn some real-life experience is to get on crew for some independent films. Start out as a Production Assistant and see how the set works, and buddy up with the grips (guys responsible for rigging the lights) and learn what they do. Being on set in general allows you to see how different setups can be lit.
 
Shoot your own shorts in yoru spare time, learning with each one and striving to make each one better than the last, using different techinques and equipment.


I think it's unbelieveable– the difference between my work now and my work from 5 years ago... as john said, working on sets and with others you will pick up on little secrets and tips that will mold you over time...
 
Agreed that the best way to learn is shoot.
I have only experience as Digital Still photographer for home and friends pictures.
Now, one of my friend is shooting a short film and since I know "little" about camera than him and about to buy HVX200+Package, I am his cinematographer.I am also allowed to hire an assistant, either a gaffer or an AC or a Grip.
Now, what things I need to look at first.
What are the things that can go wrong.
Who is my best buddy Gaffer..? OR AC..? or Grip..?

Though I have gone through www.DigitalCinemaCourse.com, wanted to hear from experienced short/indie filmmakers/cinematographers about the way they start/plan their shoot to boost up my confidence.
Thanks a lot in advance for your valuable tips
 
visakk,
#1 is read the script! You need to know the script inside and out just like the Director does. Read it once for knowing what is happening, then again to make notes on what a location might look like. Try to picture it in your head how you want it to look and write those thoughts on your copy of the script.

After you have some ideas talk with the Director and see if your visions parallel. Devise a plan for how the film should look. Will you be using low-key lighting with lots of shadows, or high-key with minimal shadows?

If you are going the true indie route, you will most likely be using real locations. Try to go along on the location scouts (if you're on the production that early) and bring along a production designer or location sound recordist (if you have either.) Take photos (or better yet, video) of the locations.

There's a ton you can do to prepare for a shoot, and that's just the beginning. The technical word for this process is "pre-visualization" or just "pre-viz" for short. Try searching the forums here or creating a new thread asking about these things.
 
That's a great advice John,
"Writing the Pre-Viz on copy of the script" the important point.

who decides "low" or "High" key lighting..? I think the budget, right?

Great Learning quickly.
 
If I were in your shoes right now (which I was about 2 years ago) Digital Juice (djtv) would be a goldmine. Well it is still pretty helpful to me even though I am past most of the beginner qs.

I would also check out Ryan Walters Indie blog. He is doing cinematography work: http://www.ryanewalters.com/ (under the indi hd blog)
 
bobbyt said:
I've checked local colleges and Universities here in Ontario but none offer hands-on in depth learning on cinematography. Most of the courses barely touch on shooting material, lenses, lighting and assessing shots based on that. Most are mostly post & script theory oriented as well as bloody expensive. Should I start with basic photography classes and then just get out there and expieriment?

How did our more experienced HVX users get to where they are today?
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Check out Ryerson. They have a Certificate program that you can take part time or even in summer, and it is mainly hands on. You can always just take certain courses that you like, and leave it at that. When I graduated a few years ago, they were transitioning from film to digital video, so I learned both, but word is that they now use HD stuff.

They get alot of stuff from William White, so you'll be using things that many pros use on shoots.
 
Daniel J said:
If I were in your shoes right now (which I was about 2 years ago) Digital Juice (djtv) would be a goldmine. Well it is still pretty helpful to me even though I am past most of the beginner qs.

I would also check out Ryan Walters Indie blog. He is doing cinematography work: http://www.ryanewalters.com/ (under the indi hd blog)
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Thanks for the plug Dan, much appreciated. :)

As for what to do to get better / learn more, you can watch movies- which is VERY helpful as it shows you what is being done. The only think that I do not like about that approach is that it doesn't tell you why they did it that way. If the DVD is fortunate enough to have an audio commentary by the DP, listen to it and soak up as much as you can.

For me, knowing why something is done a particular way is more important then knowing how something was done. If you know the answer to the "why" question you will be able to know what works for the project you are working on and what doesn't. You will know when you can break the rules, create your own rules, or when you should follow the rules. Mimicing the look and style of another cinematographer will help you figure out the how to do things. But once you learn the why's you'll be abel to better express your own creativity, and develop your own style.

So how do you find out the "why's"? There are three basic approaches (and various modifications of these.).

1. Go to Film School. Find a program that you like and work as hard as you possibly can, soak up as much information as you can, and practice your craft as much as you can.

2. Intern / volunteer. Get a job doing anything at a local production company. Do whatever you can to build relationships with the people there in order to get more exposure to the film world. Hopefully, through your contact / relationships, you will be able to learn more about the craft. (Although it is hard to learn in the midst of a hectic production.)

3. Read, watch, create. Read as much as you can covering all types of art- painting, photography, cinematography, design, color, and more. If you do not have a subscription to The American Cinematographer - get one (www.theasc.com). Thye have a tone of great articles in there. I also have started a list of books that I have found very helpful in my endeavors- you can find that on my web site under the resources page. I once hear it said that "Leaders are Readers" and I think that is very true. The more you read- especially in the different areas of art, the more you'll see why choices are made they way they are. Watch movies, both old and new, domestic and foreign. Go to the art gallery and study paintings, and other mediums of art. The more you see the wider vocabulary you'll have in the expression of your work. And it is a good place to get ideas on the use of light, composition etc. And finally, create. No artist ever got any better by reading and watching others only- eventually they had to get out and do it. The more you practice, the better you will get- if you evaluate your work and figure out what worked and what didn't.

Anyway, all of these options have worked for different people, but no matter which one, or a variation of one you choose, it will require lots of work and effort on your part. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. :)
 
Ryan E. Walters said:
3. Read, watch, create. Read as much as you can covering all types of art- painting, photography, cinematography, design, color, and more. If you do not have a subscription to The American Cinematographer - get one (www.theasc.com). Thye have a tone of great articles in there. I also have started a list of books that I have found very helpful in my endeavors- you can find that on my web site under the resources page. I once hear it said that "Leaders are Readers" and I think that is very true. The more you read- especially in the different areas of art, the more you'll see why choices are made they way they are. Watch movies, both old and new, domestic and foreign. Go to the art gallery and study paintings, and other mediums of art. The more you see the wider vocabulary you'll have in the expression of your work. And it is a good place to get ideas on the use of light, composition etc. And finally, create. No artist ever got any better by reading and watching others only- eventually they had to get out and do it. The more you practice, the better you will get- if you evaluate your work and figure out what worked and what didn't.

Anyway, all of these options have worked for different people, but no matter which one, or a variation of one you choose, it will require lots of work and effort on your part. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. :)
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Well said. This is the route that I have taken over the last 3 or so years. I have really enjoyed doing it this way. You have to keep a fire lit under you own backside at times since the deadlines aren't always there to do it for you.

Watching movies (and BTS) is a nice start. I also like the Hollywood Camera Work DVD's (pricey, but full of info to get you started).
 
Perhaps the best place to start with is "American Society of Cinimatographers". There they have some free magazine to start with. One of them is about great cinematography achieved in some finest hollywood movie productions ... From there you may get an idea of how a critically acclaimed cinematography may look like ... You need to watch those movies and playaround with various color correction techniques ... I hope this helps ...
 
Personally - I think one of the best and fastest ways to learn how to shoot is to start editing. Editing forces you to examine what you've shot, and helps you learn to gauge what you actually have versus what you thought you got. Through editing you'll quickly realize what you DIDN'T shoot that you really needed in order to have the scene properly covered - and it will also show you what you shot that was unneeded.

Editing will not help you with the aspects of an individual shot - but it will help you to see how your shots play together. It will quickly teach you what is needed for sufficient coverage, proper compositions, light matching, etc.

The prettiest shots in the world don't mean anything if they don't cut together.
I'm not saying you have to become an editor...but just that sitting down to edit will really force you to look at what you have.
Do that for a little while and you'll learn much faster than simply going out and shooting hundreds of hours of footage.

Just my 2 cents.
:thumbsup:
 
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