Biggest Challenges of film making

As both a cameraman AND director (at the same time), I would say that your biggest challenge would be to block scenes, coach the actors, move the camera, light the scene, and monitor audio all at the same time. This is too much for one person to handle. Either your camera work will suffer, or directing your actors will suffer. You are spreading yourself far too thin. Unless you have a LOT of experience, mistakes will be made. You should seriously consider getting (at very least) a camera person...don't forget the audio. Your shoot will go quicker, quality will go up, and mistakes will be minimized with an extra person or two...or several. Learn to delegate.

On my very first feature film as both a director/cameraman, I had so much to do as a director that I didn't realize that my camera had actually run out of film...I shot a whole scene without film. No kidding. Had I hired a cameraman, he would have caught that stupid mistake. I was too busy to notice. True story.
 
On my very first feature film as both a director/cameraman, I had so much to do as a director that I didn't realize that my camera had actually run out of film...I shot a whole scene without film. No kidding. Had I hired a cameraman, he would have caught that stupid mistake. I was too busy to notice. True story.

A good DP, as I have recently experienced, knows that they are a Director themselves. The camera/lighting/grip department all seems to work together with one force under them, while the Actors/Script/Wardrobe/Sound works with the main Director.

Having that DP is crucial it seems for a smooth running set.
 
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