• Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.

DIR/DP/CO combo

Y

yummydonkey

How many of you guys share director/DP/camera op duties? How uncommon is it? Is that just too much to handle at once? I wonder if I should just focus on direction, but I also do like working with a camera.

Also, sorry if this is another oft-asked question: is there a good analysis + instruction resource for lighting? It's definitely one of my weakest area ( among other weak areas ) of expertise.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
A:

Did this all the time in college, not so much after. Depends on your goals. In the indie world, do what it takes to get it done. It might mean you are Director, DoP, CamOp, Editor, Writer, Producer, Marketing Team, Craft Service, H/MU/W, Art Department, Legal, Location Scout, and Distributor (among any other job you can think of).

In the "career crew" world, stick to your department because you are who you know, and people get to know you in a specific role. Meaning if someone meets you as boom op on a paid gig, chances are they are going to think of you as a boom op. Lateral shifts aren't lateral. Example: If you make a steady living as a production mixer, and want to get into camera operating you'll start near the bottom again. You'll have a head start in things like understanding a set, contacts to get you work, etc - but you won't go from pulling a full rate as a mixer to pulling a full rate as an operator without climbing the ladder again.

Others may disagree with this, but if your goal is to be a writer, then write. If your goal is to be a producer, then produce. If your goal is to be a director, then chances are you have to do all of it to get enough work made that people will bring you on solely to direct. If your goal is to be a DoP, a steadicam operator, a production mixer, a set designer, or whatever - then focus on those areas in terms of your practice, work, and networking.

B:

Literally hundreds. Books, DVD series, this forum, Google, and so on.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
imho everyone should have their specific role and no other duties so they can concentrate on their job. But in indie filmaking, more often than not everyone is doing multiple jobs at once.

to answer your specific question about being director, dp and cam op at the same time, it not uncommon at all.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
That's good to hear. I was debating whether I should try to hire DP + sound for my first short, or just do it myself w/ friends with my own equipment. I guess it would be good to use the opportunity to practice different craft.... to get general idea of all the different craft, instead of straight delegation.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It might take a bit of pressure off you to have someone else doing sound, but I think for your first film that being director, DoP and editor can teach you a huge amount about filmmaking. Essentially, those three positions (even if all fulfilled by the same person) are the only roles that are completely necessary in every film.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It's not uncommon at all, and some benefit to it, but I don't do it personally. I just direct.

A lot of this has to do with being 45 years old and not making my first film until 43. I have no idea how to operate a camera. I could certainly learn. I'm a still photographer, but I don't have the time to devote to learning that, same for sound, same for lights. Just learning my craft as director, and knowing what I want, and why, and learning to communicate that to others is a big enough task.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
yummydonkey said:
How many of you guys share director/DP/camera op duties? How uncommon is it? Is that just too much to handle at once? I wonder if I should just focus on direction, but I also do like working with a camera.

Also, sorry if this is another oft-asked question: is there a good analysis + instruction resource for lighting? It's definitely one of my weakest area ( among other weak areas ) of expertise.
Click to expand...

In my experience, at the zero-budget level, this is quite common, in fact, normal.

Yes, it is too much to handle at once. Directing and camera-op don't really conflict with each other too much. DP and camera-op don't really conflict with each other too much. In my opinion, however, directing and DP-ing definitely conflict with each other.

Both of their jobs are supposed to be done at the same time. How are you supposed to set up lights, while working with your talent? Unless you have unlimited time, something is going to suffer.

I see too many low-budget shorts that look gorgeous, but just don't feel right -- the acting is off, the timing, the pacing, I dunno, something is off. Ladies and gentlemen, the director has left the building.

I've chosen the opposite. On my ultra-low-budget production, I chose to spend my time working with the actors, and I feel like we got some damn fine results. However, I won't be winning any awards for cinematography, to say the least.

So, take your pick:

A: focus on directing, cinematography be damned
B: focus on cinematography, let the actors direct themselves
C: be Superman, and somehow do both, even though nobody else ever does, successfully
D: find someone talented to work with, to take one of the loads off your shoulder

By the way, you left one out -- producing.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
David.rhsc raised a lot of good points. I'm finding this one out the hard way, right now:

David.rhsc said:
In the "career crew" world, stick to your department because you are who you know, and people get to know you in a specific role.
Click to expand...

While it's quite easy to become competent at several fields, it's much more difficult to stand out (to other potential hirees) in one - unless that's all you do.

While I am not a professional (yet, lol) filmmaker, I have done a fair amount of work. In all capacities. I've learned what I'm good at, what I'm bad at, and will take on new challenges to see how I handle new jobs. What I don't have is consistency, or a substantial track record, in any one of those many fields. It's scattered all over the place.

This is very interesting thread, actually. It's not so much "what" you know - but how to manage the marketing of ones' self.

Focus focus focus. :)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Gonzo_Entertainment said:
It's not uncommon at all, and some benefit to it, but I don't do it personally. I just direct.

A lot of this has to do with being 45 years old and not making my first film until 43. I have no idea how to operate a camera. I could certainly learn. I'm a still photographer, but I don't have the time to devote to learning that, same for sound, same for lights. Just learning my craft as director, and knowing what I want, and why, and learning to communicate that to others is a big enough task.
Click to expand...

Hey Gonzo - good for you! Nice to see old dogs like us can learn new tricks (I'm 41 and started this crazy adventure 2 years ago :))
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ageis/Gonzo: Cheers to the new tricks for old dogs! I'm a couple years behind you gents (37), but right there with ya!

I apologize in advance for the tangent, but it looks like this discussion might help people too. In this post I am strictly speaking for those who are trying to develop a career in some sort of crew position for film/video/television. Take your chosen title/department and substitute as necessary. In the "no-budget, self-financed and distributed, often 1 man band" world of film-making some of this doesn't quite apply.

Zensteve said:
This is very interesting thread, actually. It's not so much "what" you know - but how to manage the marketing of ones' self.

Focus focus focus. :)
Click to expand...

Yup. Was and still sort of is a dilemma for me. A bit tangential to the actual question, but still relevant in some ways.

For example, my first freelance gig a couple years ago was as a production coordinator (promoted from key PA a couple of days into filming) on an ULB feature. I've sense migrated back to camera where I belong. I just got a note the other day via Linkdin from a young lady who was one of my PAs on that feature who still thinks I am working in the production department.

Even within departments it can be odd. I've read elsewhere online DPs who won't hire an AC (especially a 1st AC) who market themselves as a DP, Operator, AC, Loader, DIT, Colorist, Editor, (and so on). They want a 1AC who is a professional 1AC. Not someone looking over their shoulder with goals of someday being their competition. Granted, I see those comments mostly from folks based in LA/NY and strictly as outliers. I've never personally worked for anyone with this attitude, but I try to stay conscious of it. To this day my cards only have my name, phone, and email address. I am thinking of simply adding the word "camera" at this point.

I've done a lot of work as an AC with some natural extension g/e stuff thrown into the mix, but my eventual goal is to work primarily as a DoP. In order to achieve this laser focus, I've temporarily set aside some of my other aspirations, like documentary. Now, a couple of years in, jobs are coming to me much more rapidly which means less of my time hustling to get them and more coin in my pocket. Hitting the territory these days where I hope to be doing (unpaid) DoP gigs to develop the reel when I'm not working on a crew. Same goes for shorter docs. I just got a call for a potential gig that should leave me good to go through the end of 2010 (including a second re-occurring one that will be in-season again in Dec.)

If that ends up being the case, I can spend less time networking from the office (ie scouring the internet for work, sending emails to folks I know just to stay in touch, etc) and more time on my own side projects.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Cracker Funk said:
In my opinion, however, directing and DP-ing definitely conflict with each other.

Both of their jobs are supposed to be done at the same time. How are you supposed to set up lights, while working with your talent? Unless you have unlimited time, something is going to suffer.
Click to expand...

CF is exactly right! I've had to shoot every one of my films. I'm good at it, but HATE it for exactly the reason he stated: No time for the actors!!! It's incredibly frustrating for me AND for them, and their performances DO suffer, absolutely!

Current project, I had a DP for one weekend - it was HEAVEN! Then his TV series got picked up and he was gone. Aaargh! Never again will I do both (course, I've said that every time).

Don't know how Steven Soderbergh and Peter Hyams do it...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top