Tips for better camera direction

[Agus Makkie]

by Chris Thomas

[e-mail]

1. Get A DoP and crew 

Even if you know a lot about cinematography, as a director you will need to maintain an overview of the film you are making, you will also need to be available to your cast and other heads of department. It helps if you have someone dedicated to helping you realise your ‘vision’ in terms of lighting, camera/lens choices, placement and movement.  A Lighting Cameraman is one option, but a far more liberating option is to team up with A Director Of Photography.

You don’t have to worry about finding and paying for  an already experienced Director Of Photography. There are many experienced  and talented Camera Operators out there looking for their first few DoP credits, they will be  amenable to low-to-no budget projects as long as the script is great and you are open to hearing their ideas.

Just take care selecting the right collaborator.  A DoP with an excellent CV and show-reel is great but, it's more important that you can work together. Have meetings and informal chats, watch relevant movies or clips together see how they respond to the material and you.  

Cinematographers are both technical and creative in outlook so bear in mind they will have ideas too. Listen to them and if in doubt, do what they suggest first and then if it does not convey the emotion and information you need, ask them to try your way. Its all down to finding the choice that best serves your film and not your ego.

2. Use Pre-Vis 
Now that we have so many affordable cameras with the ability to produce good images, we can easily re-create our basic camera set-ups and shoot a ‘pre-visualisation’ then edit it together on any editing software to see its impact. 

You can do this with your handi-cam or even your mobile phone. The new Flip camera is also a great way to play with your shot choices. A semi-pro DV/HDV camera will allow you to do things like rack focus and manipulate ‘depth of field’ but these are not essential to capture at the planning stage.

A storyboard is very helpful for planning complex action sequences and explaining how you see the scene ‘edit’ but moving pictures will always win out when communicating ‘the look and feel’ you are aiming for. 

3. ‘Reccy’ 
Get on location with your DoP or Camera OP. They will be able to think clearly about available light, the colour of walls floors, fixtures and fittings, the amount of room they have for the camera in terms of movement and placement. They will also look out for reflective surfaces such as windows, mirrors, picture frames and glass fronted cabinets that could potentially show the camera crew and you to the audience.

4. Think in Parallel
Think Edit - when planning your camera set-ups, try and think about how your set-ups will interact together. Eg: A tracking shot could also be reset to provide a reverse for your dialogue coverage.

Also if you are moving the camera to create energy, add a little movement into potentially ‘locked off’ ie static camera set-ups to ease the transition in the edit. These are the sort of things you do try in Pre-Vis, if in doubt try it out.

5. Coverage 
Shoot more of the scene from all set-ups, as long as there is action in the frame keep the camera rolling. This gives you more options and can often save the scene in the edit suite.

6. Close-Ups 
When we take the audience in close we are asking them to be very intimate with the character. On the big screen this can be ‘too’ much so that the audience mentally step back and therefore miss the message you wish to convey. Handle with Care.

7. Top and Tail 
Give yourself room to adjust pace in the edit by wherever appropriate rolling the camera earlier than you think you need and calling ‘CUT’ later. When you are about to cut just take a breath, count to three and then unless something great is happening call it.

8. Be Flexible 
If the shot is not working, don’t force it try something else. Don’t be a slave to your storyboard or shot list.

9. The Actor In The Frame 
Be aware of the impact on your actors performance when asking them to be very still or contort to ‘fill the frame’. Rather than ask for stillness, it is better to offer an internal thought or external point to focus on.

10. Content Over Style 
Remember unless you are shooting a random set of images to create an ‘artistic statement’ or show the latest Gangsta rapper in all his ‘bling’, what the audience are really looking for is emotion and information. Let your storytelling skills take precedence over reveling in the beauty of the image. If you can get both, then you are making movies.

[ari rusyadi]

keren!!