This is a pic sent to me by the Director of Defining Fay from his iPhone, hard work is directly proportionate to the amount of coffee drunk.
This is a pic sent to me by the Director of Defining Fay from his iPhone, hard work is directly proportionate to the amount of coffee drunk.
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This is a shot of the monitor used in Defining Fay, the short film I was Clapper Loader / 2nd AC on. I am holding the clapper board in shot and had to mark it up correctly for each shot.
Defining Fay - Day 2
Today I felt much more confident as I knew what I would be needing to do throughout the day, so the first thing I did was prepare the floor bag for the days shooting, making sure that all of the necessary markers, tape, pens, cables and the clapper board were near by, as well as silicon spray for use with tracks and canned air for cleaning lenses and the sensor in the Alexa.
One of the main parts of my job was to keep an eye on how long is left on the SXS cards we were using and make sure a free one is labeled and ready for when one runs out. The routine for me was to use red 1” camera tape to number each sxs card (going up through the production, so the second day started with number 12). As the card went into use, I took the red tape from the case and put it on the side of the Alexa, so that we knew which card was in the camera. I then wrote the corrosponding number down onto the slate so that it matched up within the edit and sealed the old SXS card in its case with its red tape (numbered) across the top. I then gave this to the producer who was acting as data wrangler to upload and re-format the card. With the ARRI Alexa shooting at 1080p (not its max quality) with its full 35mm sensor, each SXS card had around 13 minutes of recording time, which meant that I had to be ready to change cards reasonably often.
As this was a short film, the camera department also rigged up the dolly on tracks and jib, which I had never done before. The tracks came together nicely, with one straight set and one curved set. The tracks folded out and then were screwed together to make sure they were completely sturdy. We then sprayed the tracks down with silicon spray which acts as a lubricant for the dolly’s wheels meaning that the movement is as smooth as possible. For some of the tracking shots I hooked up the director’s monitor to the bottom of the dolly underneath the tri-pod which the Alexa was stood on so that the 1st AC could pull focus whilst the operator used the Alexa’s monitor for framing.
The shoot went very smoothly through the day, and the actors’ performances were great, especially during the most tense parts of the scene. The director (Sasha C. Damjanovski) made it very easy for me to ask if there was a change in shot for a new slate, as well as giving me an insight into his approach to film making, which is always great to learn from!
Over all, thanks to Matt Choules’ great teaching skills, and being slap bang in the middle of a great crew and cast, I learnt so much about being a 2nd AC and I think my massive incline in my learning curve will make me a much more useful asset on set from now on. It’s been a great weekend and I hope to work with these guys again soon!
The first AC kit I’ve purchased, very useful tape holder with 1” white camera tape and some white board and permanent markers. All this will attach to my belt / belt loop.
Defining Fay - Day 1
This weekend I am working as the 2nd Assistant Camera / Clapper Loader on the short film Defining Fay (check out http://orevfilms.tumblr.com/ for info on the film) which I am extremely excited about. Today started with me finding the location in an empty old warehouse type building in Hackney, London. After being introduced to everyone I had Matt Choules, the 1st AC/Focus Puller explaining what would happen during the day, which room we would be using to shoot in and what equipment I will need to keep near me.
I was given his large floor bag to move with the camera, as many tools I would need over the weekend were in here. I was also shown how to use the clapper board and properly taught how to call each shot. The basics are that the scene only gets called out for the first slate and take of that scene, for example we were shooting parts of scene 9 all weekend so I didn’t shout it more than once. Then the slate is changed everytime there is a change in shot, camera movement, new line or anything changed. The take is how many times that slate has been run. So before a shot I would should (e.g.) “Slate 32, take 3” and then either wait for the cam assistant to say ‘mark it’ or just clap it down if everybody else on set is quiet and ready.
Clapping the clapper board for the first time was quite an exciting feeling, especially as they are so iconic to cinema and it was my job to be the guy who shouts out what take it is! I found after a couple of times everybody started to get ready and silent for the shot so I could call the slate easily. I also learnt that when doing the slate you wait for the camera assistant / operator to say “cameras rolling / turning” and then the sound guys to say “sound speed” and at that point everybody should go quiet for your call.
My jobs also included keeping the director’s monitor on the go when the camera moves position, this is why having a floor bag was so useful for me, as my slate and anything else could go back in there anytime I needed to move the monitor, mark actors or get the lens box out for changes.
The week before the job I had purchased some 1” white camera tape, some masking tape, white board and permanent markers and a “Dirty Rigger” tape holder loop to hook onto my belt. These all came in extremely useful during the shoot, and I used allot of white camera (gaffa) tape. Having it attached to me meant that I was able to run in and mark actors quickly when needed, either with proper floor markers or little bits of white tape. I have now realised how important this gear is and will be looking to purchase a proper set wear belt, A/C / Loader pouch (for pens, torch, Leatherman etc), Leatherman multi tool and more pens and tapes (2” black, 2” white, 1” red, 1” yellow). These tools of the trade will hopefully make me allot more useful, and therefore lead to more jobs.
This is the Clapper Board I was in charge of during the shoot for the short film Defining Fay. I marked up scenes, slates, takes, rolls and dates correctly for each shot, and also called each shot before clapping.
Seconds From Disaster - Day 2
Today started with a very nice big breakfast! We were really well fed yesterday and today seems to be just as promising, definitely a perk of the job so far!
My first job was to check all of the batteries were full on the charger and bring a battery for each camera and the monitor from the house where the equipment was stored to the pavilion that was where the majority of todays shoot would take place.
As the scenes that were being shot today involved somebody mixing up poison and many of the Jonestown cult members taking it, the director wanted to use a lens baby for cut aways. This is a lens that creates a tilt-shift effect as the focus shifts from side to side, creating a squashed perspective for the viewer. To shoot with this lens the Director used a Canon 5DmkII. This was mainly used for alternate angles by the Director himself, however Gary Clarke (the DoP / Camera Operator) also shot with it for some scenes. During close ups of different cult members feeling ill I had to stand with a polystyrene board to reflect light onto the subjects.
I was also logging shots taken on the main camera (Sony F1) again today, which I had to fit around taking the camera off of the operator, unhooking sound and monitor cables and moving equipment for each shot. The timecode was shown on the back of the camera so it took a little while to get used to how to approach the operator without getting in the way.
It was important today that I was very clear with the other members of the camera department during any sort of lens changing or if I was unhooking the monitor or taking the weight of the camera for the operator. One of the main things was to ALWAYS say “Got it” or “Mine” when taking a lens, to avoid the person handing it to you thinking you have it before you do. This is extremely important with lenses as a box of lenses often costs far more than the camera.
Today we also took the van out of the farm down tracks into a patch of woodland to film an “escape from Jonestown” scene. This involved the camera van getting stuck in mud next to the location, and so we moved all of the equipment we needed out and walked it into the woods to shoot. I had a walkie so was in contact with the producers back at the farm who organised a tractor to come and pull the van out, as well as give us a lift back after finishing the short scene. For this the art department propped tropical plants and leaves of tropical plants in shot amongst the woodlands to make it look as if it were thick jungle. This worked extremely well, especially as the DoP was using a shallow depth of field on the actors, and so the detail of the trees in the background did not make it look like english woodland.
I learnt allot today about how to keep the area for camera equipment properly organised and what tools of the trade are needed near the camera, for example white and black camera (gaffa) tape and spare batteries.
After the shoot I helped pack away everything into the van and make sure all of the equipment was there and in the same condition it was in when first hired.
I also got some amazing contacts over the weekend, and hopefully will be able to work with both Darlow Smithson (production company) and the people from the camera department again. I have learnt allot about how to make myself useful within the camera department and how everything works on set. I feel this weekend has really inspired me to follow my career path within the camera department, and I hope to get more experience soon!
This is the Sony F3 with Matte Box, bars, follow focus, ND filter and 50mm lens. I was always next to this camera as I was logging the shots recorded on it and taking it off Gary Clarke after each shot. Everything was filmed hand held but we had some legs near by to put it on for resting and lens changes etc. It occurred to me how this seemed like a far superior version of a Sony EX3, a camera I was familiar with, as it has a very similar menu system and was easy to use. This camera has a full 35mm frame sensor, and so is perfect to use for HD broadcasting on TV.
This is the Panasonic Vericam that records HD onto tape and was used by James Tovell, the 2nd Camera Operator to get different angles from the main camera (Sony F3 used by Gary Clarke). He got some amazing shots on this, however I was mainly working with the other camera.
Seconds From Disaster - Day 1
Today was the first day of my two days working on ‘Seconds From Disaster’ for the National Geographic Channel. The production company (Darlow Smithson) had chosen Eastern Farmpark in Suffolk as the location, somewhere I had been as a child many times (as I grew up and still live 15 minutes away). It was strange to be back there, especially for a production, but was good to be able to drive in from my house near by. I got the work through my parents’ amateur dramatics society, who had been contacted for extras opportunities. I emailed the production assistant back asking if there was any crew running opportunities and they got back to say it would be great if I wanted to come along.
I was originally supposed to be a general runner for the production, and although I mentioned an interest in the camera department, I was happy to work within any aspect of the production. After being there for 15 minutes I was told that the camera department needed a runner, and so was instantly known as ‘Alex camera’ (as the producer was also called Alex). Working with the DP Gary Clarke and Camera Assistant/2nd Operator James Tovell was amazing, they both explained everything extremely well and were very easy to get on with. My jobs started with setting up a couple of simple lights (Keno and HMI) and organising the room where the camera equipment was kept.
For the first part of the shoot we were in a small room filming one person on the phone in an office and for this my main job was to make sure the director had a clear view of the monitor, so I would move this whenever needed, as well as keeping an eye on the batteries for the camera (Sony F3) and monitor. After the interior scene we started moving around the barn outside, shooting different angles and therefore moving all of the equipment depending on which angle we were shooting. From here my main jobs involved taking the camera off Gary Clarke after shots to let him rest and set up the next shot with the director, moving the monitor with the camera for the director and logging time code for each shot to help with the edit.
There was no clapperboard on this shoot as the Sony F3 records sound onto the card along with the footage, and so the sound technician / boom operator was plugged straight into the camera.
Towards the end of the first day I had got to see allot about how the camera department works, and really felt that I was a key part of it as much of the shoot would have taken allot longer if I had not been there within the department. I also got to see how they made Suffolk look like Central America, this mainly involved 15 - 20 tropical potted plants that were carefully placed in the background of each angle, and this actually looked extremely effective! We were also lucky enough to have a sunny day, but not a warm day, and so as actors took their coats off for the shot the art department would spray them with fake sweat, whilst we all stood with coffee and many layers! The actors and extras were total troopers!!
Tomorrow I will be working on a two-day shoot in Eastern, Suffolk, for National Geographic Channel’s ‘Seconds From Disaster’ series. It’s for reconstructions of the Jonestown Massacar in Guyana (we’ll see how they pull off East Anglia for Central America tomorrow!)
Hopefully will be assigned with the camera department.
Photos and update to come tomorrow!
This is the final edit to our ‘Word Puzzle’ coursework. We are extremely pleased with the outcome, and have been really excited by some of the feedback we’ve been getting! Please have a watch, and enjoy.
Tilt Shift Crackington Haven on Flickr.
These guys look a little more like miniature people which is good, slightly more effective!
My second attempt at Tilt Shift on Flickr.
My second attempt at tilt shift, using an old photo.
