YOU AND YOUR DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY (DP)
Finding Your DP
Your working relationship with the DP will be one of the most crucial relationships you develop in preproduction and production. So let’s look at what you need to know about finding and collaborating with your DP.
First Things First … the DP’s Job
The DP, or cinematographer, is the director’s right hand and chief collaborator in developing the visual language for the story being produced. The DP is responsible for all decisions surrounding the photographic world—the lighting, lens choice, filtration, camera support, camera movement, and choice of acquisition medium.
The DP collaborates with the director and production designer and also manages several departments on the set. The DP is directly in charge of the camera department, which includes camera operators, 1st assistants, 2nd assistants, loaders/data managers, and the digital imaging technician (DIT). And through collaboration with the gaffer (or chief lighting technician) and the key grip, the DP oversees those departments as well. It’s not uncommon for a DP to have five members of each department on a single camera show, and more when shooting with multiple cameras.
Many DPs also consider the onset dresser, onset painter, and stand-ins (or 2nd team) a part of their team as well. These team members work intimately with the DP during the blocking and lighting stages of each shot, and their attention to detail is integral to the DP’s ability to give accurate time estimates to the assistant director (AD) and to execute the best versions of the shots on the schedule.
What to Look for in a DP
There is no catch-all version of a cinematographer, just as there is no cookie-cutter director, screenwriter, or actor. There is, however, a set of skills that any professional cinematographer has as a given:
•Extensive knowledge of acquisition media, lenses, lighting, and camera support
•The ability and discipline to break down a script based on character arcs, conflict, and emotional subtext
•Great management skills
•A desire to design the most story-appropriate visual style, not just the “prettiest”
Ideally, a cinematographer will also have the ability to wrap him-or herself around a project, intimately understanding the emotional lives of the characters in a script. All the while, the cinematographer must be able to synthesize those elements with the very real concerns of scheduling, budget limitations, and crew management challenges.
When interviewing and ultimately choosing a DP to collaborate with, you’ll certainly consider the DP’s resume and the visual style of past work, but you’ll likely want to look beyond those elements. What if you find a DP who has beautiful-looking work, but your film calls for something more gritty and vérité? Or what if you find someone who has shot a film that you respect, but you’ve read horror stories about that person’s attitude and lack of willingness to collaborate? Will this person’s potential value be worth the risk if he or she proves uncollaborative and forces a look on your movie that isn’t right?
In my opinion, the answer is no.
Because the relationship between you and your DP is of such a personal and intimate nature, to be successful you’ll need to have a deep level of trust and comfort. Sure, you’ll probably be able to work through personality or creative issues, but why start out with such a hindrance? Why not set yourself up for success and team with a DP that you feel comfortable with—a DP who understands your story and characters and has a passionate opinion about the visual style of the movie?
Remember, the DP isn’t your camera operator or your “yes” man/woman. Your DP is your right hand and sounding board when it comes to designing a compelling and story-appropriate visual approach to your movie. Find someone who has thoughtful and respectful questions for you. And when your DP presents ideas that differ from yours, you’ll want to thoughtfully and respectfully consider them because you know the DP has the best interests of the film in mind, not simply a “cool shot” for his or her reel.
Every director and every DP has a different approach to designing the look of a film. Many (including me) find it helpful to establish a “look book” with visual references to begin conversations about the look and feel of particular sections of the movie. These may include still photos, magazine tear sheets, famous pieces of art, stills from other films, or even paint swatches (although to be fair, the latter is usually under the production designer’s purview). With any of these references, we’re looking to establish contrast (difference) or affinity (similarity) of visual elements like color, movement, line, and shape, to name a few.
Want more information on just what the DP is doing? Check out Bruce Block’s book, The Visual Story: Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV and Digital Media, 2nd Edition (Focal Press, 2007).
How to Collaborate With Your DP
I have a mantra that I repeat to myself on every job and also in the classroom with my students. This is from the DP’s perspective, but I think you’ll find that it also applies to the director.
Be Nimble, and Be Humble
Remove ego and personal opinion from creative conversations. Try beginning with, “The story wants …” or “It feels like …” or “The audience might like to see …” rather than “I think …” or “In my opinion …”
Strive to Work With People Who Are Better at Their Job Than You Are at Their Job
I do this when hiring my keys (camera operators, key 1st assistant, gaffer, and key grip), and I often use them as sounding boards for story decisions and technical decisions. I find that by seeking their input, they feel more invested in our movie and take ownership.
Listen More Than You Talk
I often have my camera operator, gaffer, or key grip approach me with an idea for how to visualize a given script moment. While I don’t automatically institute their approach, there are definitely times when their idea is worth bringing to the director.
It’s Okay Not to Have All the Answers
Not knowing an answer doesn’t mean that you’re not prepared, and admitting as much doesn’t make you a fraud or an amateur. In fact, when I don’t have an immediate answer, I find that the director and my crew appreciate those moments of humility. What if I put my foot down instead, or voiced a hasty, unconsidered opinion that may hurt the movie? Sometimes we all need a minute to think. Take yours.
Now that you know what to look for in a DP as your key visual collaborator, it’s time to discuss what you can expect from your DP and what your DP will expect from you.
YOU AND YOUR DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY (DP)
Working With Your DP
►By David Landau
A good director knows, trusts, and values that everything the DP does is in service to the story and the director’s vision. Since the DP also runs the shooting crew of the camera department, electrics, grips, and set decorators, he or she will work with the director, assistant director, and line producer to make sure the film is done on time and on budget.
Let’s examine how you will work with your DP both in preproduction and production.
In Preproduction …
I have a saying for the work involved in preproduction: “Planning everything is everything.” Before shooting begins, the director spends days going over the script with the DP to create a shot list. Together, they scout the locations and discuss camera placement and other ideas for the shoot. For many productions, another scout will look for locations closer to when the shoot begins. Based on the scouts and the shot list, the DP will hire the camera crew, gaffer, and key grip, as well as determine all the equipment needed.
After the script is broken down and the production manager and AD create a shooting schedule, the director shares the stripboards with the DP. (Stripboards include color-coded information about each scene, such as scene number, day, and number of pages.) The DP will give input into how to make the shoot move faster and be more economical. Here’s an example: I recently shot a feature film, and the production manager had catered the schedule to the actors’ schedules rather than to lighting. There were several days scheduled in the same kitchen, with both day and night scenes on each day. So I met with the AD and got the director and production manager on the phone as we reworked the schedule so that once we’d blacked out and lit for night, we could shoot all the night kitchen scenes in a row.
This often happens with the production scheduling software, so the director consults the DP to see if they need to rework the schedule for logistics. Also, based on the scout, the DP will have a better idea of how long each scene will take to light, which will help the AD in planning how many shots they can actually complete in one day.
In Production …
Once shooting begins, the most important thing to remember when working with a DP is this: Block, light, rehearse, adjust, and shoot. I once worked on a low-budget feature where the director would take the cast aside, leaving me with the gaffer, grip, and camera operators to guess where the action would take place. No DP can light and set frame on an empty set. The director and actors would come back and then walk through blocking that was impossible to light or shoot. So we had to readjust it all to camera. This greatly slowed down production, pushing us over schedule on the first day, the second day, and on down the line.
In a dramatic piece, a good director understands and is dedicated to blocking every scene to the camera. It’s not a documentary where the camera hunts for the shot and hopes to catch something usable. A good director works with the DP to compose the blocking so that the camera and lighting help tell the story. That can only happen when the director works with the actors to set the blocking first.
As the DP lights, the actors and director can depart to discuss the scene, rehearse, and get into make-up and costume. Once the DP is finished with the lighting, the actors and director come back and rehearse for the camera, allowing the camera assistants to set marks on the floor and get their focus marks. If the shot isn’t in focus, it’s unusable.
A good director recognizes that camera crews have to be able to do their job, and they need appropriate time (and respect!) to do it. After the actors run through a rehearsal, there may be some adjustments to blocking or lights, and this will require new focus marks, allowing the camera assistants more time to make the required adjustments.
Think again before allowing actors to improve their blocking and move wherever they “feel” the character should move. Remember that you’re blocking the scene for what works best for the camera, and not for the actor. This is what experienced actors want, too. They want to know what lens at what angle will be getting how much of them. Remember: Block, light, rehearse, adjust, and shoot.
Directing Two Cameras
Shooting with two cameras has become the norm. It makes the day more productive and the shoot go faster, so long as it’s done right. Otherwise, it can make things incredibly slow and make the imagery suffer greatly.
When shooting reality TV and TV news magazines, the cameras are often at cross-angles so they can capture both people in a conversation at the same time. This kind of shooting makes the lighting and camera framing extremely restricted. In dramatic content, DPs usually place cameras along the same angle, one shooting wide and the other close-up. Usually, they place the cameras up to 30 degrees apart, allowing the lighting and framing to become more artistic and unencumbered. At times, the DPs might place one camera at a 90-degree angle to the other, but only when the blocking, lighting, and set decorations allows for this—otherwise, there will be matching problems when editing. A successful, good director understands this and works within the best possible imagery methods.
How to Collaborate With Your DP
Here are my tips for a successful collaboration with your DP.
Good, Fast, or Cheap? Pick Two!
It’s not just true in filmmaking but in life in general. You can’t have it all. Do you want good, fast, or cheap? You can only have two. Don’t forget that there’s no such thing as a quick shot. Every good shot requires lighting adjustments and focus marks. Sometimes, the DP may need to adjust very little, but the director should never expect or rely on this.
A good director always keeps in mind that the entire crew is working hard to make the film or show the best it can possibly be, and they need time to do it right. A DP can’t easily change a shot in the last minute. Part of being professional and gaining the respect of the crew and cast is deciding what will work best for the story and committing to it.
Remember, You’re the Director
Don’t get caught up in the worry that the DP is directing when he or she shouldn’t be. The DP is just setting the shots. Camera framing and placement isn’t directing. It’s the DP’s job to pick the lens, set the frame, and show it to the director for approval—based on the scouts and the shot list. This allows the director to work with the actors, which is the director’s most important job.
Here’s something else the director is responsible for: the shots he or she needs for the edit. This includes close-up shots on specific lines, cutaways, and how the scene will visually end and transition into the next scene. Coverage is the director’s job, not the DP’s—although the DP will often help by suggesting shots that might be valuable in the edit. Good directors take good suggestions from wherever they come from.
Say “Thank You”
One of the most important things a good director does is give credit where credit is due. I was the key gaffer and location lighting designer on the show Project Runway Allstars, and I was very impressed with how the director, Michael Pearlman, worked with the crew. After every scene, he would tell us how great the footage was and he’d thank us. We loved working for Michael Pearlman, so we all went above and beyond to make sure everything was as good as it could possibly be for him. That’s what helps make a successful director.
DAVID WALDMAN is a “format agnostic” cinematographer who has twice been honored with the International Cinematographers Guild Emerging Cinematographer Award. His work spans a variety of genres, including television commercials for clients such as McDonald’s, Ricoh, Ford, and JustFab, and he has DPed two Superbowl spots. His work on feature films includes additional cinematography on Hot Tub Time Machine II and Max, and he’s worked on documentaries like the Emmy Award-winning Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickels Project (additional cinematography) and It Might Get Loud (camera operator). His work in television includes shows like Entourage (camera operator), Big Love (camera operator), Head Case (DP), and Children’s Hospital (2nd Unit DP). Waldman is responsible for the look of TEDTalks, serving as the Director of Photography since 2008. In addition to a busy shooting career, he’s an Assistant Professor in the Department of Film at University of Nevada at Las Vegas.
David Waldman
Photo by James Duncan Davidson
DAVID LANDAU has over thirty years of professional camera and lighting experience, working on feature films, television, sitcoms, game shows, commercials, documentaries, industrial videos, music videos, and direct-to-consumer DVDs. Landau is Professor of Lighting and Cinematography at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he created the cinematography track of study. Landau continues to work in the lighting industry, shooting low-budget features and corporate videos, and most recently working as the location lighting director and key gaffer on the TV series Project Runway Allstars. Landau is a five-time Telly Award winner for lighting and cinematography, a member of IATSE Local 52 (as a gaffer), and author of Lighting for Cinematography: A Practical Guide to the Art and Craft of Lighting for the Moving Image (Bloomsbury Press) and the forthcoming Film Noir Production: A Whodunit of the Classic American Mystery Film (Routledge).
David Landau
Photo by Dan Landau, courtesy of Fairleigh Dickinson University