Credits

[Dan Coplan]

I don't think that's legitimate. They didn't do the work, they don't get to use the shot on their reel. A reel is supposed to be representative of someone's work. If the DP didn't work on a particular shot, I don't see any justifiable reason to claim that work.

 

With regard to the main topic of discussion, I'm going to play devil's advocate here regarding "Steadicam Operator" vs. "Additional Steadicam Operator" vs. whatever other permutations.

 

In my eyes, the only point of a resume is to get work, not to claim territory, for lack of a better phrase. If I'm hired to do Steadicam, for example, it seems perfectly justifiable to me to put "Steadicam Operator" on the resume for that project whether it was a day or the whole show. I'm making no claims on the resume that I was THE Steadicam guy or that I filled in or whatever and honestly, who cares? "Did you work on XYZ as a Steadicam Op?" "Yes." Credit. If somebody asks me for specifics, of course I'm going to tell the truth - there's no way I'm going to take credit for any more than what I actually did, but a resume is simply to show prospective employers your work history so they can get an idea of your background and make a hiring decision based on that.

 

Obviously there's a difference of opinion out there, but if I work a whole show and someone steps in to back me up for a day or a week or whatever and they put "Steadicam Operator" on their resume, so long as I get my credit, I really don't care. Taking credit for someone else's shots, as Jess brought up, is one thing, but to simply confirm that you were hired in a particular position on a show is another.

 

Apparently production doesn't care either because how often do you see "Additional [fill in the blank]" in credits? Never.

 

Just watched a movie last night on which I filled in the last week of the show. Watched the credits wondering if my name would even be on there. I would have been OK with it if it hadn't because I wasn't there for the bulk of it, but sure enough, they saw fit to give me credit. Their call, not mine.

 

Dan "Fearing the Backlash" Coplan

[Brian Dzyak]

I try to be specific on my own resume as well as when I have to ask for a credit that it says "dayplayer" or "additional" if I wasn't the primary cameraman. If someone else has done the bulk of the work (whatever it is), it's only fair that they get the bulk of the credit. I like getting the credit when I do something and I assume others would appreciate the same courtesy.

 

Of course there's the issue of when others assign credit...or don't. I recently was hired to be the EPK Field Producer/Cameraman for the film WANTED, which shot in Prague and Chicago. The Unit Publicist (newbie) got a bug up her butt about the lines of responsibility and decided that I shouldn't have that title. When she questioned the woman back in LA who hired me, that Producer stabbed me in the back and has since lied to everyone around her that she hired me as a Field Producer. It's absolutely unbelievable (to a naive smalltown Ohioian like me) the level of unprofessionalism and downright maliciousness that goes on in this business. One would think that just going out, doing your job 110% would be enough to earn the proper respect and acknowledgment for the effort. Unfortunately, politics, ego, and petty greed seem to be the rule more than the exception.

 

So I've taken a lesson from this last episode that A) never ever to trust anyone again in that circumstance and B) to get everything in writing beforehand.

[Mike McGowan SOC]

It seems like were talking about 2 different things, resume lines and demo reels. The resume is about getting the job but it's also a reflection of your overall body of work. To list a credit that is misleading as to your actual position on the show in effect miss represents your overall body of work. I'm just saying that you do yourself a disservice by trying to 'boost' your resume. Also it's totally possible to sit down for a job interview some day and have the camera man read, 'steadicam operator' on whatever movie it is and say, "Oh, I liked that movie, I know (so and so the DP). I don't remember much steadicam in that movie, what shots did you do?". It sounds far fetched but this is a small business and you would be amazed at the 'coincidences' that occur.

 

As for second unit DP vs first unit DPs, the camera man is responsible for the overall look of the show. If you were the first unit director of photography, your name is credited as such. There would also usually be a credit for the second unit, underwater unit, areal unit, et. director of photography and each person is entitled to list that job on their resume. The first unit camera man has every right to list his name as the director of photography on a show even if half of the movie was car chases that he didn't shoot. He also has every right to put a cut scene on his reel that includes footage from another camera man's unit. The only thing that would be 'crossing the line' in that respect would be to include specific shots on his reel that were done by another camera man.

 

And take all that with a grain of salt as it's just my 2 cents.

 

mm.

[Dan Coplan]

> "Oh, I liked that movie, I know (so and so the DP). I don't remember much steadicam in that movie, what shots did you do?".

 

I agree and my prior point was that if I were on a show for a limited time and was thrown that question, I would answer honestly and have no problem doing so. I don't believe in misrepresenting oneself.

 

> "He also has every right to put a cut scene on his reel that includes footage from another camera man's unit."

 

I would have a problem with this. If I were watching a DP's reel, I would assume that the DP shot everything on there unless otherwise specified.

 

I suppose all this is a matter of perspective but it boils down to intention and integrity.

 

Dan

[Brian Dzyak]

I would have a problem with this. If I were watching a DP's reel, I would assume that the DP shot everything on there unless otherwise specified.

 

 

I see what you're saying and the intention is ok, but in the specific case of a Director of Photography, it isn't necessarily his job to "shoot" every shot in a movie. He is in charge of "directing the photography" which means instructing everyone involved .... camera dept, lighting, grip, VFX, etc .... on how the shot should be lit and photographed and that extends to instructing any additional units as well. It's his direction which guides the choices other "additional DPs" make. Everybody else who works for him has a specific function at a specific time and place, so it's easier to assign credit to Operators and Focus Pullers when specific shots are evaluated. With the way films are segmented and cut together, a single sequence may be the result of multiple units and multiple Camera departments as well as VFX and SFX units. Pulling a sequence like that apart to put on a reel for "my shots" could be excruciatingly tedious, if not impossible.

[Afton Grant]

With the way films are segmented and cut together, a single sequence may be the result of multiple units and multiple Camera departments as well as VFX and SFX units. Pulling a sequence like that apart to put on a reel for "my shots" could be excruciatingly tedious, if not impossible.

 

Case in point, which operator gets credit for the opening shot of "The Birdcage"? Scott Sakamoto stepped off the crane into the street, Rusty Geller shot the interior, I'm not sure who was responsible for the helicopter, but it's likely a third fellow. IMO, it's got a place on the reels of all three ops, and certainly the DP's as well.

[Dan Coplan]

Let's say you do 2nd unit DP work on a show but the show calls it B unit because they want to avoid bumping your rate and bringing in a DGA director. Do you give yourself the credit?

 

Dan

[Alfeo Dixon SOC]

Let's say you do 2nd unit DP work on a show but the show calls it B unit because they want to avoid bumping your rate and bringing in a DGA director. Do you give yourself the credit?

 

Dan

 

 

Yes. Not to argue what is 2nd unit DP work or not, we know when this is happening. Then inform your field rep for an audit. Let the rep "discover" the fact that they didn't properly report the work done. Producers are the only ones that benefit from understaffing a crew, they should pay.

 

Alfeo