Take the camera and Run

[Camaleon Cine]

Take the camera and Run

As happened to me quiet a few times lately (and I have the feeling it will keep on happening) I found myself in one of the shooting situation I dislike the most, which is when more or less suddenly the 1st AD tells me :”Put in that van everything you’re gonna need for the rest of the day, we’re moving to a new location which is an hour drive from here. Don’t forget anything, be fast and please… keep it simple!”. Of course I’m not speaking about situation where this was in the callsheet, in that case it is pretty easy to be prepared. I’m speaking of those times when a sudden change comes up (rain on location, new shooting plan, talent’s agenda variations and an awful long etc.) and we need to improvise, which is from my point of view one of the most important skills of a good AC.

I’m pretty sure that some of you came up quickly with an answer like :”Ask the DoP!” and even though it is logic, if life was so easy everybody could be a top notch assistant cameraman. Normally, when this kind of situations happens, there has been an important change in the order of the shots, so is pretty likely that the DoP has his hands full speaking with the gaffer and/or the best boy about the new situation, discussing with the director all kind of lighting issues etc. Of course the camera crew also will need confirmation from him, but is gonna be...

More info HERE

[Andrew Bradley]

These posts really bug me, there has been a few of them now (not sure if been all the same person) that keep trying to draw people away from the steadicam forum... Stop it, if you have a story to tell - keep it on the forum, in the community. Please.

 

Just my feeling, don't bite my head off;)

[Osvaldo Silvera SOC]

mine as well. Write it all out don't lead anyone to an outside site....and Use real names!

 

and an easy answer for the question is, Pack it all, no matter what the AD gripes about. cause if your caught without something thats "back at base" it's you that will go down, not the AD who was trying to hurry you up.

[Keith Wood]

I worked for a network affiliate which was being used as a test site for digital, so we got a lot of visiting bigwigs. Bigwigs like to show off by telling underlings what to do. They like to add urgency to the situation.

 

After one such incident, I pointed out to my station manager that the military solved this problem a long time ago. Generals don't give orders to privates, they go through the chain of command -- there is no doubt that A), the order is to be followed, and B), the person giving the order knows what will be needed to comply.

 

"Grab just what you need" = "load the truck" unless you know EXACTLY what and where the shot will be, how long it will take, and that anything you leave behind has been determined unnecessary by the person in authority.