| Camera Introduction |  |
Applications
The camera department generally has the most prestige of any department on a shoot. That means that it often has the most people vying for positions, so people that want to work in camera will need to master a great amount of technical information to excel. While the director makes the executive decisions and works with the actors, camera’s responsibility is capturing the intention of the scene by “painting with light,” as it is famously described. The head position in the camera department is the Director of Photography (aka DP, DoP, or cinematographer) who must obtain the desired image through a careful balance of lenses, film speed, shutter speed, aperture, and light.
The information in this section of the book describes the creation of equipment used by the camera department, but contains very little technical information on specific cameras, camera accessories (lenses, French flags, etc.), or camera use. Cameras are precision equipment and are vastly different from model to model. Although tinkering with the internals of a camera is a time houred hobby, it’s beyond the scope of this book.
At the time of this writing, the camera world is going through an amazing upheaval. Digital cameras are storming the castle of traditional celluloid photography. Some filmmakers have embraced the new technology. Others testify that the technology is not mature enough to be taken seriously. Traditional camera manufacturers are addressing the digital challenge by upgrading and adding fantastic new features to existing cameras.
Any written book that provides extensive details of particular cameras will be quickly outdated in these turbulent times. Therefore, I have chosen to include little information concerning specific cameras. I’ve included some information on MiniDV techniques and DV cameras since this format is so popular and looks like it will be with us for quite a few years. It is also a very popular choice for guerilla filmmakers because of inexpense, widespread availability, and flexibility.
If you want to work in a professional camera department, be sure to purchase “The Camera Assistant’s Manual” by David E. Elkins (ISBN 0240804015). It provides essential technical information on cameras, film, camera magazines, and so on and is regularly updated to reflect the newest improvements and technical advances in camera equipment. This book provides a clear and concise introduction for someone learning camera as well as supplying all of the basic information needed to be a first or second AC. For a more complete survey of the camera world, consider picking up “The Camera Assistant: A Complete Professional Handbook” by Douglas C. Hart and Mary Mortimer (ISBN 0240800427).
Here are a few general suggestions for working in the camera department:
• Make sure your compressed air is made for camera applications Bottles of compressed air are used to clean camera mechanisms, lenses, and a variety of other items. On a professional set, every camera position below the DP carries a bottle for fast cleaning of camera components. Some compressed air will leave a slight residue when used on a surface. Check the bottle and avoid compressed air labeled not for use with camera mirrors or parts. Often compressed air bottles available in computer stores carry such a warning.
• Don’t take advice, test There is so much information that you must know in relation to cameras, exposure, mediums, etc. that it’s tempting to ask for advice in solving a problem and use that advice without proper testing. Older camera operators can become entrenched in a specific way of doing things and will sometimes pass on advice that, while tried-and-true in the past, has been outdated by technology or fashion. Although there is never enough time, make the time to test and verify advice you’ve received.
• Everyone starts at the bottom Camera magazine or mag loading, the lowest task in the camera department, is where nearly everyone starts. It’s tedious, boring, thankless, and yet the position demands a substantial amount of responsibility. On a professional film, no one starts as a camera operator because there is too much on the line if the operator fails. Recognize that if you don’t want to start at the bottom, you don’t want to do camera badly enough.