Director of Photography - part 2

As promised this is the second blog by Director of Photography Nicola Daley.

In her workshop with Signals BFI Academy students in November 2013 Nicola talked about the creative role of the DoP in visually interpreting and enhancing the script, and provided practical advice in a lighting workshop.


Here Nicola shows just what is means to be a DoP and provides a daunting list of the responsibilities of the Cinematographer.  I think this blog gives us clarity in to the role and shows the need for individual responsibility, creativity and vision along-side a respectful and co-operative team approach in creating the best possible film. She begins by quoting John Hora.

 (Photo of students from Nicola Daley's lighting workshop)

Definition of Cinematography

"Cinematography is a creative and interpretive process that culminates in the authorship of an original work of art rather than the simple recording of a physical event.

Cinematography is not a subcategory of photography. Rather, photography is but one craft that the cinematographer uses in addition to other physical, organizational, managerial, interpretive and image-manipulating techniques to effect one coherent process.

These visual images from the cinema, extending from conception and preproduction through post-production to the ultimate presentation and all processes that may affect these images, are the direct responsibility and interest of the cinematographer.

The image that the cinematographer brings to the screen come from the artistic vision, imagination and skill of the cinematographer as he or she works within a collaborative relationship with fellow artists."

John Hora, ASC

Cinematographer – ‘Gremlins’, ‘Honey I Blew up the Kids’, ‘The Howling’ and many more.

Responsibilities of the Cinematographer 

I. PreProduction

Conceptual Research and Design

- Discuss all aspects of script and director’s approach to picture in preliminary talks with director

- Analyze script as whole

- Analyze story structure

- Analyze characters

- Research period, events, general subject and appropriate design elements

- Devise style, visualize approach

- Continue talks with director on new ideas

- Come to agreement with director

- Discuss and come to agreement with production designer

- Discuss and research with technical advisor

Practical Research and Design

- Ascertain or find out budget requirements

- Scout and approve locations

- Plot sun position for location

- Check local weather

- Check tide tables near ocean

- Review, discuss and approve set plans

- Review, discuss and approve spotting plans for stages

- Review and approve props, picture cars, airplanes, boats, horse-drawn vehicles, mock-ups and miniatures

Technical Research and Design

- Visit laboratory to calibrate, customize and evaluate exposure system for any combination of electronic or chemical image capture; establish developing, printing, set timing and transfer protocols

- Visit equipment vendors

- Explore new equipment

- Learn how new equipment works

- Invent (or cause to be invented) special equipment or technique for show

- Standardize and create effects bible for show

- Help create and approve any storyboards

- Design (or cause to be designed) and approve any built-in or practical lighting fixture

- Design lighting-plot plan and rigging for stages and locations with gaffer and key grip

Quality Control

- Choose and approve crew, film stock, lab, equipment, second-unit and visual-effects crews

- Supervise manufacture and testing of new or modified equipment

- Visit sets under construction

- Approve wild walls, ceiling pieces and any moving set pieces

- Check lighting-fixtures crew

- Walk locations and stages with all departments to discuss requirements

- Approve set colors and textures

- Approve costume colors and textures

- Approve make-up and hair

- Generate (or cause to be generated) and approve equipment list for camera, electric and grip

- Check dailies screening rooms for correct standards

Implementation

- Cast stand-ins

- Train crew to use any new equipment

- Walk locations and stages with director and devise shooting plan

- Make list of special equipment for production manager and indicate number of days required

- Work with assistant director on shooting schedule (order of and days required for each scene)

- Estimate and order film stock (type, size, quantity)

- Generate (or cause to be generated) and approve rigging and shooting manpower and man-days

- Assist other departments in getting required equipment, manpower and tests

- Drop by all departments and visit department heads at least twice a day to answer any questions

- Mediate any problems between departments

- Check loading of production trucks or cargo containers for location or international shipping

- Visit cast run-through and rehearsals

- Advise and back up director on any problems

- Help producer or studio solve any production problems

Testing

- Shoot tests for style

- Shoot tests for lab

- Shoot tests for lighting of principal actors

- Shoot tests for camera and lenses

- Shoot tests for wardrobe and makeup

- Shoot tests for any special effects processes, unusual rigs, props or methods

II. Shooting (Production)

Planning

- Check and approve all call sheets and shooting order of the day’s work

Blocking

- Watch rehearsal of scene to be shot

- Devise shot list with director (coverage)

- Choose lens and composition, show to director for approval

- Make sure composition and movement fulfill scene task

- Work out mechanical problems with camera operator, assistant camera, dolly and crane grips

- Set any camera-movement cues

- Place stand-ins and rehearse, fine-tune

- Ensure proper coverage of scene for editor

- Work with assistant director on background action

Lighting

- Design lighting to show set/location to best advantage relative to story, style and dramatic content

- Light each actor to reinforce and reveal character

- Make sure mood and tone of light help tell story

- Design light for minimum reset between set-ups

- Utilize stand-by painter for control of highlights, shadows, aging, dusting down of sets and props

- Set and match light value, volume, color and contrast of each setup (exposure)

- Set any lighting cues (dimmers, spot lights, color changes and any pre-programming)

Preparation

- Work out any sound problems

- Work out any problems with other departments

- Check, set and approve all stunts with stunt coordinator

- Set any additional cameras required for stunts

- Double-check safety with all concerned

- Show shot to director to make any final changes

- Get actors in for final mechanical rehearsal; solve any outstanding problems

Photography

- Photograph scene

- Approve or correct take

- Check parameters and reset for next take

- Shoot any plates

- Shoot any video playback material

- Move to next setup

Administrative

- Define first setup in morning and after lunch

- Make sure stills are taken of scene

- See that “making of” and/or EPK crews get needed footage

- Make sure script supervisor has any special camera or lighting notes

- Check film raw stock inventory

- Try to shoot up short ends

- Check that camera log book is being kept up to date

- Complete day’s work

- Discuss first setup for the next day

- Ensure camera, electrical and grip crews get all copies of equipment rental or purchase invoices and approve before accountants pay vendors

- Take care of any future or ongoing production issues

- Answer any questions about future problems

- Visit production manager and producer at end of day

- Check for return of all unused equipment

Quality Control

- Call in for lab report

- View previous day’s work in projected dailies with director, producer, editor, camera crew

- Discuss and approve dailies

- Consult with makeup, wardrobe, production designer and assistant director about dailies

- View, discuss, correct or approve second-unit or effects dailies

- Order reprints if necessary

Training

- Teach beginning actors movie technique (hitting marks, size of frame, lenses, etc.)

- Train camera crew for next job up the ladder

Contingency

- If director is disabled, finish day’s shooting for him or her

III. PostProduction

Additional Photography

- Discuss and be aware of delivery dates for all postproduction

- Photograph and approve any additional scenes, inserts, special effects or second-unit footage

- Timing (Color and Density)

- Time and approve trailer for theaters and TV

- Approve all optical and digital effects composites

- Time the picture

- Retime until correct

Quality Control

- Approve final answer print

- Show to director for OK

- Approve interpositive (IP)

- Approve internegatives (IN)

- Approve release prints

- Approve show prints from original negative

- Approve all blowups or reductions

Telecine / Color Correction

- Supervise and approve film or digital transfer to electronic or film media (Hi-Def, NTSC, PAL, Secam masters, digital intermediates, archival masters, etc.)

- Supervise and approve all transfers to and from digital intermediates (DI)

- Supervise and approve all letterbox, pan and scan, or reformatting of film

- Supervise and approve tape-to-tape color correction and VHS, DVD, digital projection media, etc.

- Show electronic transfers to director for OK

Publicity

- Do any publicity (newspaper, magazine, Internet, radio, TV, DVD commentary, etc.)

Restoration / Archival

- Be available for any future reissue, archival reprint or electronic transfer of film.

Nicola Daley

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We are excited to hear that Nicola has been nominated for an AACTA (the Australian Academy of Cinema and TV Arts) award for 2014 - Best Cinematography in a Documentary 'I am a Girl'. Congratulations!

For more about Nicola's wonderful work see http://nicoladaley.com/

Director of Photography - Nicola Daley

Director of Photography Nicola Daley Shares some expert advice on the role and responsibilities of a DoP

www.imdb.com/name/nm1842630

We were lucky enough to have Nicola visit us at Signals in November and talk to our BFI Academy students about the role of a DoP.  She gave us some great insights and lots of information that would be useful for any filmmaker.  We wanted to share some of that information here.

This is great practical shooting guide - 

SETTING UP YOUR SHOT : WHAT TO THINK ABOUT (STEP BY STEP)

1. FRAMING & PERSPECTIVE

• What are you framing for, what is emotion behind the shot, is it a POV, who do we

empathise with, what height to eyeline should you be, what is function of the shot?

• Rule of Thirds (refer to painting and composition theory)

• Do you have too much head room or too little?

• Have you filled the frame with visual interest or is there empty space in frame?

• Have you used the THREE plains: Foreground, midground & background?

• Can you use movement either in camera or in blocking/performance?

• If you have camera movement – what is the camera motivated by to move?

• Eyeline – the closer you are to the actor eyeline the more involved audience is.

• Have you used Depth in your framing and perspective?

2. LIGHTING

• Three Point Lighting set up – KEY light, FILL light & BACK Light

• Look out for bad shadows – like Boom Poles, around eyes, or camera shadow

• Use light to BOUNCE & REFLECT as much as possible off walls or ceiling or

use either a reflector disc or some white cardboard (anything flat & white)

• Make sure there is DEFINTION in the lighting and not all FLAT

3. WHITE BALANCE

• On every camera there is a MANUAL set up function for setting White Balance

• Set your white balance up only IN the Lighting set up once ready to shoot

• Use Flat WHITE paper or card to pick up lighting and ZOOM camera so you get

a full frame of white, then press White Balance Auto Set up – make sure the

white looks white and all colours look correct and true to reality.

4. EXPOSURE

• On every camera is a MANUAL set up function for setting your exposure

• IF your subject is too bright or too dark, no colour or pixel info is recorded so you

must aim for a MEDIUM exposure - not too bright or too dark

• IF you want to darken or brighten it up – do it later in post

• Use the ZEBRA stripe setting to check if you are over exposed (too bright)

5. FOCUS

• On every camera is a MANUAL set up function for setting your Focus

• To know if you’re in focus on a subject: ZOOM into it as closely as possible, then

adjust your focus accurately and zoom back out to adjust your shot

• IF you have a lot of movement by your subject in shot – its best advised to stay

in AUTO FOCUS mode but be aware that camera’s use the most brightly lit part

of frame usually to auto focus on.

6. SOUND

• If you have DIALOGUE its best to use an External Microphone or a Radio Mic –

an external microphone needs to no less than 1m away from actors mouth

• Always use HEADPHONES to HEAR what the Camera is recording.

• IF you use an external microphone you must SET up the MENU accordingly so

the camera can read the microphone

• TEST your LEVELS by getting actor to rehearse lines at volume they will talk

• Use MANUAL AUDIO LEVELS to adjust the recording level – make sure the

level is just below the red peaking – DO NOT let the level be too LOW or PEAK

 

Nicola also talked about how to create meaning and through the camera in order to fully explore the intent of the film.  There will be more from Nicola here soon.

TEN THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT CHRISTMAS

While you're busy wrapping gifts and preparing to feast with family and friends, TIME brings you these bizarre Christmas facts to ponder.

A Very Merry Un-Birthday?

Contrary to popular belief, the Bible doesn't actually mention a specific date for Jesus' birth. In fact, most historians believe he was probably born in the spring, hence the Bible's description of shepherds herding animals. But in the 4th century, when the Catholic Church decided to recognize Jesus' birth as an official holiday, Pope Julius I chose December 25 for the Feast of the Nativity. That the date happened to coincide with the pagan festival known as Saturnalia must have been pure coincidence.



War on Christmas

Five months into the first World War, troops along the Western front took a Christmas Eve break from fighting to sing carols to one another across the battlefield. The following morning, German soldiers emerged from the trenches and began to approach Allied troops while calling out "Merry Christmas" in English. Luckily, it wasn't a trick; dozens of British fighters came out to greet them and shake hands, some even exchanging cigarettes as gifts. Later dubbed the Christmas Truce of 1914, it was one of the last examples of wartime chivalry.

Christmas in the Colonies

From 1659 to 1681, showcasing one's holiday spirit in Boston could cost you a fine of as much as five shillings. That's right — Christmas used to be illegal. It's somewhat surprising, then, that the same puritanical minds also created the first American batch of eggnog at Captain John Smith's 1607 Jamestown settlement. (The word nog comes from the word grog; that is, any drink made with rum.) Christmas was so inconsequential in early America that after the Revolutionary War, Congress didn't even bother taking the day off to celebrate the holiday, deciding instead to hold its first session on Christmas Day, 1789. It took almost a century for Congress to proclaim it a federal holiday.

Xmas Lit 101

The author best known for creating the Headless Horseman also created the iconic image of Santa flying in a sleigh. In his 1819 series of short stories The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, New York native Washington Irving described a dream in which St. Nicholas soared across the sky in a weightless wagon. The stories became so popular, they spawned a Christmas revival of sorts in the States, and even Charles Dickens is said to have credited Irving's work for inspiring his classic holiday tale A Christmas Carol.

What Advertising Hath Wrought

Like the Energizer Bunny, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer got his start as an advertising gimmick. A copywriter named Robert L. May first created the merry misfit in 1939 to lure shoppers into the Montgomery Ward department store. Frosty the Snowman and his famous corncob pipe couldn't escape the clutches of the advertising industry either; a whiskeymaker in 1890 used Frosty's likeness to showcase an entirely different kind of holiday cheer. Once Prohibition ended, the chain-smoking snowman quickly became the go-to guy for alcohol ads, appearing in posters for Miller beer, Jack Daniel's, Ballantine ale, Rheingold beer, Schlitz beer, Schenley, Oretel's lager beer, Chivas Regal scotch, Fort Pitt pale ale, Mount Whitney beer and Four Roses.

NASA's Christmas Sighting

In 1965 two astronauts on their way back to orbit spotted something in space they couldn't identify. Frantic, they radioed Mission Control. After several minutes of tense silence, engineers at Cape Canaveral began hearing the faint jingle of sleigh bells followed by a harmonica rendition of "Jingle Bells" ... played by none other than the two "frantic" astronauts. The men later donated the harmonica and bells to the National Museum of Space & Aeronautics in Washington, where they now sit on display.

Kiss Me; I'm Celtic

According to Celtic and Teutonic legend, mistletoe is magical — it can heal wounds, increase fertility, bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe didn't begin until the Victorian era, a surprising origin given the stuffy and sexually repressive behavior of the time. Actually, it's not very surprising at all.

O Tannenbaum!

Even before the arrival of Christianity, Germans decorated evergreen trees to brighten the dark, gloomy days of the winter solstice. The first "Christmas trees" appeared in Strasbourg in the 17th century and spread to Pennsylvania in the 1820s with the arrival of German immigrants. When Queen Victoria married Germany's Prince Albert in 1840, he brought the tradition to England. Eight years later, the first American newspaper ran a picture of the royal Christmas tree, and Americans outside Pennsylvania quickly followed suit.

Away in a Manger

Since the Great Depression, the Rockettes have shared Radio City Music Hall with live farm animals — from camels to donkeys to sheep — to stage a live nativity scene for its annual "Christmas Spectacular." But the world saw its first living nativity in 1224, when St. Francis of Assisi re-created the birth of Jesus to explain the holiday to his followers. During that first display, the manger was also used as an altar for Christmas Mass.

Feliz Navidad Around the World

Christmas traditions vary from culture to culture. Finns often visit saunas on Christmas Eve, while Portuguese revelers hold a feast on Christmas Day for the living and the dead (extra places are set for the souls of the deceased). In Greece, some believe that goblins called kallikantzeri run wild during the 12 days of Christmas, and most Greeks don't exchange presents until Jan. 1, St. Basil's Day. Thanks to their geographic location, most Australians and New Zealanders enjoy Christmas on the beach or at barbecues. Spain, meanwhile, hosts the world's largest lottery.

Signals Media Arts Centre has been the centre for independent filmmaking and media education in Essex for 25 years and is involved in a variety of community projects.

Visit our website www.signals.org.uk for more details.