Student Filmmakers - June 2008 - (Page 32) Production the basic respect people should be giving each other, but the respect that is earned after paying your dues. And of course, by shutting up and paying attention, you’re infinitely less likely to ruin a take because you just had to critique the DP’s choice of lighting. Mistake #5: Yank That Chain (Rope/Cable/Cord/ Tail) This will also likely happen to you at least once in your career. You see a rogue cable lying on the ground, seemingly in a bad place. You take it upon yourself to move said cable, but it’s stuck on something. So you pull a bit harder. Still it won’t budge. Ok, a little harder still. Finally the cable frees itself from its dank confines, and you dutifully coil it and stow it safely away, all the while oblivious to the fact that you’ve guy you save from the teetering C-Stand of Doom. knowing his place in the grand scheme of things, he began second guessing the Director of Photography. The DP held his tongue for most of the shoot, occasionally just pulled the power for the entire video village during the middle of a key scene. Oops. Aside from the fact that on most big budget films, you’d likely be breaking some union’s rules, it just seems silly to yank on anything you can’t see the end of. You’ll end up embarrassed, and more than likely some piece of expensive equipment will have just been smashed into a hundred twinkling pieces. Don’t be that guy. Mistake #4: Run Your Mouth Off In all walks of life, etiquette is a hot topic. For some reason, filmmakers can be tetchy people. Great people, but tetchy. Maybe it’s because of the high level of stress inherent in most film jobs. Perhaps it’s the insane amounts of caffeine consumed by cast and crew alike. Whatever the case, at some point in you’re career, you’re likely to step on someone’s toes who will make it known what a dolt you are for even thinking about opening your mouth. I once worked as a grip on a production where a recent film school grad was hired as a Production Assistant. Obviously not shooting looks of utter frustration at me and the other grip. At one point, the PA was bold enough to walk right up to the DP and start arguing with him about the camera setup! It was then that my grip buddy and I discreetly exited the set. Needless to say, I never saw that PA again. This is really about a few things. Most importantly, by not running your mouth, you’re more likely to be paying attention to everything that’s happening around you, and Keys (heads of the department) appreciate that. It means you care. It means you’re interested. It means you’re in the moment. Of course there’s some ego stroking going on, but it’s also about respect. Not just Mistake #6: Leave the Camera Running (or Vice Versa) Oh, we’ve all done this one, haven’t we? You think you’ve tapped that little red record button of death, and you walk away for your much needed cup of joe, only to 2 studentfilmmakers June 2008
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