“I would travel down to hell and wrestle a film away from the devil if it was necessary.”
-Werner Herzog
Working on the short feature, ‘Unscripted’ among talented cinephiles, dexterous technicians, patient actors. passionate directors, well – rounded producers; All students of the form have been a wonderful learning outcome. Playing the role of a ‘camera and lighting technician’ on set has been one of the most amazing learning ‘practices’ I have ever had as I move forward, a step at a time hoping not to fumble and fall. A ‘camera and lighting technician’ hold responsibilities in separating ‘lights’ from ‘shadows’ creating ‘contrast’ and necessary ‘depth of field’ asked by the shot addressed under the willful direction of their Cinematographer/Director of Photography. On the set, the many responsibilities a technician had to focus on, was to have a thorough understanding of the script and help the DOP light up the scene with equipment and lighting setups for which the scene would play out most effectively in. Depending on the scene, a single light source or a combination was used. ‘Unscripted’ being a found footage horror film shot completely within a villa complex at different times during the day, was at times absurdly technical regarding lighting actors: all well-lit with their surroundings. And there was an immediacy in changing the setups in accordance with moodier and scarier shots-scenes that followed.
Roles of a ‘spot operator’ and a ‘poor man’s operator’ were all also performed by the department and many times acting as the gaffer and other roles that the shot required our assistance in. Importantly our work also concerns the safety of all crew members on set for the lighting and rigging of equipment can be heavy and frightfully very hot. The CCTV shots were setup using C-stands on a high level with a range of extensions from super matter clamps, gobo heads and magic arms which could be dangerous if an accident might occur. Not to mention the enormously wide Flatheads held upside on a combo stand. Furthermore, temperatures of redheads and the ARRI mixed would be a delightful replacement for barbequing on set. These safety concerns were important and were carried out with real awareness.
I followed strict patterns on set. Some of them being ‘Discipline: Being ready for any and all misfires and staying strictly professional’, ‘Technical tidiness: Having a strict idea on the placement of equipment, all arranged and sorted (From shot to shot)’, ‘Productivity: Being effective managers of time with lighting setups’ and ‘Communication: Being able to successfully coordinate with the Director and the Director of Photography to light up a scene’. Having worked on other minor productions with fellow students and occasionally succeeding – occasionally falling short, I have truly understood the guise under the word ‘Collaboration’. Collaboration means, “1. The action of working with someone to produce something.” / “2. The traitorous cooperation with an enemy” (Holden, 2007).
Having read the book, ’The Ideal Team Player’ the author speaks willingly on three super par aspects of being a team player ‘Humility’,’ Hunger’, ’Smarts’. Working on set could mean a systematic rowing match of a sailing ship heading to the same island to save everyone on board against the storm but solely through the combined efforts of every crew member on board under the requisite direction of their vessel’s captain. With such an understanding in place and in role, one has to do their best within the shortcomings of egotistic ideas and to make do with what is presented with dedication (Humility) and with an attitude to always learn from what is around you and be truly optimistic for no role can be shorter than the other with learning as the intention (Hunger) .But contradictions are a part of a Community, Society and individual identity itself and to tackle them on an hour to hour time frame during the making of a film is crucial to reach this island. Speaking freely when need be, lending assistance throughout production beyond the confines of your roles assigned, being specific in your questions, paying close attention to doubts, having to keep your directors, producers and DOP’s in a line of sight which benefits the film as a whole is a strategic play in all its merit (Smarts).
Having to put good use of technical artistry and the social nature of human behavior makes for a worthy learning experience in the making of a film whose scale is soothing to one’s position as a student in hopes that the scales may always heighten over time. And as a student of the form, learning more on the nature of light itself and its various effects on texture, skin and other settings would be of active interest in getting better in this role and also to have instinctive reactions to the choices in lenses for various shots and especially for close-ups of character with rounder face shapes and body styles would also be in favor of better learning. And most importantly, an aspect I need to learn over time is to smile more often as told by the many. And the many shall be obliged in time that follows.
“Filmmaking is a miracle of collaboration.” -James McAvoy
References
Holden, T. (2007). Film making. Blacklick, OH: McGraw-Hill.
Lencioni, P. (2016). The ideal team player: How to recognize and cultivate the three essential virtues: A leadership fable. Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley Brand.
sachins^love:_forfilm_<3 