dino g
Well-known member
I was recently on a set with a camera from a rental house. (just by chance).
Typically, for the past 6 months, i am the one guy on set with a RED, the one guy that touches the camera and pays close attention to the details of the camera during the entire shoot. occasionally, a forward thinking AC or DP will learn how to format a card and insert themselves into the mix, but that sometimes has dire consequences, as the DP and AC are focused ultimately on other goals besides formating drives, so errors happen.
well on this particular job the AC told me that he had been trained on the camera and that he had done 4 jobs with it, so he doesn't need a DIT, he has a kid come out and be a DAM (digital asset manager).
IMHO, that may be fine for a student film or a pet project, but for a professional job where a production company is getting paid by a client or agency to shoot a spot or Music video or even worse a feature, personally after doing this as long as anyone, i disagree with that approach and ill tell you why.
yes the red camera is simple to use.
yes the red camera is very intuitive.
yes the red camera is easy to set up.
yes the images it allows you to create are exceptional, stunning, breath taking, like no other.
BUT, you have one shot at a perfect shot, the stars have aligned and everything is in place.
the lights, the camera, the actor, the director, the client, the monitors are all in place and engaged. the make up is on, the wardrobe has been fitted, the sticks have been slapped.
the director is paying attention to the performances
the DP is paying attention to the composition of the shot
the AC is paying attention to the focus. (period)
(side note, if you have not already figured it out, focus is very very important with this camera, softness comes quickly and if you are not paying absolute attention to it, you will loose it.)
in this guys example, the DAM is paying attention to whether or not A002_C003_080321.RDC is moved to drive 1, 2 & 3.
so whom is paying attention to the:
shutter speed of the camera
the f-stop
the histogram
the format (4k, 4k 2:1, 2k 16:9, 2k 2:1...)
the project frame rate
the actual frame rate
the color temperature
the client monitors
the zebras
the temperature of the camera
the sound levels on the camera
the record light on the camera
the clipping traffic signal
the dropped frames meter
the quality of the codec
the reel number
the camera letter
the media level
the battery level
the timecode sync
the timecode turning to red
the red post message
the actual temp of the body
and that is while you are rolling or just before you are rolling.
(and yes the first couple of things on this list the dp and 1st ac are paying attention to and are setting, but sometimes when formatting a card or setting a shutter or changing formats, buttons get pushed that did not mean to get pushed and settings change, that is why it is important to consistently look at the back of the camera to monitor what is happening - and the dp and 1st have other concerns when rolling)
when the media comes off the card.
is the "kid" DAM, doing a complete QC of all of the takes to make sure each take is:
playable
composed correctly
has no boom mic in the shot
is not clipped
has a balanced key-able green screen
cuts together nicely
is capable of being color corrected into the zone that the director and dp, client, agency had in mind or wanted
on and on and on
there are many many things to think about and this very small list, that i just wrote off the top of my head after 93 days on set with the camera and 50 spots, 6 music videos, 2 features, 10 short films, 5 continents and over 25 terabytes of content shot on CF cards, only scratches the surface of what is required of a true DIT/ Red Tech on set.
I am sorry but an AC can not pay attention to all of this and pull focus, change lenses, check his email on his iPhone, text his girlfriend, text the craft service girl, set the focus motor, add a filter, check the USC Score on his iPhone.....
1st AC is a full time job, it has not changed one bit since 35mm was shot, it requires a very seasoned professional that has been trained in the art of taking care of expensive equipment, making talented dp's and directors look good and watching the backs of the director and dp to make sure that everything they are supposed to do is done and helping them out when they make honest errors. the job revolves around them, if they drop a lens, the game is over, if they forget the focus motor cable, game over, if they miss focus, they do not work with that dp again.
so, pick your battles.
again, IMHO, a professional red shoot requires a dedicated 1st AC. and a separate dedicated DIT/Red Tech. now if that DIT/Red Tech is very good at his/her job; they can also act as the DAM, but if there are multiple cameras, or an inexperienced tech, you may need a DAM to help wrangle cards, transfer, correct and build timelines.
now i am sure there are going to be many of you out there that are going to scream bloody murder over this post and spout all day long about how your guys can do this or that how you as an owner operator are capable of this or that. i am not talking about a 5 man crew and a owner dp/director/producer production company owner using the camera.
i am talking about a professional job where you are hiring out your camera or you are renting a camera from a rental house and they try and convince you that you do not need a DIT. it is inexperience talking that says a DIT is not needed on set, that is just my opinion.
i look forward to debate.
Typically, for the past 6 months, i am the one guy on set with a RED, the one guy that touches the camera and pays close attention to the details of the camera during the entire shoot. occasionally, a forward thinking AC or DP will learn how to format a card and insert themselves into the mix, but that sometimes has dire consequences, as the DP and AC are focused ultimately on other goals besides formating drives, so errors happen.
well on this particular job the AC told me that he had been trained on the camera and that he had done 4 jobs with it, so he doesn't need a DIT, he has a kid come out and be a DAM (digital asset manager).
IMHO, that may be fine for a student film or a pet project, but for a professional job where a production company is getting paid by a client or agency to shoot a spot or Music video or even worse a feature, personally after doing this as long as anyone, i disagree with that approach and ill tell you why.
yes the red camera is simple to use.
yes the red camera is very intuitive.
yes the red camera is easy to set up.
yes the images it allows you to create are exceptional, stunning, breath taking, like no other.
BUT, you have one shot at a perfect shot, the stars have aligned and everything is in place.
the lights, the camera, the actor, the director, the client, the monitors are all in place and engaged. the make up is on, the wardrobe has been fitted, the sticks have been slapped.
the director is paying attention to the performances
the DP is paying attention to the composition of the shot
the AC is paying attention to the focus. (period)
(side note, if you have not already figured it out, focus is very very important with this camera, softness comes quickly and if you are not paying absolute attention to it, you will loose it.)
in this guys example, the DAM is paying attention to whether or not A002_C003_080321.RDC is moved to drive 1, 2 & 3.
so whom is paying attention to the:
shutter speed of the camera
the f-stop
the histogram
the format (4k, 4k 2:1, 2k 16:9, 2k 2:1...)
the project frame rate
the actual frame rate
the color temperature
the client monitors
the zebras
the temperature of the camera
the sound levels on the camera
the record light on the camera
the clipping traffic signal
the dropped frames meter
the quality of the codec
the reel number
the camera letter
the media level
the battery level
the timecode sync
the timecode turning to red
the red post message
the actual temp of the body
and that is while you are rolling or just before you are rolling.
(and yes the first couple of things on this list the dp and 1st ac are paying attention to and are setting, but sometimes when formatting a card or setting a shutter or changing formats, buttons get pushed that did not mean to get pushed and settings change, that is why it is important to consistently look at the back of the camera to monitor what is happening - and the dp and 1st have other concerns when rolling)
when the media comes off the card.
is the "kid" DAM, doing a complete QC of all of the takes to make sure each take is:
playable
composed correctly
has no boom mic in the shot
is not clipped
has a balanced key-able green screen
cuts together nicely
is capable of being color corrected into the zone that the director and dp, client, agency had in mind or wanted
on and on and on
there are many many things to think about and this very small list, that i just wrote off the top of my head after 93 days on set with the camera and 50 spots, 6 music videos, 2 features, 10 short films, 5 continents and over 25 terabytes of content shot on CF cards, only scratches the surface of what is required of a true DIT/ Red Tech on set.
I am sorry but an AC can not pay attention to all of this and pull focus, change lenses, check his email on his iPhone, text his girlfriend, text the craft service girl, set the focus motor, add a filter, check the USC Score on his iPhone.....
1st AC is a full time job, it has not changed one bit since 35mm was shot, it requires a very seasoned professional that has been trained in the art of taking care of expensive equipment, making talented dp's and directors look good and watching the backs of the director and dp to make sure that everything they are supposed to do is done and helping them out when they make honest errors. the job revolves around them, if they drop a lens, the game is over, if they forget the focus motor cable, game over, if they miss focus, they do not work with that dp again.
so, pick your battles.
again, IMHO, a professional red shoot requires a dedicated 1st AC. and a separate dedicated DIT/Red Tech. now if that DIT/Red Tech is very good at his/her job; they can also act as the DAM, but if there are multiple cameras, or an inexperienced tech, you may need a DAM to help wrangle cards, transfer, correct and build timelines.
now i am sure there are going to be many of you out there that are going to scream bloody murder over this post and spout all day long about how your guys can do this or that how you as an owner operator are capable of this or that. i am not talking about a 5 man crew and a owner dp/director/producer production company owner using the camera.
i am talking about a professional job where you are hiring out your camera or you are renting a camera from a rental house and they try and convince you that you do not need a DIT. it is inexperience talking that says a DIT is not needed on set, that is just my opinion.
i look forward to debate.
