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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

"110 Things I've Learned in Ten Years as a DP"

Hats off and glass raised, Ed.

The gif blog is great as well. Thank you for the laughs.
 
That's a very good piece, Ed. Much to learn from that for editors, directors, and colorists as well.
 
I came across this article a while ago, it was a really entertaining & informative read, as well as a source of confirmation on some things.
 
Nice one Ed :smile:
 
Some great thoughts
 
Ed, that was illuminating, so thank you very much. I'm going to link to your Medium piece on a photography forum, as I think a lot of that translates.

I do have a lot of comments and a few questions, if anyone wants to be bothered taking them:

Runners have a way of becoming producers and directors — be nice and stay in touch
Good point. I think we also need to be careful about our opinions, too, although we should not be coy about expressing them where appropriate.


You will mostly be offered work that’s similar to your existing credits. Dress for the job you want
Some actors and writers seem to be afraid of being typecast. But typecasting is a form of flattery. Running from it might slow their careers.


In both operating and lighting, avoid the tendency to do something just because you can.
I wish some directors and colourists would learn that!


Consider the average size of modern televisions when planning shot sizes
So in 2016, what is the average screen size, excluding the extremes?


The close-up loses much of its impact if repeated in every scene
The same with clever sounding dialogue. See 24, for instance. Mind you, there's not much a DP can do about that.


Resist the urge to sneak back and forth on a slider throughout a shot for no reason.
I recall a shot in an episode of True Blood where there was a back-and-forth focus pull. It was very self-conscious and distracting.


The differences between types of lenses are generally over-exaggerated. Don’t push for the really expensive set if it means sacrificing lighting
I’ve read a lot of discussion about lenses on this site and this is such good advice. There are some lenses which are very cheap but very good.


T1.3 lenses are very useful especially in tiny locations or with a minimal art department
Not enough DOF for my taste, but of course YMMV. Some directors want deep focus (recent example: The Revenant).


There’s nothing inherently magical about doing things in camera
From what I hear, doing something in the camera is preferred for practicality, and to save a lot of pointless busy-work in post.


When it comes to lighting, less is more
I’m sure that some would accuse me of being lazy, but I agree with this. ;-)


Very few shots wouldn’t benefit from some negative fill
When I saw the effects of negative fill, I was changed. It’s one of the most important ‘lights’ there is.


Never let maintaining lighting continuity force you into a mediocre shot
I remember looking closely at a pair of successive shots in an episode of Mad Men. You could tell that the close-up had negative fill, compared to the wide shot.


Master the Source 4.
So this makes honeycombs redundant, right?


Micromanaging your team is both counter-productive and awful for morale. Ask for a result, don’t spell out a method
I wish every retail manager in the world understood this!


Be wary of the conservatism and resistance to change inherent in much of the industry
From what I gather, the people who are afraid to try new things are producers and studio executives.
 
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