How To Become A Great Cinematographer
A cinematographer is an integral part of filming a movie or television show. They work with directors to bring their vision to life, ensuring that every shot looks professional and beautiful.
A director will give you a scene with people for example, and your job as a cinematography artist is to create a way to shoot it so it feels natural and authentic.
You may be asked to do this for a feature film, a TV series, a documentary, or even a short! The position comes with many opportunities.
The more advanced you are in the craft, the higher your pay-scale can be. However, being a good cameraman does not depend on having special effects equipment nor do they get paid much unless they own some camera gear themselves.
It’s all about telling a story effectively through editing and using practical production styles to achieve that. This article will go into greater detail.
Be friendly
As mentioned before, cinematography is a very artistic field that requires you to be passionate about filming and editing films or television shows. But beyond that, it takes having a good eye for detail and being able to organize and use your skills effectively to pull off great shots.
As such, this career option isn’t necessarily limited to those with an art degree or professional training. While both are helpful, anyone can become a successful cinematographer!
All it takes is putting in the effort to learn how to light correctly, understand camera angles, and apply basic film-making techniques to make sure everything looks nice and fluid.
With all of these fundamentals under your belt, then you can start looking at more advanced ways to develop your craft. This could mean experimenting with different equipment, technology or mediums to create new styles. Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at directing!
Overall, don’t underestimate the value of a well designed shot! There are many things we take for granted when we see them but there’s a reason they’re beautiful and interesting. A good cinematographer knows why something works and uses it to enhance their work.
There are plenty of opportunities out there for creative people who love shooting videos and still images. If you’re interested in becoming a part of the growing cinema industry, now is the time to begin preparing yourself.
Communicate well
As mentioned before, being able to communicate with other people is an integral part of working in the film industry. This includes talking to crew members, directors, producers, and others around the office or outside of work.
It also means communicating with other cinematographers about their ideas and how they feel about things. When you are passionate and confident in what you’re saying, this will help everyone else come to you for advice rather than the other way around.
Your colleagues and superiors will look up to you and trust your judgement, if you show that you know what you're doing. You can even pick their brains to see what works and doesn't work for them and get some tips from them!
In addition to educating yourself, attending as many filmmaking events as possible is a great way to meet like-minded individuals. Many filmmakers hold screenings for new films, attend festivals, and organize online forums and chat rooms, so why not hop onto one and join the conversation?
On top of all of these, most large studios have at least one group that consists of aspiring professional cameramen/women. If there isn't one already, start one! By having a community where you feel comfortable sharing your knowledge and experiences, it'll be a lot more supportive.
Be a good listener
A cinematographer’s success depends heavily on their ability to listen. You will be surrounded by people all day, every day - so it is important that you are a productive listener.
This includes listening to colleagues, clients, and superiors. It also means actively listening to other members of the film crew when they talk about things such as their job or personal life.
By being a good listener, you show respect for others and establish strong relationships which can lead to career opportunities later.
Furthermore, being a good listener helps you in your work since professionals who are able to relate to others feel more comfortable talking to anyone. This includes asking questions and seeking input from them!
Generalizations often apply here but not always. Some people may prefer to speak only about themselves or about very specific topics, but if you are willing to put up with this, then these individuals are probably not too tough of friends.
If you want to advance in your career, you have to develop friendships with everyone. Because your job will take you everywhere, you will meet many people.
Hopefully you will find some great allies there, but you must learn how to effectively interact with everyone else. At least for now!
Your success in the movie business comes down to three main factors: talent, leadership, and networking.
Talent cannot be learned; it is either present or it is not.
Be aware of your environment
As a cinematography student, you will need to be familiar with all areas of photography. This includes things like photoshoots, video editing, filming, and developing pictures or films in general.
If you are ever hired as an assistant, there is no better way to learn about being a professional than by watching what types of jobs their master has done before.
Their past work can show you some of the techniques they used and how they paid homage to the art form by studying who inspired them.
This article will go more into detail on some important parts of becoming a cinematographer.
Get to know your cast and crew
As mentioned before, being a cinematographer means spending lots of time in front of the camera! But what most people do not realize is that beyond filming a scene, there are other things you can be asked to do as a cinematographer.
Some more involved jobs include taking pictures for production or marketing documents, writing shot lists, helping with gaffer tapes (the handle used to cover lights) and light meters, editing film into final projects, and even doing the color correction or grading of films.
All these roles depend heavily on who your colleagues are around the department, how well organized they are, and if they have any experience working under a cinematographer.
Look at the whole scene
As mentioned earlier, cinematography is more than just filming pretty shots. While there may be times when creating a beautiful or interesting shot is the main focus, it is not the only part of the job.
The most important part of cinematography is actually looking into the camera! This is referred to as establishing off-camera eye contact, also known as direct engagement.
This is very important because it gives your audience member or subject some sense of connection with the person shooting the film or video. It creates an intimate setting that makes them feel relaxed and able to tell their story without worry.
Furthermore, this helps convey trust between you and your subject which can help create deeper conversations. More importantly, it raises self-confidence for anyone who has trouble feeling comfortable in front of a camera.
When talking about establishing off-camera eye contact, what kind of looks are needed depends on the context of the footage. For example, if the setting is personal then natural, soft glances will work best. If it’s professional then something sharper like a look directly into the lens will fit better.
There are many ways to learn how to establish off-camera eye contact, so do not hesitate to search out tutorials online or take some classes.
Be consistent
As mentioned before, being a cinematography professional means having a career that does not end when your filming project does! Being in the industry is constantly changing- there are always new tools being introduced, new techniques being explored, and most of all, different ways to apply our craft to stories.
As such, constant education is key if you want to remain at the top of your game. Whether it’s attending a filmmaking conference, reading books or blogs about cinematography, joining camera clubs or other groups within the film community, or just talking with people around you who also love photography and cinema, there’s always something to learn.
Being a professional doesn’t mean only studying how to use certain gear, but rather using what you know to solve the next problem for the next movie.
Learn to use your camera equipment
As mentioned before, being a cinematography professional means more than just having a flashy light meter. You must be able to operate and manipulate all three of your cameras if you want to make it in this field.
That includes knowing how to use each one for different purposes. For example, most film productions will have at least two cameras that are used almost constantly throughout filming. These can easily be saved for later when needed because they’re pre-equipped with certain features.
This is not the case for digital cameras though, so keep that in mind! Luckily, there are many ways to get yourself up to speed quickly. Many schools offer courses focused on using DSLRs effectively, which can include settings, modes, and software.
There are also plenty of free resources available online or through friend groups who have tutorials and tips.