I Was A Cinematographer - Understanding My Story
As you can probably tell, I was not always a photographer! That is, I did not start out as a professional shutter-bug. Before I made the transition into photography, I had another career - one that paid well at times, but mostly left me feeling stressed out and overwhelmed.
I worked in film production for several years, which included doing all of the very important things like lighting sets, directing actors, producing movies, and editing footage down to the last second.
It’s funny now when I think about it, because filmmaking is kind of what landed me here today. After filming my own wedding (which I will totally show you later!), I realized how much I loved taking pictures and developing stories through them.
And so, I made the switch. Now, I strive to be a good filmmaker by using my camera skills in storytelling and marketing ways. Plus, being able to say I once lived off of coffee and pizza means something 🙂
Here are some tips and tricks I have picked up along the way from other photographers who were once involved with filming.
I worked my way up to a job as a cinematographer
As a child, I was very into movies. I would always watch them, assess what parts I liked, and try to figure out how they were done. When I was in middle school, I even considered becoming an actor!
I loved action scenes and special effects so much that one day I decided to create my own!
My first experiment with this was capturing lightning in a jar. You can read about it here. Since then, I have been creating ever more elaborate stunts and special effect sequences.
A few years later, I had enough confidence in my skills to start filming myself! This is called self-filming or direct recording. It’s a lot easier than trying to capture someone else’s actions, and you don’t need a camera person to help you edit your footage.
Self-filming has become quite popular now. Many people do it for fun and/or education.
I first shot a movie
In May of 2014, I made my feature length directorial debut with “The Descent”. It was an interesting feat for someone who has worked as a cinematographer their entire life!
I had always wanted to direct ever since high school when I would make short films in our art class. My classmates gave me hard times being directed by me, but most praised the quality of my filmmaking skills.
Since then, I have continually refined my directing craft by studying other directors and attending more film festivals. Now that I have done it myself, I can say that it is definitely a talent you need to hone and bring out in yourself.
It takes a lot of work outside of filming to coordinate all aspects of a production. This includes writing, marketing, editing, and even producing if necessary. Luckily, there are many ways to help you along this career path.
This article will talk about some of the things non-filmmakers can do to help get started in the industry. Following your dreams and educating yourself about the field is one of the best routes to take.
I captured all the action scenes
As you can probably tell, my career as a filmmaker is not one that comes easily to me. I have never worked in an office setting; I always need some kind of creative outlet, so filmmaking is what I chose to do.
I started filming stories back when I was eight years old. My father gave me his Super 8 camera for Christmas when I turned ten, and ever since then I’ve been capturing moments through lenses.
When I was sixteen, he took me out to shoot a short film at night. We made it into the industry by pure chance - we were shooting a scene with two people walking down the street when someone came across our set and asked if we needed anyone to play a drunk person. We said yes, they paid us well, and here I am today!
It feels good to know that I got where I am due to my own talent and hard work. Sure, I had help along the way, but nothing worth anything happens without passion or effort from you.
I made sure everything was perfect
As a cinematographer, you are usually in the camera for an extended amount of time. This is your tool to tell your story through creating pictures that appeal to the eye. You as the artist have full control over every aspect of the film including gags, settings, storylines, and overall moods.
As a young filmmaker, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all there is to do. Plus, there is always someone else who wants something done a certain way so you are constantly second guessing yourself about what you should be doing next.
That isn’t a good thing when you are trying to achieve your goal which is to make a great movie. Having patience is key if you want to succeed beyond the initial stage.
It takes a lot longer than people think to become a successful cinematographer. Even though you may not feel like it at times, keep working hard and investing into the craft.
I paid attention to little details
As a child, I was very drawn to the arts. From painting and drawing all the way down to music, I enjoyed looking at and studying art forms from various angles. When I was in middle school, my classmates and I would gather together every Friday for an hour to watch movies and be inspired by what we saw.
We called ourselves the “cinematography club” because we chose one movie out of each genre as our topic. We would discuss how the cinematographers handled certain shots and whether or not they used too many filters while filming. Then we would compare those concepts with how it is done professionally today.
I learned a lot about camera work watching these films and applying those lessons to my own style. More than that, though, these students helped me identify myself as someone who loves the cinema.
Even if your dream is only to make feature length documentaries, you can start practicing your craft now. You do not need expensive equipment to film videos either.
I learned many tips
As mentioned earlier, being a cinematographer does not necessarily mean you will work in film or television. Many people learn how to be professional photographers who then hone their skills filming or editing videos or both. Being able to take good pictures is an excellent way to get your foot in the door as a filmmaker!
If you are already familiar with filmmaking, then moving into photography is another easy way to become a part of the cinema industry. The more areas of the art form you know, the better chance you have of getting hired!
There are several ways to begin taking photos for films. Some of these include:
Directing a scene with a natural light source
Shooting B-roll (onboard footage) or establishing shots
Taking candid photographs during production days
Inviting members of the cast and crew to take some personal stills
Many times, filmmakers ask those interested to do this if they see any potential talent. A lot of people enjoy taking pictures so having someone invite them can win you new job opportunities!
Whatever method you choose to use, make sure to develop your photojournalistic style while keeping it artistic.
I became an expert cinematographer
As mentioned earlier, working as a professional cinematographer is not easy. It takes a lot of effort to hone your craft and launch yourself into it. But if you are willing to put in the work, then people will notice your talent and skill set.
Most aspiring cinematographers do not understand the process behind creating a movie’s visual style. They may know how to use certain camera settings or software like Adobe Photoshop, but they don’t know about light balance, color theory, or any other fundamental concepts that play important roles in filming.
It’s difficult to tell whether someone who claims to be a filmmaker has actually made films before unless they show their skills by shooting a short clip or two. More likely though, is that person doesn’t have much experience using lighting equipment either.
I know what qualities I want my movies to have because I spent years studying filmmaking. Even more importantly, I studied cinematic grammar so that I can identify those qualities for myself and others.
I started taking my talent to the next level
As you can probably tell, I loved making videos and films! It was something that I have always been passionate about since childhood. When I would make short movies as a kid, people would ask me if I knew how to do it so I would just keep doing it!
At one stage, I actually made a film with all of my friends which got picked up by a company called YouTube. This allowed us to create our own channel and we are still actively working together to this day! We rebranded ourselves as The Team Coco Channel and now we have our own show too - The Greg Davies Podcast!
I kept developing my craft more and more until I realized that I could really pursue it as a career. Now, almost every minute of my life is spent filming or editing video content!
It has totally changed what I consider important in my life and helped me establish myself as an artist.