What You Need To Become A Great Cinematographer
As we all know, television has become a major source of entertainment for most people. Shows like The Office, How to Train Your Dragon, Supernatural, and many more are packed with incredible cinematography that make them so entertaining to watch.
Television shows often times have very in-depth stories that require some form of narration or dialogue to tell you what’s happening. This can sometimes get kind of boring if the camera is not doing anything special.
Having good lighting, framing, and attention to detail is important when filming TV shows. Beyond just looking pretty, great shot lists add interest to a show by creating a sense of flow and narrative.
Equipment needed for cinematography
While not every filmmaker needs to be professional, taking pictures of TV shows or films is definitely something that most people should try at least once in their filmmaking career.
Most large studios have production departments that handle filming and camera work, but if you are very passionate about photography and film, then this article can help get you started!
Here we will discuss all of the important pieces of equipment necessary to take good photos during a television show’s filming. We will also talk about some easy ways to make extra money with your photographic skills.
Plan your shot
As we have seen, filming is a very artistic process that requires you to plan out each individual scene and shoot style before actually doing so. This way, your movie does not feel like it was thrown together at the last minute!
When it comes down to it, cinematographers must be good planners. They have to think about all of the different components of a scene, as well as what angle they will need to film from, before ever rolling camera.
This way, the director doesn’t have to worry about things such as whether there are adequate natural light or artificial light sources, nor do they have to ask if their chosen camera lens is appropriate for the setting. The DP can also take time to brainstorm potential story beats and scenarios.
With enough planning, everything just kind of works out in the end.
Take your shot
As mentioned earlier, cinematographers are very creative people that enjoy using their artistic skills to express themselves through photography. They explore different styles and techniques to achieve this goal, which is why there are so many different types of cinematography.
There are two main reasons why most filmmakers choose to be a camera operator or a director of photography (DP). First, it’s just too expensive to be a filmmaker without at least having some knowledge of lighting, sound, and cameras. Second, being able to use a camera takes away all the stress that comes with directing an episode as a DP.
But even though you won’t get to direct a movie anytime soon, you can still learn a lot from experienced DPs! There are several ways to do this, such as by reading their blogs, watching their YouTube videos, and talking to them directly.
Luckily for you, we have gathered some helpful information here about one of the trickier jobs in filmmaking - cinematographer. So what are these tips? Read on to find out more!
Tip #1: Use A Manual Camera When Shooting Night Scenes
Many night scenes require very little light because they are mostly done at dusk or later when natural light is no longer usable. This is where a manual mode camera becomes really useful.
A manual camera allows you to control every aspect of the exposure including shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.
Edit your film
After you take your movie into editing, the next important part of cinematography is to edit your movies! The editor will take our already cut scenes and blend them together to make the story flow more naturally.
They will also be changing the speed at which the scene goes by, adding or taking away shots, and even cutting out whole parts that are not needed anymore. All of these changes create an effect, helping tell the story.
Their edits give the viewer time to form an opinion about what is happening in the scene, and how much they trust the characters involved. An example would be when Tony gets into the car after Ann has just told him she loves him.
The audience knows he probably does not love her back but she makes it very clear she wants to be with him so there is no surprise when he agrees to go along with it. It shows his lack of self-confidence and this can be seen as interesting.
Your filming styles and camera angles play a big role in what the editors choose for your movie. They may want to change something because they do not like your style or they could find another angle they prefer.
Overall, the better you know your craft the easier it will be for other people to work with you and help promote your career.
Touch up your photo
The second way to take better pictures is by touching up or editing your photos! This can be done in any software, such as Photoshop, Lightroom, photoshop mobile, etc.
Many people start taking more interesting pictures when they realize how much you can do with Photoshop. There are many ways to edit and improve upon already good pictures.
By adding special effects, changing the focus, and doing overall picture edits, we call this technique retouching.
Retouching includes things like cutting off someone’s legs, cropping the image, and replacing or removing items such as logos or decorations.
These changes can be very subtle so it does not hurt the image too much.
Make the perfect shot
When it comes to you TV show cinematographers, there are several things they have to offer! They typically work under very rigorous deadlines so their skills must be first-rate and constant maintenance is needed at times.
They may have to look for unique ways to capture an interesting scene or element of the episode. Many people start as amateur camera operators who hone their craft while filming TV shows.
The more you watch TV, the more you will notice how artistic some of the lighting and videography is. This is due to professional cameramen having special training in photography and video recording techniques.
When someone calls you about a job, try to assess if these basics are already covered or if something needs to be trained. If so, great! But don’t worry, this isn’t too difficult unless you really feel that you can’t do anything else.
There are many resources available online and through your local film school or studio. Most contain free content you can access or cost very little to view. There are also lots of YouTube videos with helpful tips and tricks from experienced professionals.
General concepts like light painting, silhouettes, atmospheric backgrounds and panning and tilting across a subject all play important roles in creating beautiful shots. The best way to learn is by doing!
You might not get paid for your efforts but you will definitely gain experience and confidence.
Studio settings
Another important setting is the studio where your show takes place. This includes locations like buildings, outdoor spaces, or even rooms with a good amount of light!
As you can probably guess, filming in studios requires a lot more equipment than just a camera.
Studio lights, green screen sets, dollies (rolling cameras), cranes, and other similar gadgets are needed to make sure the footage looks professional and seamless.
These things cost money, which may not be easy to have unless you are rich or know people who are wealthy! That’s why it is very helpful to start practicing your TV cinematographer skills as early as possible.
Exterior locations
For many TV shows, having an appropriate outdoor location is more important than finding a new room or area inside the house. This is because most of the show takes place outside!
Most television shows have at least one exterior scene where something significant happens. This could be for example, when someone gets hit by a car, when someone finds out they are being fired, or when a villain attacks someone.
These types of scenes usually take up around half of the whole movie so it makes sense to invest in good landscaping or light designing to make them look great.
Landscapes can really emphasize how dramatic the situation is and add some mystery to what’s happening. It also gives you more opportunities to do things like use long lenses or even crane shots if needed.
Interiors sometimes limit what you can do with lighting and decorations, but nature is never wrong! Planting a story along with your settings always adds depth.
Your best bet is to ask a professional photographer or cinematographer about their favorite filming styles and environments to get ideas.