Quick Tip: Accidentally Leave The Camera on a Frame You Like

There are going to be those jobs where someone - the director, the DP, another operator who is higher on the line then you are, crafty - is going to talk you into a frame that you don't like. Sometimes you can talk someone into something else and sometimes you can’t. Maybe you have been suggesting things all day and you are realizing it’s time to be quiet.

In those times, a handy tip can be to simply park the camera on the frame you like and leave it there. You can do this while they are lighting, after a take, whenever. The reason is simple. If you try and pitch it, they may or may not take you up on your idea (maybe they simply don't like anyone giving them ideas). But, if you happen to park the camera “accidentally’ on a frame and someone loves it, they get the credit for discovering it.

By the way, it’s worth mentioning that this is only in the case of minor corrections in framing. Clearly, you don't want to point it off set, at equipment, or at video village because people will start to scream that you never told them the gear was in.

A simple effective way to lose the battle, but win the war.