What should I be doing to prep for a film? Equipment Wise? Conceptually?
Conceptually, read the script, read it again, and read it again. If it’s a music video, learn that song by heart so you know every beat of it. If it’s a dance number, see if you can watch rehearsals. Anything you can do to familiarize yourself with the “script”. Not much to do for a commercial there, maybe go out and buy things?
IMDB the director, DP, anyone else you will be working with and see if you know people in common. Info before you get on set always helps.
Actors - if someone I know has worked with them i’ll check in. Are they concerned about how they look, do they wnat you to be involved, be quiet, don’t ever call them by their character name. While I’ll wait to meet them and try to build from there, having some intel ahead of time never hurts.
Camera prep, if you get it, is super important. Have the ACs set up your camera for camera, build for steadicam, ronin, zeegee, anything you might be using. Show them your gadgets and doodads and ask them if they wnat to hold on to them for easy grabbing. Assume you will not have a single minute once the show starts to adjust so get everything done then. Set your eyepiece, set your diopters, check the monitors and digital eyepieces for lag (listen to the podcast with Peter Rosenfeld to learn more).
Bottom line is, be set to hit the ground running. You won’t have any time once the show starts and this is your time to do everything you can to be ready.
I’ve never thought to do that! I’ve asked about other crew but never actors. I suppose it’s best to form your own opinion of them.
I don’t contact operators about actors, directors, or DPs before starting a show. Everyone is different, and has a unique energy to them - another operator might have a different approach to dealing with actors than I do, and that may cause a reaction (good or bad) that I might never encounter. I prefer to go into a project assuming the best and make adjustments as needed, rather than have a preconceived notion about someone before meeting them.
Sometimes, rumors can precede an actor, director, or DP, and in those cases, if I’m aware of it, I’ll file that information away and use if and when needed. There is every type of personality in filmmaking, and you will encounter all of them. Sometimes people get a bad wrap because they are going through a tough spell in their off-the-set life, sometimes they have a bad day on set, and sometimes, they are just miserable people – the person another operator encountered on a previous project may not be the same person I deal with on my next show – for me it is better to give the person the benefit of the doubt instead of worrying that they might be a handful.
The first thing I do before a project starts is read the script, and make mental notes. I talk with the DP about the look and how they are planning to achieve it, and the key 1st AC about what cameras we are using, and see what gear of mine (heads/monitor/EasyRig/etc) I can add to the order as a rental. I'll always have a conversation with the other operator and make sure I know what they are thinking, and any concerns they might have - I want to make sure we are on the same page heading into the project.
I always go to the prep, and make sure everything on my camera is set up the way I like it – especially handheld, which can be a disaster if nobody’s thought about it until a handheld shot comes up. As soon as a crew list is available, I’ll start the task of memorizing the names of key people I don’t know, and look at the credits of people I’ll be working closely with to try and see what kind of experience they have.
