The Camera Assistant's Manual

David E. Elkins, SOC has over 25 years of professional experience as a Camera Operator and First Assistant Cameraman, working on feature films, television series, commercials, music videos, educational films, industrial films and much more. He is an active member of the International Cinematographers Guild Local 600 and Society of Camera Operators.

 
Preface xvii


Acknowledgments xxi


Introduction xxv


1 Basics of Cinematography 1


Film Formats 1


Single Perf or Double Perf 2


Videotape and Digital Shooting 4


Aspect Ratios 4


Shots and Composition 8


Film Stock 12


Emulsion 13


Base 13


Anti-halation Backing 14


Types of Film 14


Negative Film 14


Reversal Film 14


Film Speed 15


Sync Speed 16


Exposure Time 16


Exposure Meters 17


Color Temperature and Color Balance 19


The Camera 20


Gate 21


Intermittent Movement 21


Pull Down Claw 22


Registration Pin 22


Aperture Plate 23


Pressure Plate 23


Shutter 23


Shutter Angle 24


Inching Knob 25


Viewing System 26


Diopter Adjustment 26


The Lens 27


Primes and Zooms 28


F-stops and T-stops 28


Magazines 30


Motor 30


Batteries 30


Additional Camera Components 31


Sync and MOS 32


Filters 32


Conversion Filters 33


85 Filter 34


80 A Filter 34


Neutral Density Filters 34


Polarizing Filters 35


Combination Filters 35


Optical Flat 35


Diffusion Filters 36


Fog and Double Fog Filters 37


Low-Contrast Filters 38


Soft-Contrast Filters 38


Ultra-Contrast Filters 38


Coral Filters 38


Enhancing Filters 39


Graduated Filters 39


Diopters 39


Filter Manufacturers 40


Camera Mounts 40


Tripods and Spreader 40


High Hat/Low Hat 42


Tripod Heads 42


Fluid Head 42


Gear Head 43


Steadicam 44


Dolly 45


2 The Camera Department 48


Film Productions 48


Director of Photography 49


Preproduction 51


Production 52


Postproduction 52


Camera Operator 52


Preproduction 53


Production 53


First and Second Assistant Cameramen 54


First Assistant Cameraman (1st AC or Focus Puller) 54


Preproduction 54


Production 55


Postproduction 56


Second Assistant Cameraman (2nd AC or Clapper/Loader) 56


Preproduction 56


Production 57


Postproduction 58


Film Loader 58


Preproduction 58


Production 59


Digital Productions 59


Digital Imaging Technician (DIT) 60


Video Controller 60


Camera Utility 61


Digital Utility 62


Digital Loader/Data Manager 62


3 Camera Trainee and Camera Production Assistant (PA) 64


Preproduction 65


Working with the Film Laboratory 66


Obtaining Laboratory Supplies 66


Choosing and Ordering Expendables 66


Preparation of Camera Equipment 66


Preparation of Camera Truck 67


Production 67


Start-of-the-Day Procedures 67


Camera Reports 68


Recording Shot Information 69


Marking Actors 69


Slates and Slating 69


Changing Lenses, Filters, Magazines, and Accessories 70


Using a Video Tap and Monitor 70


Record Keeping and Filing of Paperwork 70


Packing Equipment 71


Tools and Accessories 71


Camera Trainee and PA Tips 71


4 Second Assistant Cameraman (2nd AC) and Film Loader 74


Preproduction 75


Working with the Film Laboratory 76


Obtaining Laboratory Supplies 77


Choosing and Ordering Expendables 78


Preparation of Camera Equipment 79


Preparation of Camera Truck 80


Preparation of Darkroom 81


Production 82


Start-of-the-Day Procedures 83


Setting Up the Camera 84


Organizing Equipment 85


Film Stocks 87


Film Stock Packaging Sizes 89


Camera Reports 90


Recording Shot Information 102


Magazines 104


Loading Magazines 106


Unloading Magazines 115


Using a Changing Bag or Changing Tent 119


Marking Actors and Camera Positions 122


Slates 127


Slating Procedures 132


Changing Lenses, Filters, and Magazines 137


Using a Video Tap and Monitor 140


Preparing Exposed Film for Delivery to the Lab 140


Shipping Film (Exposed and Unexposed) 144


Film, X-Rays, and Carrying Film on Planes 144


Ordering Additional Film Stock 145


Using Short Ends and Recans 147


Storage and Care of Motion Picture Film 148


Unexposed Film 148


Exposed Film 149


Film Inventory and Record of Film Shot 149


Completing Film Inventory Forms 152


Distribution of Reports 170


Record Keeping and Filing of Paperwork 170


Performing the Duties of First Assistant Cameraman 172


Packing Equipment 172


Tools and Accessories 173


2nd AC/Loader Tips 174


Resources 181


Postproduction 181


Wrapping Equipment 182


Working in Digital Video 182


Preproduction 183


Production 184


Setting Up the Camera 185


Camera Reports 185


Magazines 186


Marking Actors 187


Slates and Slating Procedures 187


Moving the Camera and Setting Up the Video Monitor 189


Preparing Media Cards and Hard Drives 189


Ordering Additional Media Cards 190


Storage and Care of Media Cards 190


Videotapes, X-Rays, and Magnetic Fields 190


Tools and Accessories 191


Postproduction 191


Wrapping Equipment 191


Review Checklist for Second Assistant Cameraman


(2nd AC or Clapper/Loader) 192


Preproduction 192


Production 192


Postproduction 193


Review Checklist for Film Loader (Loader) 194


Preproduction 194


Production 194


5 First Assistant Cameraman (1st AC) 195


Preproduction 195


Choosing Camera Equipment 196


Choosing and Ordering Expendables 196


Preparation of Camera Equipment 197


The Rental House 199


Camera Prep Checklist 202


Production 222


Start-of-the-Day Procedures 223


Loading and Unloading Film in the Camera 225


Keeping the Camera Clean 226


Oiling and Lubricating the Camera 226


Setting the Viewfinder Eyepiece 228


Lenses 233


Prime Lenses and Zoom Lenses 234


Checking for Lens Flares 237


Depth of Field 239


F-stops and T-stops 250


Changing Lenses, Filters, and Accessories 253


Focus Measurements and Following Focus 255


Getting Your Marks 261


Focusing Tips 263


Zoom Lens Moves 268


Shooting the Shot 269


Footage Readings 270


Checking the Gate 271


Moving the Camera 273


Performing the Duties of Second Assistant Cameraman 274


End-of-the-Day Procedures 275


Packing Equipment 275


The Walkaway 275


Tools and Accessories 276


Using Computers and Technology 277


1st AC/Focus Puller Tips 280


Resources 290


Postproduction 290


Wrapping Equipment 291


Working in Digital Video 291


Preproduction 292


Choosing and Ordering Expendables 293


The Rental House and Preparation of Camera Equipment 293


Production 293


Setting Up the Camera 294


Loading and Unloading Media Cards into the Digital Camera 295


Swapping Hard Drives 296


Lenses (Primes and Zooms) 296


Checking for Lens Flares 296


Focusing and Depth of Field 296


Moving the Camera 300


White Balancing 300


Tools and Accessories 300


Postproduction 301


Wrapping Equipment 301


Review Checklist for First Assistant Cameraman


(1st AC or Focus Puller) 301


Preproduction 301


Production 302


Postproduction 303


6 Problems and Troubleshooting 304


Camera Problems 306


Camera Will Not Run 306


Camera Does Not Stop When Switched to "Off" 308


Camera Starts and Stops Intermittently 308


Camera Stops While Filming 309


Camera Is Noisy 310


Shutter Does Not Spin (No Flicker Seen through the


Viewfinder) 311


Unable to Thread Film into the Gate Area 311


Camera Door Does Not Close 311


Film Jams in Camera 312


Film Rips or Has Torn Perforations 312


Film Loses Loop 312


Camera Does Not Run at Sync Speed 312


Viewing System Is Blacked Out 313


A Fuse Blows When Connecting Electrical Accessories 313


When Shooting a Television Monitor or


Computer Screen, a Roll Bar Moves through the Screen 314


Magazine Problems 314


Film Cones When Removing from Magazine 314


Film Does Not Take Up 315


Magazine Is Noisy 316


There Are Scratches on the Film 316


Lens-Related Problems 317


Lens Will Not Focus 317


Image Is Fogged When Looking through Viewfinder 319


Zoom Lens Motor Runs Erratically 319


Zoom Lens Does Not Zoom throughout


Its Entire Range of Focal Lengths 319


Lens Flares Are Seen When Looking through the Viewfinder 320


Unable to Adjust F-stop/T-stop 320


Battery Problems 321


Battery Loses Power 321


Battery Will Not Hold Charge 321


Video Assist Problems 321


Image on Video Monitor Is Out of Focus or Is Tilted to the Side 321


There Is No Image on Video Monitor 322


Tripod and Head Problems 322


Tripod Head Does Not Pan or Tilt 322


Tripod Legs Do Not Slide Up or Down 322


Weather and Environmental-Related Problems 323


Shooting in Extreme Cold Weather 323


Shooting in Extreme Heat 323


Filming in or Around Salt Water and Camera and


Magazine Fall into the Water 324


Color Balance/Filter Problems 324


Filters Don’t Fit in Matte Box 324


Shooting Outside Using Tungsten-Balanced Film


Without an 85 Filter 325


Shooting Inside with Tungsten Light Using Daylight-Balanced


Film Without an 80A Filter 325


Developed Image Problems 326


Projected Image Is Shaky or Unsteady 326


Projected Image Is Out of Focus 326


Projected Image Contains Spots or Lines 327


Image Is Not Aligned During the Video Transfer 328


Shooting in Foreign Countries 328


Shooting in Countries Using a Different Electrical System 328


Troubleshooting Tips 328


7 Film Cameras 330


Aaton A-Minima 331


Aaton Xterà and XTR-Prod 332


Aaton 35-III 333


Aaton Penelope 334


Arriflex 16 SR1, 16 SR2, and 16 SR3 335


Arriflex 416 336


Arriflex Arricam Lite (LT) 337


Arriflex Arricam Studio (ST) 340


Arriflex 235 342


Arriflex 535A and 535B 343


Arriflex 435 345


Arriflex 35BL3 and 35BL4 347


Arriflex 35-3 348


Arriflex 765 352


Moviecam Compact and Moviecam Super America 353


Moviecam SL 356


Panavision Panaflex 16 358


Panavision Panaflex Gold and GII 360


Panavision Panaflex Millennium and Millennium XL 362


Panavision Panaflex Platinum 364


Panavision Panastar II 366


Panavision Panaflex 65 367


Panavision 65 mm High Speed 369


Panavision 65 mm Handheld 371


Photo-Sonics Actionmaster 500 372


Photo-Sonics 1VN 373


Photo-Sonics 35-4B/4C 374


Photo-Sonics 35-4E/ER 376


Photo-Sonics 35-4ML 378


8 Before, During, and After the Job 379


Union or Non-Union 379


IATSE and Local 600 381


Joining the Union 382


Before the Job 386


The Résumé and Business Cards 387


Email and Web Sites 392


The Job Interview 393


The Deal Memo 396


During the Job 397


On-Set Etiquette 403


After the Job 404


Invoicing and Time Cards 404


The Next Job 409


Networking 410


The Freelance Filmmaker and Taxes 411


Appendix A Film Stock 419


Appendix B Equipment, Software, and Apps 422


Appendix C Camera Department Checklists,


Production Forms, and Labels 442


Appendix D Tools, Accessories, and Expendables 493


Appendix E Tables and Formulas 518


Recommended Reading 551


Glossary 558


Index 586