The tools of creating powerful images may have changed, but the basic principles have remained the same for hundreds of years. Take some time to familiarize yourself with great artwork. There are many excellent camera techniques you can implement to achieve this. At the same time, treat your shots, and each frame, like a work of art you want to get right.Įven if you’re doing it on the fly, make sure your framing works from a purely visual standpoint. Time is of the essence and great cinematography need not be painstaking. It can be great shorthand with your Director and Production Designer, as well as others. While you shouldn’t get too precious with your work, and alway serve the story, be versed in visual art and design terminology. Here's Brent Barbano how cinematographers should work ADs to understand the shooting schedule: CINEMATOGRAPHY TECHNIQUE Be an artist (but a reasonable one) That means working with film scheduling software and seeing how logistics will affect everything you do. Communicate with your AD so you can prioritize the order you'll be shooting which scenes. The shooting schedule is just as critical. In the video below, DP and ShareGrid cofounder, Brent Barbano, walks us through his process of creating a professional shot list. Use shot list software to know the ins and outs of every shot. The crew will often look to you to move forward. In film school you probably learned how to light.īut did you learn how to light fast? Or how to efficiently adjust when daylight is almost gone? When you might not make the day and you feel the the entire production waiting as you get a little fill on the lead actress? Know it all backwards and forwards and how you’ll move efficiently between them. So before you even step on set, know the coverage. Because the Producers will be asking HIM how long until picture is up constantly. The 1st AD will be asking how low until picture is up constantly. You will ALWAYS be under the gun for time. Using the proper tools are cinematography techniques unto themselves. Which means having and respecting storyboards and a shot list. This means always having a plan and executing it. You are going to be interacting with all of those department heads, and you are directly (or indirectly) in charge of all of them and their work.

The camera and lighting crew is often the biggest crew on a film set. CINEMATOGRAPHY TECHNIQUE Manage your time effectively

Best cinematography shots in movies