Saturday, January 13, 2018

Freelancing

  I did a post a few years ago called Freeballing which talked about freeform finding a shot when they don't really know what they want. This happens when you usually have a montage piece and you find shots as they happen. I recently (last night) had a chance to revisit this situation and as it turns out, had a lot of fun doing it. This is literally when you as a dolly grip get a chance to be creative and, if you're experienced, know what they might need in editing and can deliver. The setup was a mission control type room with a main character facing a huge screen. We had a technocrane swooping around over the various desks and my camera on a stabilized head "mowing the lawn" in front of him. As the scene unfolded, my main job was to stay out of the crane shot and keep them out of my shot on a longer lens. The instructions from the DP were to travel in on an angle and then travel out on a mirror angle. as this happened, and the crane shot changed, I had an opportunity to find shots. If the crane camera was on the right side of frame, I decided to give them a left to right tighter shot, which I knew they didn't have yet.have but would be valuable. Although the DP or operator hadn't really given me instructions, I saw an opportunity and took it. After we cut and moved on, the DP came up and said, "That was crafty." I said , "Crappy?" and he said ,"No, crafty." And I knew I did the right thing. This reinforced to me the importance of experience for a dolly grip. I knew what they didn't have already, but would probably need and gave it to them.
  I work in a boom town. Production in Atlanta has increased tenfold from what it was when I started here thirty years ago when we had one series and one feature a year. Now, if you do a season of  "B" camera on a series and know how to put the sideboards on, you're a "dolly grip." Forget that you don't understand editing, or eyelines, or crane placement. None of that matters anymore until you don't understand the shot and five takes in, you still can't get it. As dolly grips we are more than just some monkey who moves the camera from one place to another. Often, as was proven last night, it's up to us to give them what they need. If you don't know what they need you can't give it to them.

   It all comes back to what we have been harping on for over ten years on this page: Learn your craft. This job is a craft and it's up to you to learn it.

Learn your craft.

23 comments:

Jani Lappeteläinen said...

Nice to see some life at the blog! I'm a starting dolly grip from finland and this blog has been great resource on the craft! Thanks!

Eric said...

D. You know my thoughts on this. As an Operator I cant do my job with you. Without a good dolly grip it just makes the day that much harder for me and the focus puller. Its a team, and if anyone of the three of us fails well we all fail.

Looking forward to us teaming up again one of these days

Lifestyle Design International said...

These 3 men remarked that these people understood how you can assist individuals to attain the achievement that they searched for using their laptops at home and they made the decision they would put together a chance for average individuals to succeed Lifestyle Design International review online, Once the three gentlemen all came to the conclusion that they had the various tools and the contacts to assist others.

Unknown said...

Thanks for compiling such nicest information in your blogs. Articles are very informative and hope again I’ll find more like that.cash advance loans

how to start affiliate marketing said...

Truly brilliant submit... Good tips associated with how to start affiliate marketing... this post are very useful for newbie’s and affiliates also... I'll certainly follow your own... Your answers is excellent thank you for discussing

Anthony said...

I have been using Anthony Mancuso for 2 years and I'm able to truthfully say that I have had only the best encounter possible with these men. They're professional, they're helpful, plus they treat everyone like they are family. They've solved the problem develop away my website and also have handles all of the marketing for my little company. This option rock and roll!

buy leadfunnelcloud said...

Buy lead funnel cloud is actually cloud-based software which is super easy to function, and you may observe Greater affiliate profits from first day without bankrupting yourself with money sucking 3rd party service providers.

Anonymous said...

Every day I visit a number of blog sites to see content, however this offers quality based content.coconut milk powder

Claire said...

Your articles make whole sense of every topic. Qualia

Unknown said...

I’m impressed with the special and informative contents that you just offer in such short timing.password managers

Unknown said...

Whether somebody pursuit of his vital thing, hence he or she desires to be accessible that at length, hence that thing is maintained over here.Loans Geeks

Unknown said...

Your contents are too straightforward to browse and easy to understand.online payment systems

Unknown said...

Hi, of course this post is fully fussy and I even have learnt lots of things from it. Thanks. TubeMate

Aubrey Dickey said...

Personally I think overjoyed I discovered the blogs.
.co domain name

Rodney Janis said...

Thanks for compiling such nicest information in your blogs. Articles are very informative and hope again I’ll find more like that.go to website

Paul Ladner said...

The writer understand better the mind of FIFA555 people what they want to learn through their writing therefore this article is outstanding. Thanks!!!

Unknown said...

thank you for the great information I บาคาร่า will keep following articles.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the great article. My name is หวยดัง. I think this is a very good post.

395bluejay.com said...

I am a freelance person. Being a freelance is very happy.

Unknown said...

Whether somebody pursuit of his vital thing, hence he or she desires to be accessible that at length, hence that thing is maintained up here .
เลขเด็ดฮานอย

Rebecca Hernandez said...

An unbelievable blog. This blog will indisputably be definitely recommended to my friends as well.
UI design agency

Danny said...

Looking good. To go to different places you should always equip with different mobility aids. These accessories will help you to be safe on your hassle journey. Keep up the good work.

Matteo Thomas said...

Some HSPs have been so overwhelmed and saddened by what their partner said during a fight that they still grieve months or years later. Crowds might make you tired. Loud sounds and bright colors cause overstimulation. Therapist for anxiety will assist you in getting through.