Jobs in Cinematography

The camera is the most important tool on set. Without a camera, there is no movie. After the director, the Director of Photography is the second creative person on set. 

There has been a lot of speculations about the role of a cinematographer. Though Indian cinematographers take care of framing, composition and lighting also, other industries including Hollywood, China etc have a number of departments, performing different roles. The DoP is responsible for the framing whereas the lighting is taken care of by the Lighting Department and the focus is taken care by the gaffer.

Post cinematography courses, there is a lot of confusion generally among students of film scholl, or for that matters anyone who wants to pursue Cinematography as their career. Being a DoP or his assistant isn't just a way to learn or gain experirence. There are people like John Higgins, Dan McArthur who had worked under cinematographers as light man, gaffers etc and did camera for movies.

The Cinematographer's crew , in general, consists of three departments :

  1. Camera Department
          (a) Camera Operator
          (b) 1st Assistant
          (c) 2nd Assistant
          (d) Digital Imaging Technician
          (e) Loader

   2. Light Department
          (a) Gaffer
          (b) Best Boy
          (c) Electric or Sparks

   3. Grip Department
          (a) Grip
          (b) Best Boy Grip
          (c) Key Grip
          (d) Dolly Grip

Out of the three departments, Camera Crew is the most important one. The Camera Operator is the key person. He is responsible for all the shots. They have to be attentive to each minor detail of the shot and report any flaws. The Camera man/woman captures the images we see on frame and frames & composes the shots.

Next to him is the 1st assistant. Although called as assistant, he takes proper care of all equipments and managing the camera department,  which means supervising the camera crew and ensuring that all the gear is in proper working order. During prep, the 1st AC will go to rental houses to test the gear before checking out. The 1st Assistant Camera has to make sure that his crew and equipment are ready to go on schedule.  The first AC is the direct support of the Camera Operator. In addition to building the camera and moving it from shot to show, the 1st AC will also swap lenses and pull focus, thus sparing the Camera Operator from having to do it. 

Gaffer, also known as Focus Puller, plays the crucial role in a film set. His role is pivotal and needs co-ordination with the camera man/woman. Gaffer is the second highly paid person after the DoP in the Cinematographer's Crew.

If the 1st AC is the Operator’s right hand man, then the 2nd Assistant Camera is the 1st AC’s right hand man. The 2nd AC is always assisting the 1st AC, helping him build the camera, organize the gear, swap lenses, etc. During prep, the 2nd AC will accompany the 1st AC to rental houses and make sure the production is renting good working equipment. During rehearsals, the 2nd AC will mark actors (taping the floor to help actors and camera know their positions). He is also in charge of filling out camera reports (which is an important document to keep track of camera settings, like the aperture and focal length, in case this information is needed at a later date such as for a pick-up.)

         

The Digital Imaging Technician (DIT) is a recent position that became gradually more common as digital took over the industry, effectively replacing film. The job description of a DIT has changed through the years and continues to do so as the medium evolves as well. Back when digital was new to the field, DITs eased the transition of some cinematographers accustomed to film into the new era. Nowadays on the set, they are responsible for some quick color grading (color correction), generating dailies, syncing audio, etc. Spot Editing happens on-set to check out the outcome of the major scenes in a film and at times where there is less time to shoot. He/She is an important link between the set (or the cinematographer) and the post-production house (or the editor), configuring the media and hardware as per the need of the project.

Traditionally, the film loader was in charge of loading film stock into the camera magazine, which would involve either going into a completely dark room or using a light-tight changing tent to shield the film (because, if you can remember those days, the film is light sensitive and exposure to light will render it unusable). The film loader was also in charge of labeling cans of used film after the shoot and managing the inventory, including sending the film to the lab. As we transition fully into the digital era, the film loader is becoming more and more rare, and the digital loader becomes the norm. The film stock is now a compact card, and the digital loader has to manage the inventory and back up the footage. He works alongside the DIT to ensure the files are in the correct format and sent to the right place.

The best boy, both in Lighting and Grip Department, are the direct assistants to gaffer and Grip respectively. They help out with the rental and maintenance of the crew. Generally in smaller sets, there will only be best boy and a best grip with the camera unit to help them out. They take care of the lenses, dolly, slider movement etc.

Having so many job opportunities on set in Cinematography, every job has a specific amount paid as their salary : ( minimum figures )

  1. Gaffer             :  Rs. 2500-3500 / day

  2. 1st Assistant  :  Rs. 750-1000 / day

  3. 3nd Assistant : Rs. 500-750 / day

  4. DIT                  : Rs. 1000 / day

  5. Loader            : Rs. 750 / day