In our business, it’s not unusual for productions to jump from 0 to 100 mph in seconds or for that matter, screech to a halt in the same short period of time.
Budgets get revised, products might not be ready for market, the lead singer is saving the world, so the tour gets delayed or perhaps the FDA decides to take another look at the drug you’re about to launch.
Although it can be a pain in the bank, we’ve learned to use this time to our best advantage.
When we’re busy, we often discuss what we’d create if we only had the time. So we try to keep several experimental projects, at low heat, on the back burner.
It would be easy to sit around and whine about things we have no control over, but of course, that would accomplish nothing and there’s a good possibility that the new ideas we generate will help bring in new business, so perhaps it’s worth the effort.
Sarah and I have found that some of our most successful imagery has been created in down time and we’ve had just as much fun working together to create it.
First of all, when you are creating your own project there are no restrictions. Too often I’ve heard DPs or camera ops complain, “Well, if I was in charge I would do it this way”? Well, here’s your chance to do it your way.
We’re always interested in what the people we work with are doing as their “personal projects” and we have found that our clients are interested in ours.
For us, it’s producing short films. I use this time to create as many images as possible and the next time I have down time, I use them to create a new film.
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In the olden days of film, you had to first buy the film stock, and then, after you exposed it, you had to have it processed and transferred to video to edit. That could easily run into a lot of money and not having enough funds to test was a fair excuse. Although, to be honest. Those cinematographers that really wanted to hone their craft found a way.
With today’s cameras, the costs are negligible. If you are recording to SXS, AVCHD or P2, it’s endlessly renewable and if you are using tape, you can always re-purpose a tape from that client that you never want to see again.
Just go out there with your camera and shoot. Make some incredible footage that you can use in your own project or shoot images for stock and put them up on one of the more popular sites like Shutterstock or Pond5. No matter what level of camera operator you are, the more you look through that viewfinder the better your images will become.
I’ve also trained myself to carry a small journal with me to write down ideas when they hit. It might be an idea for a film or a photograph or the location of a great looking shot.
How about all the times you’ve said, “Wow! This would make a great shot!” and then when you have time to chase it down, you’re like, ”Duh… Now where was that?”
I use the journal to remember those shots. You can do the same thing using your phone/camera, but I like the formality of a little red book and I look back at it often and plan which scenes I can get if I have the time. It also helps me remember the time of day and position of the sun at the time I noticed the shot. All of that will help you recreate your vision.
The worst thing that can happen is that you get better at using your camera. Learn different ways to set the personal profiles in your camera, get good at making a smooth pan with your fluid head or try out that new follow-focus you just handed over a pile of money for.
Don’t wait until you’re on a job to get used your cameras accessories. The last place you want to learn that kind of stuff is on the set.
Don’t wait until you’re on a job to get used your cameras accessories. The last place you want to learn that kind of stuff is on the set.
If you’re writing a screenplay, or cracking a new editing program or animation software, again, this is the time to learn, not when you are under pressure to produce.
Finally, be diligent about it. If this is what you want to do, put your all into it.
There’s a lot of competition out there and the squeaky wheel gets the oil.
If all else fails, arrange a vacation. You can be sure that someone will try to book you for those dates.
If all else fails, arrange a vacation. You can be sure that someone will try to book you for those dates.
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