3 Tips For Shooting A Reality Series
In production for The Hair Cult.
Recently I had the great opportunity to shoot on a reality series called “The Hair Cult.” The setting was a popular and cutting edge hair salon in North Austin. This was a golden opportunity for note only for several creative reasons, but also because the production company, Adams Creative, was a dream with which to work.
The director had everything needed to support a camera op in this type of situation. All the camera ops had comm (Hollyland Solidcom’s) back to him in the video village and he was able to orchestrate flawlessly in the middle of the chaos of a busy hair salon. I know it can be a little intimidating having the director watch your every move as you set up shots, but Rob. Adams, the director, has been in the trenches as a camera operator and DP long enough to know to give the camera guys some slack as the are shooting. It also helped that he had a vision and was able to communicate that vision to us as we danced around the salon, picking up the action.
So here are three tips I have that helped me make it thru the ten-hour day and hopefully gave them some great footage to work with.
Arrive Early. There is a saying in our business that if you arrive early you are on time. This is especially true if it is your first time at the location you are shooting. When you book a gig, you will get the call time. Usually the produce has built in some padding for people to arrive, talk, get coffee, etc. But I have also found that arriving ten to fifteen minutes prior to the actual call time gives your mind time to refocus after the trip to the location. I take this time to go over mental notes (or sometime written notes) that are the result of my conversation with the director or producer on the style of the show we are shooting. There may also be technical reasons to arrive early. For instance on this particular shoot there was a change in camera model we were going to be using. from the Canon XF705 to Panasonic’s AG-CX350. I had never used the CX50, so when the producer told us about the change I of course boned up on the model. But reading about the camera and actually running thru the camera physically isn’t the same. I took the extra 15 minutes before everyone arrived to re-read the specs so I would at least have a vague notion on the menus, etc. Also, this is a real world example of why it helps to be camera-agnostic.
Watch Your Posture. Good shooting posture not only is good for your health and stamina but it is reflected in the quality of your shooting. Reality shows have long shoot days with very fluid schedules. Your job as the shooter is to be constantly aware of what is going on and to be able to catch every moment you can in usable footage. This means capturing shots that are compellingly composed, properly exposed, and in focus. Long and important content conversations can happen at any moment and can’t be recreated easily just because your arm went numb from holding the camera in an awkward position. Practicing body awareness will help reduce the stress and fatigue that builds up and leaves you worthless by noon. Working out, stretching, and yoga are a couple of ways I do this. Another reason for reducing fatigue is that it gives you more energy to be creative. The director is depending on you to ‘find the shot’ no matter what is going on. You are more likely to be creative and go looking for those shots if you are not tired.
Awareness Of The Environment. As a news shooter, I learned how to keep both eyes active while shooting. What this means is that there is one eye on the viewfinder and paying attention to all the things a camera operator has to watch while shooting. But the other eye has to be open and aware of what is happening outside the VF. Once you have your shot, take a moment to shift your attention of other characters and things happening outside the frame. Another character might be heading right into your frame and that might be a moment. If you anticipate that action it can be the difference between a good shot and one the editor has to trash in post.
And here’s a bonus tip: Bring snacks. A schedule is nice to have but the understanding is that you have to shoot the action as it is happening. The most compelling action doesn’t always follow the production schedule. Having a granola bar in your pocket to wolf down between shots can do wonders for your energy.