Physical challenge, please advise

Ethan Lyu · October 28, 2006

Hello everyone,

I am 33 years old but have history of bad back, having herniated disk 2 years ago.

I am over that one but long plane ride and strenous activities still makes my back tense and uncomfortable.

Quit my job to go to film school for 2 years but now I'm about to graduate, I have doubts that my body will be able to take 12 hrs/day shooting etc.

I still don't want to give up my dream of filmmaking (writer/director).

What is a position that has the least physical strain in production environment?

Obviously I can't lift heavy things so I'm thinking of Script Supervising,

they let males do it , don't they?

I suppose my other options are office jobs such as producing etc.

thanks in advance,

David Mullen ASC · October 28, 2006

If you can handle a lot of sitting, production sound mixer is not too physical but odds are high that you'd have to move your way up from holding the boom, which is quite hard on the back & arms... It's hard to start "at the top" where you are less likely to be lifting and carrying heavy things. But I definitely would avoid moving up the ladder in the grip, camera, and electric department if you can't carry things.

Of course, there is always post-production...

Stuart McCammon · October 28, 2006

Or you could be the video operator, have to carry stuff onto the set but most video/prompter people have a little cart or dolly rigged up)

Paul Bruening · November 6, 2006

Hey,

David's right about sound. You usually have to start on boom and you can't even imagine how excrutiating that damn thing can get. We go through boom guys like **** through a goose.

The suggestion about post is probably a good one. Editors are kind of hard to come by. The reason is that it is its own kind of hell. Sitting at a Steinbeck or a computer for eight hours can leave you feeling like a zombie. HOWEVER, if you can acquire a zen-like state in your post-work, editing can be a very influential job in movie making. Anyone worth their salt in this industry will tell you that a movie is lost or saved in editing. That is no BS. A good editor is worth his weight in gold.

Paul