Simple question about 2nd AC's duties

[Thomas Worth]

I've been shooting video for years and have just recently stepped up to film. I am getting ready to shoot a couple of short films on 35mm (as a DP), and am interested in knowing exactly what the 2nd AC's job entails (how they should handle the film, what info should be written on the exposed cans, etc). The reason I stress 2nd AC is because this person is responsible for the very valuable camera negative, and I have heard horror stories about camera negs getting lost or otherwise compromised. In other words, I want to know whether the person I use knows what they're doing or not. I know that the 1st AC is most in contact with the 2nd and THEY should know whether this person is doing their job or not, but as a DP I am ultimately responsible for the entire shoot. Any info is much appreciated! :)

[Max Jacoby]

First of all I've yet to hear of a 2nd AC who 'lost' a roll of film. All he/she has to do is hand the film to a member of the production office after the shoot. Of course you check the number of cans against the neg report sheet and your daily film stock report, so as to make sure that you have not forgotten to unload a magazine. Film stock gets lost sometimes and I have seen it happen, but that is mostly the fault of the transport or the lab. On a film I did recently one day's soundrushes (DAT) got lost, but there is insurance, so it wasn't that bad.

 

Otherwise the duties of a 2nd are more numerous than most people think. There is more to it than just loading and slating. You try to anticipate what your focus-puller needs, be it lenses, eyebrows, lollypop, remote focus, focusmarks, donughts, focusrings, remote switch, filters, etc.

 

In contact with the Dop you need to find out what filmstock they plan to use in what situation, so that you can anticipate, especially if there is any special processing. Some Dops like you to write notes for the timer on the neg report. You should find out how often the Dop likes to shoot a colorchart/greyscale and probably have to remind them from time to time, since that is a detail that is easily forgotten by them. The same goes for filters, after a while you see what filters they use in what situation and if there is a case where you think that they might have forgotten to ask for one (for the close-up of an actress for instance), you ask him/her if they want to use the usual filter.

[Thomas Worth]

First of all I've yet to hear of a 2nd AC who 'lost' a roll of film. All he/she has to do is hand the film to a member of the production office after the shoot.

I know, it seems like a pretty rudimentary task -- although I had to endure about an hour of a director friend of mine's rant about how his crew lost some footage on a spec shoot. :o Not the norm, of course, but possible. I certainly wouldn't want to take the heat for something like that happening.

[Adam Frisch FSF]

There's also a difference in duties depending on where you are. In Europe a 2nd AC loads the camera, but on bigger american shoots they have dedicated loaders. Then the 2nd AC probably is more of a clapper/assistant to the 1st AC. Back in the days when I AC'ed, I worked for an american crew in Sweden when we shot a CitiBank spot. My duties on that one was to assist the two AC's - I had a bag with me with the most used stuff like filters, follow focus and so on since we were constantly on the move (handheld exteriors with 2 cameras running all the time). We hade one guy who loaded mags only.

 

BTW, I've never understood the term clapper/loader - it's impossible to do both at the same time.

[LimHKim]

Being 2nd AC is a hell work in camera dept. and also depends on in which country. I guess not many camera dept. based people knows the workload being a 2nd AC.

 

First of all, knowledge of the equipment is esssentials, especially the terms. Imagine giving out a wrong gear during the most crucial moments.

 

Responsibility being 2nd AC is very high. A good 2nd AC SHOULD NOT by any chance lose exposed films. It happends, but why? Because simply being irresponsible. As for me, every exposed cans MUST be checked and accounted for by an authorized personnel in the productions. e.g. producer or line producer. Never, never, never pass the exposed cans to the Production Assistant or even worst directly to the runnner. Don't simply put the exposed cans scattered around. Keep it near and visible or even can be locked it inside the camera truck.

 

Time management is also a very important factor being a 2nd AC. I would rather say the work never stops until the shoot wraps. How are you gonna backup the 1st AC, load/unload the films, do the slate, writes the camera report, charge the low batteries, move the gears from 1 area to the another, ready to be questions by the producer of stocks balance, arrange for additional gears to be picked up and the faulty gears to be replaced, and much more ?... simply Time Management.

 

Every individual must have a Working System. I always work on a basic standard system. To avoid confusion over films exposed, unexposed, recan, shortends; various coloured gaffer tapes come very useful. I even use colour coding for diff. kinda film stocks used.

 

I believed most of us in camera dept. has his/her own style of working. Always remember that any Tom, Dick and Harry can be a 2nd AC but can he/she be a GOOD 2nd AC ?

Edited November 20, 2004 by HuatKim

[Laurent Andrieux]

About slate and loading and camera reports...

 

We don't do that in France. slate is done by a grip and reports by the script girl/boy.

 

2nd ACing I consider is mostly assisting the 1st AC.

 

Frankly, don't be that upset about this job. Unless the person is total novice - but even though, he/she should get along well after a couple of days - there's not much you should worry for about the stock managment.

 

One risk is to have a roll flashed maybe. Mind that the person works in a quiet place, not too light. If (s)he has a table on the set, it should be in a quiet place, so that people don't come around too often/easily, especialy with "tourists" who come around the set and he or she not to be talking nor smoking while loading/unloading if not too experienced. Have a look at the table that it doesn't look too messy. But a roll scratched is even less to happen and a roll lost I've never seen.

 

About labels : The 1st AC will drive him/her. Mind that the good stock reference, roll number, date, production and film's names are on it. And obviously the lab's name (but usually you have labels from the lab with their name on it) Mind that pushed or pulled process is correctly mentionned.

 

In France, we wrap boxes together with chetterton tape (the same that's used to seal them, not gaffer tape) with the reports + eventual note for the colorist beetween 2 cans, so that a single box cannot be forgotten by a runner.

 

All this applies only to a beginner. If not a beginner, trust him and your 1st AC, there will not be any problem.

 

every exposed cans MUST be checked and accounted for by an authorized personnel in the productions

 

In France, the 2nd AC checks the dailies with the script boy/girl before giving it to the always same guy of the production team

Edited November 21, 2004 by laurent.a

[Rolfe Klement]

loading.

 

I have seen so many different ways of loading and marking cans - so one day I went into Fotokem and asked their nice lab guys what they wanted. I got some horror stories - mainly student films where they open the mag up in the shop - or put exposed neg in old milk cartons (with milk in them!) etc etc

 

But they said all they (the bath guys) really need is the stock , the length, the production name and any special processing notes (push, pull, skip bleach etc)

 

When it goes to TK etc - then there a whole lot more requirements (format, etc etc)

 

Having said that - packing the exposed stock in cans using the black bag the new kodak stock comes in is useful, closing the roll with the original tape end (with its stock type - just leave the label in the can)- Putting a spool in the exposed roll as it comes off the mag helps stop the roll go oval - not that it really makes any major difference)

 

and some other stuff I can't remember

 

thanks

 

Rolfe Klement

www.creativesunshine.com

[Tony Brown]

In Europe a 2nd AC loads the camera, but on bigger american shoots they have dedicated loaders.

 

BTW, I've never understood the term clapper/loader - it's impossible to do both at the same time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You've worked on some strange jobs Adam! The 2nd AC (UK Clapper Loader) loads mags, not the camera.

 

In the UK its very rare to have a dedicated Loader as well as a 2nd, in fact the only place I've ever encountered this is the US. The 2nd AC I use Claps/ Loads for two cameras and generally runs around like a blue arsed fly for 12 hours a day. Danny Preston, he's fantastic. I rarely do sound shoots fortunately, but every take is still slated so he has his work cut out for sure. Multiple stocks, third camera, nothing phases him, he just gets on with it.

 

Get me a coffee please Dan...... :rolleyes:

[Brad Grimmett]

closing the roll with the original tape end (with its stock type - just leave the label in the can)-

 

Rolfe Klement

www.creativesunshine.com

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you use the original tape from the can there is a risk that you won't be able to tell if the stock is exposed already or not. Using a color coding system is better so that you are positive that the stock is exposed and what stock it is. This won't matter to the lab, but it can certainly save a loader some headaches at the end of a long day when they can't remember what was exposed and what wasn't at the beginning of the day.

[Max Jacoby]

I've never used the original tape from the can, I find that if you pull it off it has a tendency to roll up into itself and become unuseable. I much prefer color coded camera tape. If you take it fresh from a roll, the can will seal better and ultimately be safer.

[Dan Salzmann]

I agree with Max. Why would anyone want to "recycle" used tape?

[Rolfe Klement]

I should have been clearer - the tape on the can is useless - I was talking about the tape to close the roll of film when it comes out of the black bag out of the new can - a short piece of tape (3cm or so) that has stock info on it

 

Quote " closing the roll with the original tape end " not the can

 

thanks

 

Rolfe Klement

www.creativesunshine.com

Edited November 24, 2004 by Rolfe Klement

[Adam Frisch FSF]

You've worked on some strange jobs Adam! The 2nd AC (UK Clapper Loader) loads mags, not the camera.

 

Sorry, that's what I meant! Load the mags, not thread the camera.

[Thomas Worth]

Thanks guys. This is very helpful. I've noticed that when I buy short ends, the daylight cans are wrapped with yellow tape, and the tungsten with green. A good system might be to keep the unexposed stocks wrapped in their colored tape, and when exposed wrap them in white. That way, it's obvious by looking which stock is unexposed and which isn't, without having to learn any color codes.

[Laurent Andrieux]

Look, what we usually do is this : only have the original stock wrapped with the original tape . Wrap the short ends with white tape. (white meaning "virgin" is easy to remeber). So you don't think you have a 400' or 1000' stock in the can, but see at once it is a short end.

 

Exposed stock is usually taped black.

 

If you have different stocks you can use yellow for the short ends of the secondary stock, and use red or blue or whatever you want for secondary exposed stock or push or pull process, depending on the way you're going to work on this shooting.

 

In your case, if you buy short ends, keep them with yellow or green tape, and after it's been exposed, tape them black by default and then blue or red...

 

It's important to have this kind of code since you only see the sides when cans are stocked side by side in a box, and front covers ain't seen. Also it's some how an international code and the guy at the lab won't feel "comfortable" if you tape exposed stock with white tape.

Edited November 26, 2004 by laurent.a

[Matthew Poliquin]

The only time I can recall a 2nd AC, or a first for that matter "losing" any sort of negative, exposed or unexposed is when he/she feels like their paycheck might be "lost." And miraculously the negative is "found" once the check cleared.

 

 

Matthew Poliquin

AC/DP/Maker of rent

LA, CA

[Laurent Andrieux]

Just another point with the short ends you buy : you should make a sensititometric curve of each box you purchase, as to make sure they are still at the typical characteristical figures. It's not only checking they weren't flashed, it's also determining if their charactics didn't change, due to unevent storage. So you will figure if ever their sensitivity might have change a little. You should then discard any can that has changed characteristic, because even though you might take the changes in account, these cans might just not match with the others. If the characteristics have changed too much, like colors crossing, throw these away.

[Dan Salzmann]

I work with really cracking first assistants and let them choose their second assistant. Really ace first AC's seem to pick good 2nd AC's and that works out well.

I've never had a roll of film lost by any assistant (touch wood).

Take good care of good people and they will take care of you and that's true across the board.