The only person who stands.

May 5, 2005

I have worked on tons of commercials and a some small features and I have found I am the only person who Never sits. Don't get me wrong I love working, and our job requires constant tweaking and camera moving, but is this a common theme? I look forward to blessed dolly shots "oh no... Seems we have to do it again, darn!...hehehe".

On super brief occasion i can snag an apple box to take a load off. I though about getting a small camping chair (three legged/ super small) to cop a seat but it would be one more thing to keep track of. Any thoughts on the matter?.

Another question, more for video based shooting. I wear a porta brace sling bag to carry my spare tapes, batteries, the million accessories and anything else that finds its way into my hands on me. How much extra weight do you carry around? Just a simple AC belt?? Would you rather have this stuff on your person or run to your bag for the one off thing?

Just seeing how you people operate :)

Patrick Neary · May 5, 2005

i tried the camping chair thing once and it was immediately commandeered by make-up (!)

good shoes are about the only way to go. Plus you just have to be up and around a lot. It's enough to make you want to be a sound-mixer. B)

Kevin Zanit · May 5, 2005

I find on video shoots I especially never get to sit except during takes (assuming I am not operating) because I am running from video village to set all the time.

On music videos and commercials that I operate on as well as shoot, I virtually never get to sit.

This is why I like camera operators!

As far as gear, if it is a film shoot I have my light meter on a belt, that?s about it.

On video I don?t really carry anything.

I always bring with me to "work" a metal briefcase that has my light meter, various nets, a swatch book, note pad, script/ shot list, viewfinder, and contrast viewing filters. Usually that stuff just stays in the case until I need it.

Kevin Zanit

michael brierley · May 9, 2005

This is cetainly a common thing us cinematogaphers share- that and never getting a chance to pee! As I seem to shoot a lot on location- ie out in the countryside, any bush will do!

Never thought about taking a chair to work, don't think it will ever get used.

mb

Max Jacoby · May 9, 2005

Gee, I see DPs sit all the time in front of the monitor. The only person who never sits is the 1st AD.

oscar jimenez · May 9, 2005

I don't know but I do always get so much fun out of shooting, that I certainly don't think very much about sitting or taking a break. After all, aren't we blessed with this kind of job?

Cheers.

A decent and expensive jogging shoes, help a lot, your knees will appreciatte it, much more after those "ladder climbing days with a 35mm package"

Phil Rhodes · May 10, 2005

Hi,

I inevitably end up with a rail journey back out of town when shooting in London, which is actually good - it's a chance to get in some pre-main-snooze sleeping!

I must have had hundreds of hours of sleep on trains.

Phil

Brad Grimmett · May 11, 2005

Hi,

I inevitably end up with a rail journey back out of town when shooting in London, which is actually good - it's a chance to get in some pre-main-snooze sleeping!

I must have had hundreds of hours of sleep on trains.

Phil

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Phil,

This is completely off the subject, but you are always arguing how much better L.A. is than England. Well, this is one area where it's MUCH worse. I can't take a train anywhere, or even a bus, I have to drive. Which often adds an hour or two more to my day. There are many days that I would kill to be able to sleep on the way home from work. Unfortunately, I have to be awake so that when the car in front of me moves (about every ten minutes or so) I too can move forward three feet.

I've got train envy.

Rik Andino · May 11, 2005

Well Brad...

You could always come to NYC

We've got the biggest subterranean transit system in the world.

Of course it's not cleaner than London's...

And you probably won't find any room to sleep...

Most likely you'll be standing next to some big guy

Who's got one of his elbows in your face trying to read the NY Post. :)

Phil Rhodes · May 11, 2005

Hi,

I don't see this notorious LA traffic. I recently spent ten days there travelling daily from an apartment on 6th street to Universal City, which isn't all that far admittedly, but it was hardly awful.

Plus if you do happen to need to drive into London, for example to transport a certain item of body-mounted camera support equipment, you are more or less completely screwed; London was laid out by allowing a child to scrawl on paper with crayons, then built to accomodate horses. The driving experience is in stark contrast to the ordered grid pattern of most American cities which were in general always intended to carry cars.

Phil

Kevin Zanit · May 11, 2005

At what time of day? You were also going in the "easier" direction (less traffic).

Not every freeway is terrible here (like the 118), but most are. No matter what time of day I drive, I am in traffic. 101, 405, 134, 5, 10, etc, etc all miserable stretches of land. I hate driving.

Phil, your point is very valid nonetheless, and I can understand why carrying a certain piece of body mounted equipment on public transportation is far from practical.

I have no complaints about the layout here; I think LA has some of the best signage I have seen. Whenever I am in NY I realize how nice it is in LA sign wise (and I know NY very well luckily, because I would be lost a lot if I had to go off their signs).

Kevin Zanit

Brad Grimmett · May 11, 2005

Hi,

I don't see this notorious LA traffic. I recently spent ten days there travelling daily from an apartment on 6th street to Universal City, which isn't all that far admittedly, but it was hardly awful.

Phil

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't worry, it's notorious for a reason. It doesn't seem so bad at first, but you quickly realize that it's hell. It's taken me over an hour to go 10 miles on more than one occassion.

And you're right, I'd be screwed even if we DID have a good rail or bus system since I have to have all of my gear. Can you imagine trying to get six cases and a magliner onto a bus everyday?! I'd be shot within a week.

Phil Rhodes · May 12, 2005

Hi,

Morning, for about a 9.30 arrival, and evenings after 6.

I have transported my ENG outfit by rail (Camera and tripod in soft case, one small hard case with bits) but I'd hesitate to go on the tube with more than just the camera and sticks.

However we're rather missing the point here in that most film crew I know can't afford cars...

Phil

Brad Grimmett · May 12, 2005

However we're rather missing the point here in that most film crew I know can't afford cars...

Phil

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, everybody in LA has a car. If they are too broke to afford it, they just live in it and save the rent money.

Jason Maeda · May 12, 2005

"i tried the camping chair thing once and it was immediately commandeered by make-up!"

ha ha ha so true!

about comfy shoes it is absolutely a requirement. my best friends dad is an e.r. doctor and he taught me to switch shoes half way through the day...it's like getting a new pair of feet after lunch.

jk :ph34r: