Looking to hire a DP for Feature Film

[derick A Thomas]

Hello,

I'm seeking a DP for a feature film. I'm still putting together many of the moving parts such a named actors, money and locations therefore this director of photography will become part of the package I present to financiers.

Ideally, I'm seeking someone who has 10 years plus experience and has at-least 3 films to his/her credits that are theatrical releases. Why is theatrical important especially today you may ask. Good question. Someone who has films continually exhibited in theaters knows what a theatrical film should look like. I'm not seeking someone who can shoot a TV looking movie. I'm looking for a cinematographer who understands how a shot translates when it's project 20 ft height and 50 ft long and the understand lighting and color.

 

Some of the film will be shot under water so knowledge of underwater shooting is helpful especially when dealing with lighting. Also, some very important scenes will be shot at night and I'm looking for less grain in the blacks for my night shots. I understand grain can be cleaned up however the less we have to do in post the better. If it's right when it's shot, it's better in the edit.

 

I'm projecting starting this film in the fall or maybe spring '18. We'll know more once the dust settles. If interested, Please send, IMDB, resume, day rate, and bio.

 

Thank so much.

Dt.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

I wouldn't limit yourself to DP's who have managed to get a movie into a theater -- that's completely out of their control. I shot 12 features before one of them got into the Sundance Film Festival and then got picked up for theatrical distribution. But that doesn't mean that, therefore, until I had that one movie that got theatrical distribution, I wasn't shooting material that was worthy of projection in the cinema. And today, it's even harder to get theatrical distribution, not to mention, much of the material shot for television today is as cinematic as anything in movie theaters. Half the big comic book adaptations out there are being shot by cinematographers who had just been shooting for the cable channels before that.

 

I'd just look at their reel and decide if the material looked cinematic and designed for the big screen.

[Michael LaVoie]

I wouldn't limit yourself to DP's who have managed to get a movie into a theater -- that's completely out of their control.

If the financiers, and bond company have anything to say about it, the selection of the DP will be a committee decision. If the filmmaker is taking a significant step up from their typical budgets, they usually have to work with a DP that's already at that level.

 

That said, I saw a podcast where Guy Ritchie was discussing the difficulty of getting an opening weekend for King Arthur. That's how crowded theatrical is currently. If Guy Ritchie is having trouble, I wouldn't count on getting an indie into a multiplex. An arthouse run, maybe.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Michael LaVoie

[David Mullen ASC]

Financiers and bond company don't select the cinematogragher -- the director and the producers do. The financiers and bond company may express an opinion, you may need an approval for your selection, you may need to make a case for your selection, and if it gets rejected then the director and producer needs to find another candidate... but that's not the same thing as it being a committee process.

[Guest]

I'm still putting together many of the moving parts such a named actors, money and locations

 

Oh is that all you need? Start date more likely to be 2021 then.

 

R,

[tom lombard]

I have someone in mind and will be happy to forward your information to them. Please pm your IMDB, resume, and bio.

[derick A Thomas]

Thanks for the information David.

[Landon D. Parks]

Why would you only want a DP who has theatrical releases? Television stuff (non-sitcom) is as stylish as anything seen on the big screen, and anymore the same techniques used in films are used in a majority of television shows.

 

What I'm concerned about is your asking people to submit resumes without giving much information about the picture your shooting. Unless your a well known or connected filmmaker (I don't recognize your name), getting this picture off the ground is not going to be easy at all - and from the way you make it sound, it doesn't even sound like funding has been secured yet. Unless your hoping to get a name-DP attached who can help sell financing (probably the only one on here is David Mullen), then your best served to wait to hire the DP until your funding is in place. Last thing you want to do is string people along while you attempt to get funding, which will most likely never come.

 

Before people submit resume's, it would also be best if we knew some information about you. What are your previous films you have directed? Do you have an IMDb profile?

Edited August 3, 2017 by Landon D. Parks