DP Reels.

Conor Lynch · August 29, 2005

I've been working on a script for most of the past year. I've almost got it to the point where I feel it's ready to put into production. Now I've never actually directed a feature before, having only shot a few very short pieces on Super 8 and just started film school, so I don't plan on DP'ing my own shoot this time around. I mean I'd love to, but I just don't have the experience to do it just yet. How do I go about getting a collection of demo reels for cinematographer's in my area (Toronto) ? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Morgan Peline · August 29, 2005

I'd shoot it for ya but I'm in the UK ;-)

see if you get responses from here

or try http://www.mandy.com

Greg Gross · September 1, 2005

Hello Morgan,

How's your career coming along? Do you have a reel posted on line anywhere?

Do you get to meet many women DP's. Best wishes!

Greg Gross

Morgan Peline · September 1, 2005

Hi Greg,

How's it going?

At the moment I'm keeping busy! I've finished more than half of my first year at the National Film School and it's been really good! I'm really looking forward to a 2 week Billy Williams lighting masterclass that we will have at the end of the year. At the moment I'm off for six weeks for the summer so I've shot 2 shorts and a sitcom 'pilot'; one of the shorts was shot on 16mm film, it's a 15 min. film that we shot over 4 days. It had every kind of lighting situation imaginable; it was hectic but fun, definitely had me thinking on my feet - no time for indecision! Anyway I'm just trying to shoot as much as possible at the moment in and out of school. As for women DPs - though there are two girls in my class I have to say that I don't get to meet that many women DPs; they are few and far between in this industry it seems - Nina Kellgren BSC teaches us sometimes when she is not shooting.

I haven't got a web site sorted out yet but if you send me your email address I can send you a tiny Quicktime clip of my 'quite a few years old' showreel that I used to get into the film school - be warned though you'll need a magnifying glass! Or I can send you the DVD version.

I hope things are good with you!

Best wishes.

Morgan

Greg Gross · September 2, 2005

Morgan,

Thank you for your post! I would love to see your reel! Please e-mail at

Pd170user@yahoo .com. Best wishes for finishing film school and a good

start with your career. I'm shooting my first film in october(romantic com-

edy) 16mm(not super) can't fit it into budget. Arri SB highly modified with

a zoom and some zeiss primes. Thanks for your post and best wishes!

Do not forget to forward your reel. Happy shooting Morgan! Do you think

filmmaking is hard work? I would love to meet Nina and pick her brain about

use of camera and lighting. We are lucky here to have David Mullen ASC on

the forum.

Greg Gross

Robert Edge · September 2, 2005

Conor,

Why do you suppose a photographer who has a reel would submit it to a guy who has just started film school who says that he is directing a feature film, but isn't quite directing it yet because he hasn't quite finished with the script (which, if I understand matters, he is either writing or supervising), given that the guy in question is making it clear that he would just as soon do the photography himself (along with the directin' and either the writin' or directin' the writin') except for the small problem that he doesn't have enough experience yet takin' pictures, meaning that he wants to know how to find photographers who will give him a reel so that he can judge whether they are good enough to overcome his temporary deficiency as a picture taker (as distinct from his expertise, as a guy who has just started film school, as a director and writer/editor)?

I'm sure that you don't mean to sound like the foregoing. That's just my literal take, not intended to be taken seriously, on your post. Cheers.

Greg Gross · September 3, 2005

For Morgan Peline,

Thanks Morgan,I received your reels e-mail. I like the three men,POV with

camera low looking up at the man in the center. I like the idea of camera

hand held/shoulder etc. . Thanks for your advice on shooting super 16. Act-

ually the Arri SB is being borrowed from my mentor. I'm a big fan of John

Cassavetes(god bless him) thus I wanted to shoot my first production on

film with an Arri SB. Moragn if you get a chance view "The Killing of A Chin-

ese Bookie"it will stir your emotions. Using the Arri SB also helped me bud-

get wise as I could use a little more money(free it up)for my actors. So we'll

fix in post the best we can,what we can afford. I've never been so miserable

due the hard work of making a film,and yet deep inside me I'm happy. I've

been viewing two films this morning for color and lighting. "In The Cut" and

"Last Tango In Paris" . I love the lighting and the use of the camera in these

films. I'm off now to visit a location in the city that I'm going to use for my film.

Its a side street in the city,a wide street and sort of isolated by itself. I'll shoot

a scene there where my female star will come down the steps,from her apart-

ment, runs outside and embraces her lover,kissing him,they'll be in each others

arms. This scene will take place in front of a flower shop,flowers are outside

on display. When we do this shot I'll have a lot of time as time retstraints are

not bad. While they are embracing I would like to move the camera around

360 degrees with a constant,changing POV. After I visit location and make

some notes,storyboard a little,I'm off to a screening of the "Constant Gardner".

Then tonight I want to view "A Room With A View". I love the light in all the

films I've talked about here. By the way "In The Cut" was photographed by

Dion Beebe ACS,wonderful use of the camera and color. Thanks again for

sending me your reels. I'm going to start working on my reel when I complete

this film. I'm also currently writing an action script. Now when you become fam-

ous, I can say I viewed your early reels! Best wishes and Happy Shooting!

Greg Gross

Conor Lynch · September 6, 2005

Conor,

Why do you suppose a photographer who has a reel would submit it to a guy who has just started film school who says that he is directing a feature film, but isn't quite directing it yet because he hasn't quite finished with the script (which, if I understand matters, he is either writing or supervising), given that the guy in question is making it clear that he would just as soon do the photography himself (along with the directin' and either the writin' or directin' the writin') except for the small problem that he doesn't have enough experience yet takin' pictures, meaning that he wants to know how to find photographers who will give him a reel so that he can judge whether they are good enough to overcome his temporary deficiency as a picture taker (as distinct from his expertise, as a guy who has just started film school, as a director and writer/editor)?

I'm sure that you don't mean to sound like the foregoing. That's just my literal take, not intended to be taken seriously, on your post. Cheers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, first off, I didn't say that I was going to start searching out reels prior to the completion of my script. I said my script was near completion and that once it was done and I was ready to transform it into a movie I would need to find a DP.

Now I might not be terribly experienced as a director, having only shot a few shorts in Super 8. Also, it's true, I do not currently have the technical skills to create the images that I want to create. So, given all that why would any photographer want to work with me or submit their reels if I requested them?

I'll give you a couple reasons.

I have a solid vision for this project, I know what I want from both my actors and my DP. It's a project that will require lighting and camera movement that I personally believe would intrigue anybody looking to develop or challenge their own abilities. Professionalism and experience are not the same thing and what I lack in experience I make up with my professional demeanor. I am a working freelance journalist with several published short fiction pieces under my belt. I have complete confidence in the value of the script.

While it seems easy to belittle my project, especially due to my lack of experience, it is something I believe in. It is also something that I think others could and will believe in and I don't think I'll have any trouble getting DP's to submit their reels to me.

- Conor Lynch