Christine McDermott

Fair enough Christine but being "over your head" is not fair on the production. thats not lucky, its selfish and foolish. Why are you not gaining experience as a 2nd or a loader. Better still, when not at school offer to go out on shoots and help out to get some floor experience.

Tony,

I understand you're point and you're definitely right, it is a risk. I knew that so I put my all into proving I wasn't. (Of course, that doesn't mean I didn't make mistakes.) Also, I should have mentioned that the shoots I have worked on have been low/no budget primarily, never major motion pictures.

Why are you not gaining experience as a 2nd or a loader. Better still, when not at school offer to go out on shoots and help out to get some floor experience.

Because they were low budget productions, I was working on a small crew where sometimes I was doing several jobs so I've learned about how to be a 1st, a loader, a DIT, a PA. I have gained some useful experience in the last year and a half thanks to those projects and at this point I feel like I would be taking a step backwards. By no means do I think that I am above doing any of those jobs, however. I would still apply for and work just as hard on a set in any of those positions but all of my experience has been as a 1st AC (and sometimes filling other jobs as well,) so I think it's acceptable to aim for that position on some shoots.

Thank you for the responses, everyone!! I think more than anything the insights reassured me that I should stay in school and work when I can.

I've only worked as an AC while in school for a little over a year and saying that I still have a great deal to learn is an understatement. That being said, I was lucky enough to be thrown in way over my head by being in the right place at the right time. After all, we all started out somewhere somehow. :)

Hey everyone,

I have a few questions about the necessity of completing school before working professionally.

I'm currently a senior in the film program at Temple University but for the past year and a half I've also been working professionally as a 1st AC. Up until this new semester school hasn't rarely gotten in the way of work but at this point I've had to turn down jobs, including a few indie features, because I couldn't miss more than a week of classes. Since this change, some fellow crew members have suggested I drop out and just work. So my questions are: has anyone else been in this position? Should I leave what I've done for years when I'm nearly done or should i just accept that life gets in the way of work sometimes and finish up?

I'd really appreciate any insight. Thanks!

Happy Birthday Adrian! You'll always be my favorite DP. :D

PS. I'm shopping for your birthday present now... I'm thinking the hot points t shirt. Yes?

We are recording on cartridges so thanks for the tip. I know the process but the last thing I would want to do is lose priceless hours of work because of a silly mistake so thanks again!

Ps Adrian, the Italian market has amazing loose leaf tea. You can find some good tea if you know where to look. :)

Thanks for the advice everyone. I really appreciate it and I'm sure I'll be better off at the shoot because of the great tips!

And yes Adrian, you take your coffee with lot of half and half and an obscene amount of sugar. :D

My mistake. We're shooting on the Sony EX-1 without any adapters just a stock camera.

This summer I'm working on my first super low budget feature film as a 1st AC what are some helpful tips for a first AC on a feature film?

Thanks.

Christine McDermott