Hello!
I am new to this forum and this is my first post. I'm graduating in 3 months and I am looking for a direction to build my career in. I know I want to pursue a career in feature film cinematography. I've shot quite a few things while in film school and have built up a reel with photography portfolio as well. But I know I still have much to learn.
Website: Montgomeryimages.com
My questions is this: If you want to build a career in cinematography and do this for a living which is better to do?
1. Go to the nearest budding film city and work from the bottom in the Grip/Electrical department.
(I am hesitant to do this because I am afraid that all the camera skills I learned will disappear.)
2. Go to the nearest budding film city and work from the bottom in the camera department.
(I am hesitant to do this because I am afraid that all the Lighting/gripping skills I learned will disappear.)
3. Go to a smaller city (I.e. a city with not as big a film incentive) invest in your own lighting/camera gear and start taking low budget gigs with the intent on making a name for yourself in that city. "Bigger fish/Smaller pond"
(I am hesitant to do this because I am still learning and I feel like I should be learning from others. Don't I need to "pay my dues" as they say?)
I am really passionate about cinematography and this industry. When I am on set as , I get in this "flow" where time will just pass and I can be there for hours without breaks.
Thank you for any advice that you can offer.
Justin Montgomery
Montgomeryimages.com
