Jump to content

toby lockerbie

Basic Member
  • Posts

    12
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Profile Information

  • Occupation
    Cinematographer
  • Location
    london
  1. Just want to say thanks for all the advice everyone, lots of food for thought and ideas on what to do and what not to do. It's good to hear the more realistic points of view but also the more positive. The plan is to work hard on getting a better network, finding some short film directors who might want to work with me, possibly shoot a short of my own if I can assemble and spare the time/money etc, all while continuing to do what I normally do. Hopefully getting some more narrative under my belt while still working on other things is doable, if I can keep being flexible, keep working hard and staying positive. Cheers all!
  2. Thanks Michael, sounds like a good plan if I head that way.
  3. That's pretty intense! I didn't really think the full NFTS course would be the right direction for me and I think the above only solidifies that, if I can find some opportunities to work in around current work it sounds like that's the best direction to take.
  4. Ha ha! Though I haven't been to the BSC show so you were fine there, hopefully there isn't another DP out there with my name doing awesome work! I stupidly hadn't thought about working with Sony for a short film kit wise, another thing to add to the list, lots of helpful tips here thank you all!
  5. Glad to hear you're managing education and working at the same time, sounds tricky but rewarding. Good to hear you did get to NFTS, though yes the fees are up a bit now unfortunately, did you manage to find time while on the course to escape some days to do paid work or was it too 'full time' for that? Thanks for the advice on Creative England, will take a look at that and dates for film festivals too.
  6. Hi Freya, Much appreciated, all constructive advice is certainly taken on board. We've actually spoken before, you interviewed me a few years ago for Red Shark News about a film I made using a camera Sony lent me, small world! As mentioned I'm not just looking to be a feature DP and didn't actually mention features in my question. Rather I'm looking for some tips to get some narrative work and set experience, AJ and Phil's advice pointing me towards shorts seems like the right move to me and it's good to hear more from you about the NFTS and possible opportunities there (though I won't count my chickens!). I'm not going to stop what I'm currently doing but getting some set experience, meeting and working under other DPs, talking to the NFTS to see if I can offer some help will all I think help me on my way to being better at my job. It does sound like feature work in the UK is a very hard nut to crack and TV not much better so I do greatly appreciate that realism and information. I don't think it will frighten me off aiming for a feature or episodic TV at some point, especially if I can manage other work at the same time, but I can't say I wasn't warned! :) I think I'm realistic enough to understand I'm not going to be Deakins in 5 years, I'm just looking to be a better cinematographer and this seems the best forum for that for some tips. Hopefully all of us who consider ourselves cinematographers want to do some narrative work and perhaps some only want to do narrative work, I just want to keep being busy, keep getting better and hopefully keep enjoying the journey! .
  7. Hi Phil (C!), Thanks for the reply, super helpful and good to hear you're in the UK. Yes it's really drama I'd like more experience of, it does sound like shorts (and finding a good one!) should be the next step to focus on. I've generally assumed that route wouldn't be much of a commercial decision and more of an educational one so pretty set on it not paying much, I wouldn't be able to afford doing that alone. Really interesting on your NFTS experience, sorry to hear they didn't accept you (I've heard they're massively oversubscribed) but managing to shoot some shorts with them, raid kit and even get paid sounds like you got the best possible outcome! I've looked at the course too but not sure if I could do full time for two years and with the added expense and that's assuming I even got accepted. Definitely interested in the volunteering idea. Regarding the bulk of your income now, is that in film education? I see you're a course leader for a Film BA at Brighton University.
  8. Thanks for the post Phil, though I thought I was a pessimist! :) I do of course appreciate your point of view and I've read many of your posts before so always appreciate the time and effort people put into replies, though I do worry a little that as it's a copy and paste by your own admission, it's not as entirely relevant to my situation as I'd hoped. But beggars can't be choosers! I have been working as a DP and filmmaker for the last five years in sunny London and I also manage to pay my mortgage so I can probably afford to do some low paid work for some helpful experience but I don't think there's any reason for me to solely work as a camera assistant 'full time' for instance and give up on all other work I do. I was just hoping for some tips on getting some more narrative experience but perhaps I should have clarified further, I'm not saying I only want to shoot features, it's just that in general, cinematography is at it's purest in narrative and if I want to be the best DP I can be I should at least be trying to do some of my work here. So any guidance on my specific situation would be great. Obviously my aim is to DP on some shorts, documentaries, TV and features, but that doesn't mean I don't also want to shoot more commercials or music videos or even live TV, episodic youtube series, social media campaigns, travel films etc. I'm just hoping for a few tips and some possible guidance on how to get a little more set experience in that narrative world. While the state of the features film world in the UK is a little more dire than I expected if I'm to believe the above, I have no doubt that there is still work in the UK in those other types of filming and I wouldn't limit myself to UK only productions. I'm here looking for advice for my first post so can't complain that I got some but based on my own experience and others I know of, the opportunities for being a DP in the UK aren't quite as astronomically/astronautically impossible if features aren't your only goal. If you've got any more advice about the UK DP industry outside of just the big feature world I'd love to hear it Phil.
  9. Thanks AJ! Really appreciate the time put into that reply, lots of great information there. Will definitely take it on board and cut a shorter DP only showreel and start actively building up better DP contacts here in the UK in a not too pestering way! I'll think a little more about doing a short of my own, might not be the best use of my energies if I can get DP work on other shorts or even just crew on other narrative work. Cheers for the link to David Mullen's advice on representation too, I don't think I'm there yet to approach an agent but will look into representation a bit more for the future. Thanks again!
  10. Hi all, I'm a DP and filmmaker based in London, I've been a long time lurker (!) on the lighting forum in particular and greatly appreciate the time and effort people put in to the forums. This is my first proper post so any thoughts and advice on my quandry would be much appreciated! Probably best to start with my 2017 DP/filmmaking showreel: https://vimeo.com/209350785 https://vimeo.com/209350785 I've been shooting professionally on my own equipment for about 5 years (I'm 36), starting with music videos but also more recently corporate, commercial and travel shooting too with clients finding me directly. When I first started my music videos I was being represented as a director, but I learned relatively quickly that my heart was less in directing and all in the cinematography so I've been focused on that since. I do still enjoy doing 'everything' on small web projects, working as a small, independent filmmaker but really I'd like to work more consistently as a DP in the future. My circuitous route to becoming a filmmaker and DP means I've got a relatively diverse body of work but I haven't done much narrative DP work or have much 'real' set experience and I recognise that I've got lots more learning to do. I'm not one of those 'DPs' that owns a Red but doesn't know what a C-stand is but equally I didn't start as a clapper loader and work my way up. So I'm looking for advice for next steps for someone who hasn't DP'd much narrative work but wants to. Should I go back to basics and find work as a camera asssistant to get more set experience? Or should I have faith that my current work is strong enough to warrant selling myself as a DP on a low budget short and look for that? Should I look for a diary service/representation? Should I try and make my own short film? Should I pester other DPs for advice and ask to shadow them? I'm just not sure what the smart move is next, any help appreciated!
×
×
  • Create New...