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Feels naive to ask this because a part of me already knows the answer. Maybe i'm just looking for validity and it's a Friday night with "curfew" so what the hell... 

There is no one set path, I get it. 

As someone who decided NOT to attend film school, (No support, no capital, mostly afraid to take debt) aspiring to become a DP seems rather daunting.

Having appreciated the few opportunities through friends/connections, working mainly as a 1st/2nd AC, my ego is constantly telling me "...poop man, this DP could be me". 

I know, it's a shitty selfish way to think because all set experience is still experience—but I can't help it to see how it's not building my reel at the current moment. Call it stubborn.

So my question is for someone who is rather green but has the technical understanding of the lighting/shooting, should one just go out and shoot as much as possible of just random poop, Effectively getting your reps in? Or should it be more structured to have an idea first (ie. narrative doc, spec-type) and executing on that? Further, are we just wearing the many different hats of being a director, producer, gaffer in the early stages in our career? Or is it imperative to delegate to those who have a better understanding of such roles?

Thanks

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7 hours ago, Tyler Fukuda said:

So my question is for someone who is rather green but has the technical understanding of the lighting/shooting, should one just go out and shoot as much as possible of just random poop, Effectively getting your reps in?

No, you need to shoot stuff which GETS YOU NOTICED. it is up to you what type of stuff it is. but it needs to show clearly that you put your heart and soul to it and that it is something fresh and original which stands out. 

So you CAN shoot random poop if you want, but it needs to be made with big heart and it needs to really stand out. If it is something mediocre like a bland comedy which gives you one or two laughs per hour, it won't get you anywhere. If your poop is the most interesting looking in the whole town, people will stop by and look at it even if it's still poop. that's more likely to get you somewhere ?

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Most people starting out do both - crew on bigger sets to learn and make money, while shooting freebies and no-budget stuff on the side.

The two biggest hurdles in the beginning are not knowing how to shoot or light the way you want, and not having the opportunity to try it with a good location/actor/experienced crew/equipment.

So one approach feeds the other - you learn ‘how’ by watching people who know how to do it; you get access to crew and gear by meeting people who have it; then you apply what you’ve learned over and over until it doesn’t suck anymore. And hopefully you get enough chances to practice because the people you’ve met along the way like you and believe in you.

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Also, every DP needs an ego - if you don’t believe in your own talent or love your own images, it’s gonna be tough to make it. But you also need enough humility to be realistic with yourself about where your skills are right now,  and how they compare to where you want to be. Then you need the patience and tenacity to start building up to that level over time. It’s a long journey that never ends.

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