Sorry the posts have been few and far between lately. Between getting my taxes done and commercial work and a freebie for a friend of mine I've been pretty worn out. I acted as camera operator on a festival short for a gaffer buddy of mine and it was three nights of work, but it was fun to be on the other side for a little while (and to leave at wrap). I'll be back with some more posts later this week. Please put up any ideas/questions you may have for posts in the comments section.
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couple questions if you dont mind...
ReplyDeleteWhats the transition like between dolly grip and camera operator?
How did you gain the necessary operating skills?
Thanks!
Traditionally, a lot of Dolly Grips transition to operating through Steadicam, which makes sense. To be an effective Dolly Grip you need to know lenses, have an idea of composition, blocking, and when to move the camera, which is a big part of the game. Over time, working with so many operators, you absorb a lot.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I haven't acquired the necessary physical operating skills. It's something I'm starting to dabble in but I need a lot of practice. I know what the frame should look like, I just need practice getting to it and holding it. I practice the wheels whenever there's down time as well as the fluid head.
i was doing b dolly on a series a couple of years ago and the operator was a heavy smoker.
ReplyDeletewell wouldn't you know it the director calls out from video village.hey b camera roll on this see what you can get tighter.
it was just before lunch the first a.d was freaking to get the shot and not go into meal penalty.
buddy was out having a drag so the first a.c ran out to get a quick measure i jumped on the wheels.
we got the shot.
it was intense
Hey Guys, How about the B-Dolly Grip? What is the difference and what do you expect from this person as an A-Dolly Grip? I mainly Push A-Camera, however, when I do B-Cam I work the way I would expect a B-Dolly Grip to perform and this seems to suprise some Dolly Grips.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great blog. Keep up the hard work.
I think that some people feel that B Dolly is just a pay upgrade and easier workload. In actual fact it's quite the opposite. B is always called in at the last second, there's no time to setup properly (or fight for space) and try to get the tougher shot (ie overs). I'll do either, but prefer A (but then again it also depends on the operator).
ReplyDeleteGood answer Azurgrip. Good idea for a post.
ReplyDelete