How To Hire A Cinematographer?
When you're directing your film, a TVC or even shooting your big day, finding a competent cinematographer is crucial. Your video will suffer if you don't hire the best cinematographer you can afford. They are an effective communicator and a manager of teams. They are experts in lighting, comprehending motion, and visual narrative.
Your video's cinematographer can make or ruin it. Therefore, one of the most crucial collaborators a filmmaker or a TVC producer would bring on to their movie is the cinematographer.
Below we'll highlight some interesting points to keep in mind when hiring a cinematographer.
Things to Look for in a
Cinematographer
How To Get Started
Make a list of potential cinematographers to consider when looking to employ a superb one. Put out a crew call on crew websites, social media, Craigslist, etc. to find some applicants if you don't already know any.
Watch The Cinematographers’ Latest Demos
Start by seeing the most recent sample reel from each cinematographer. You can also view their older reels including commercials, product photography, etc. Pay attention to significant and high-calibre highlight reels. A strong reel demonstrates the DP's (Director of Photography) exceptional judgment and ability to produce and recognize high-quality images and looks.
Just because it isn't on a DP’s previously done projects doesn't mean they can't produce the look or camera movement you want. Because of this, it's critical to be transparent about your requirements when looking to recruit a top cinematographer. If you've done a decent job explaining what you want to your DP, they should be able to design any appearance you'd want.
Experience of The Cinematographer Matters
When hiring a fantastic cinematographer, experience is also crucial. The art of videomaking is a marathon, not a sprint. A significant advantage is having a cinematographer with knowledge of the subject matter you are shooting. To start, check the cinematographer's IMDB profile to see what they have captured.
Second, request the résumé or CV from each DP. Since some projects, like short films, food TVC and promotional videos, don't qualify for IMDB, they probably have more projects they've shot than what IMDB will show you.
Select A Cinematographer Based On Their Skills
The cinematographer's equipment, including the camera and other accessories, is less significant than the creative vision that drives the camera. You should not judge a cinematographer by their equipment. The camera doesn't have the slightest creative spark when it shows up on set. The colour, nature, intensity, and direction of light are not controlled by the camera.
How To Get A Talented Filmmaker
To Engage In Your Project
DP considers a variety of factors when shooting a movie or a TVC, including pay, how the video will advance their career, what will likely make great shots for their next reel, how much exposure the finished project will give them, and the type of equipment the production will be available for the DP to use.
The compensation rate for the project matters. Pay is significant. However, it's not necessarily the most crucial factor, especially for aspiring cinematographers who lack charming experience but have the skills to get the job done.
Effective Collaboration Between
Director and Cinematographer
You must explain to the cinematographer during pre-production how you want the video or ad to appear and feel once you've hired them. Lookbooks and other visual resources are quite helpful for this. Use images, movies, TV shows, colour schemes, and anything else that will help your DP understand what you want.
Frequently meet before production begins. Have discussions about how the movie looks. Perform camera, lighting, and even makeup and attire testing. Although they have the last say, directors should be open to their cinematographers' creative suggestions because the project is a collaborative medium.
Get Every Advantage You Can
It's challenging to make a movie. To create a movie that will develop your career, affect viewers the way you want it to, and provide you with the opportunity to keep creating better, every department needs to be operating at full capacity. That is why finding a talented cinematographer is crucial.
If you are looking to work with a professional cinematographer for your next TVC or short film, make sure you check out the portfolio of Kidd Sauve. We offer a range o video production services that include cinematography, VFX designing and 2D and 3D animation in Melbourne. Call +61 432 689 242 for more information.