How to Shoot a Short Film as a Professional Cameraman

The cameraman operates the camera during the shoot.

Shooting a short film as a professional cameraman requires the use of the right camera equipment and accessories during the shoot. If shooting in an exterior location under the sun or rain, use a camera umbrella or camera raincoat to protect the equipment from extreme heat or water damage. Sometimes, even shooting in interior locations and studios -- where the scene involves rain and water effects -- would require you to protect the camera from water damage as well. When shooting underwater, make sure the camera is also equipped with underwater filming equipment.

Instructions

1. Select the camera to use for the shoot. Depending on the budget and artistic needs of the short film project, you can shoot using a film, digital cinema, HD, DSLR or consumer digital video camera. If using a film camera, the popularly used shooting formats are 35mm, Super 16mm and 16mm. If using a digital cinema or HD camera, you can use any of the professional or prosumer (professsional-consumer) cameras from Sony, Panasonic and Canon. If using a DSLR camera, many options are offered by Canon, Nikon and Panasonic as well. If the project's budget can only accommodate the use of a consumer camera, compensate the camera's technical weakness over broadcast-quality cameras by requesting the applicable camera accessories and lighting equipment. Also, prioritize shooting in locations with enough lighting sources.

2. Provide an official list of your technical requirements. Aside from the camera, list all camera accessories, which typically includes the type of lenses, filters, additional batteries, cables, video assist, survival kit, matte box and other possible accessories the project needs. The list should also include whether you need the standard professional tripod or whether you also need a hi-hat or baby tripod that enables you to shoot in very low angles. If you have tracking shots, you can also include a steadicam, dolly, jib or crane equipment on the list. This grip equipment allows you to operate the camera using various tracking movements and even to shoot in complicated angles.

3. Plug the camera on its AC adapter or use the battery for the camera's power needs. When shooting tracking shots, use the battery to avoid cable-related accidents.

4. Insert the camera's tape, hard drive or memory card, whichever is the applicable format the camera uses to store footage.

5. Choose the right lenses to use for the camera for each shot based on the film's storyboard and shot list. A longer lens like a 100mm or 300mm allows you to shoot close-up shots from a distance. A shorter lens like an 18mm allows you to shoot wide shots. If necessary, place a filter to alter the shot's color, saturation or contrast, to soften the lighting on the captured footage or to create in-camera effects.

6. Configure the frame rate settings you want to use for each shot. A film is ideally shot in 24fps (frames per second). If your camera has variable-speed capability, you can also shoot certain scenes in high speed, meaning shooting higher than 24fps, to provide slow motion effect to your footage. You can also shoot in low speed, meaning shooting lower than 24fps, to provide fast motion or time-lapse effect to your footage. Other cameras also make it possible to do speed ramping so that you can change the camera speed while shooting. For instance, you can start shooting at regular speed, then you combine slow and fast motion effects during the recording process without having to cut into another take.

7. Select the resolution of the footage you want to capture. This feature is only available in digital video cameras because a film camera acquires a standard format and resolution depending on the type of film used for it. 35mm film is the industry standard and is superior to Super 16mm and 16mm formats. For a digital cinema camera, you can use a 2K or 4K resolution. For an HD camera, you can use a 720p or 1080p resolution. Other consumer digital video cameras also have 720p and 1080p resolution options, but they don't record with the same quality of footage compared to professional HD cameras because other camera components and features are not available to low-end camera formats.

8. Configure the rest of the camera settings based on the film's visual requirements. These settings typically include options for aspect ratio, shooting format in NTSC or PAL, exposure, gain, shutter, contrast and saturation settings and other camera-specific features and programs that can make the quality of footage favorable to the needs of the production.

9. Frame your camera and compose each shot. Do a camera rehearsal to make sure that you are able to properly move the camera, make any necessary adjustment on the camera settings and focus the lens on the right visual element on screen. Usually, if your focused subject is moving on frame or if the camera is tracking, panning or tilting during the shoot, you have to do focus pulling work on your own or through a separate camera crew known as the focus puller. A cameraman in a large film production has a focus puller, along with an assistant cameraman. For low-budget feature and short films, usually, the cameraman multitasks by also doing the works a focus puller and assistant cameraman do.

10. Start shooting your shot by pressing the "Record" button in your camera right after the director says the word "Action." Stop the recording of the shot by pressing the "Stop" button in your camera right after the director says the word "Cut."

Tips & Warnings

• If the project has budget for a video assist or camera monitor, connect it to the camera so that the director, producer and other crew members can view what the camera shoots.

• Keep a handy copy of the part of the script, storyboard and shooting schedule to be shot for that particular day you are filming. If you don't have them, ask the production assistant to provide you with copies.

• When the production becomes very chaotic, especially when everybody is pressed on time to finish the shoot, avoid skipping the placement of the ID, also called slate or clapperboard, whenever you are shooting. The shot ID of each film take is very important to the film's editor. If the shots don't have IDs, it will take a longer time to edit, and it will be a waste of time and effort for the film during its post-production stage. If there are spontaneous shots that you would lose if you place an ID prior to shooting, use the "end slate" method wherein you shoot the ID upside down after filming the actual shot.

References

• Making the Movie: HD Camera Comparison; April 2011
• Video Camera Courses: What Is The Online Essential Skills Video Camera Course?; August 2010
• The F Stop Academy: Stills In Motion -- The Photographers Guide to HDSLR Video
• Flyweight Films: Creating a Portfolio Site for Filmmakers and Videographers
• Left Lion: Guide to Making Short Films
• Desktop Video Guide: Guidelines for Shooting Quality Videos

Resources

• The F Stop: Behind-the-Scenes Videos - Take Two; Zack Seckler June 2011