Job role: Cinematographer

By Jack O’Hara
 What is a
Cinematographer?
A cinematographer, otherwise known as
Director of Photography (D.O.P) is the
person who oversees or directs the
photography and camerawork in film-
making, and is often the one who operates
the camera.
Cinematography is the art and technique
of making and reproducing motion
pictures and the Cinematographer is the
person who is in charge of this.
 What are the
responsibilities of a
Cinematographer?
The six duties and responsibilities of a Cinematographer are:
• Choosing a visual style for the film – It is their job to come up with
the look of the film. For example, a cinematographer will change
what approach will be used for what scene in order to invoke the
emotions the director wants to portray for this scene.
• Establishes the camera setup for every shot – The
cinematographer decides which types of cameras, lenses, camera
angles, and camera techniques are used to bring a scene to life. An
example of this would be to make the decision to shoot a scene
handheld to get a less artificial and more human feel to the scene.
• Determines the lighting for every scene – A cinematographer must
know how to use lighting to create the right mood for the scene at
hand. It is imperative that they know how to change the
properties of light within a scene.
• Explores the potential of every location – A good cinematographer
will have an understanding of what visuals the director leans
towards, meaning they can make a good recommendation
towards what shots they should capture.
• Attends rehearsals – A good cinematographer will attend the
rehearsals with the actors. During these rehearsals, the
cinematographer will adjust the camera in response to a particular
action or gesture because things won’t always go how they see it
in their head. It’s their job to work around that.
• Elevates the vision of the director – A good cinematographer will
introduce ideas and concepts the director may not have
considered. This is especially true if they have a long-running
partnership.
What does a typical
day look like for a
Cinematographer?
A day in the life of a cinematographer is never the
same. Sometimes they can be busy almost every
hour of the day and sometimes they won’t have
been working for weeks. It’s just a part of the job.
However, here are some of the things a
cinematographer will do when they are on the job:
• Get to the set earlier than requested.
• Unpack and assemble camera(s) and equipment
on arrival.
• Make sure that every piece of equipment is
being used correctly.
• Choose which setup to use for the opening shot
(lighting, camera, lenses)
• Review plans with the director
• Start shooting the first shot
• Pack down after the first shot is done.
• Move location to the next location.
• Repeat until the day of work is done.
 What sort of salary
would you expect as a
Cinematographer?
The salary for a cinematographer can be vastly
different from case to case because not every
cinematographer is at the same level.
Cinematography is an art form and people will
pay for what they deem is quality. The better
your work becomes, the higher you will get
paid for it.
The U.S Bureau of Labour Statistics groups
cinematographers with other camera operators
in the television and video industries. In May
2009, almost 12 years ago, it was reported that
the average annual salary for a
cinematographer was £32,233, which is
equivalent to a monthly wage of £2,705, and
an hourly rate of £15.50. Pay comparison
website SalaryList.com, put the average
yearly salary for cinematographers alone at
£41,704, as of 2011, which means that it
has likely risen even higher since then.
 What are the skills and
qualifications needed to
be a Cinematographer?
Depending on how you look at it, it can either be a good thing
or a bad thing, but there are no qualifications needed to
become a Cinematographer. You can decide to be one today, if
you want to. You won’t get hired off of your education but you
will get hired off of your work, which University will teach you.
However, this knowledge can be learned anywhere, even from
the seat you’re reading this right now by using the internet.
Some of the most decorated cinematographers and even
directors have never had a formal education in filmmaking.
Even though it’s easy to come across this information, the skills
are still just as essential to the job as they would be for any
other job. Here are a few of the skills that are needed to
become a cinematographer:
• An eye for detail and a mind for fast invention
• Thorough understanding of lighting techniques, light colour,
shade and manipulation
• Strong technical knowledge of cameras and the film
production process
• Strong communication skills
• Strong team management skills
• Excellent listening ability
• Flexible approach to adapting knowledge already
accumulated to achieve an improved result
 An inspiration for
Cinematography
One of my biggest inspirations for
Cinematography in recent memory is Robert
Eggers and Jarin Blaschke’s ‘The Lighthouse’.
The two are a director-cinematographer team
that work equally as hard as the other in order
to make their combined productions come to
life.
The thing that inspired me most about ‘The
Lighthouse’ was the choice in lighting, colouring
and aspect ratio. Sometime in the near future I
would like to make something with the same
black and white look. However, I have already
implemented the aspect ratio idea into my own
short film ‘Lockdown on Creativity’.
In both films, the character(s) main feeling
throughout is isolation; feeling locked inside a
confined space. This aspect ratio does a good job
in making the viewer feel the same way that the
character on screen is feeling.
Job role: Video editor
By Jack O’Hara
 What is a
video editor?
Video editors are the people who
bring the final draft of the entire
production’s work together. They
are part of a post-production
team that joins together material
recorded by the camera and
sound crews.
Video editors work very closely
with the director and
cinematographer of the product
to ensure that their visions are
coming to life in the way that
they had originally imagined.
 What are the
responsibilities of
a video editor?
The responsibilities and duties of a video editor are:
• Work both on and off-site – This means that an editor is
expected to be able to take their work home with them if
they are needed to in order to complete a project.
• Manage and oversee all technical aspects of video editing –
This means that they are in charge of all things video editing
and post-production. They are in charge of putting all of the
pieces together in the way that the director and
cinematographer envisioned.
• Work with our creative teammates – A video editor often
has to work with other creative teams within a company or
organisation to ensure that their work is in line with the
company vision.
• Follow the company's brand guidelines – Like before, a
video editor has to follow the creative brand guidelines.
This means that they must follow in line with previous work.
If the product they make is too different than previous work
the company has made, it may seem jarring to some
people.
• Be proficient in industry standard editing software – A video
editor must be using industry standard editing software
because they will often have to collaborate and work with
other editors, meaning a standardised set of applications
will need to be set. A few of these editing software are
Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro and Davinci Resolve.
 What does a typical
day look like for a
video editor?
Just like cinematographers, a video editor can also go
from being busy every hour in the day or go weeks
without a job. It’s part of working in the creative
industry. However, whenever a video editor has a job,
this is the typical things that they will do on a day to
day basis:
• Supervise and coordinate activities of workers
engaged in film editing, assembling, and recording
activities.
• Set up and operate computer editing systems,
electronic titling systems, video switching
equipment, and digital video effects units to
produce a final product.
• Organize and string together raw footage into a
continuous whole according to scripts or the
instructions of directors and producers.
• Verify key numbers and time codes on materials.
• Review assembled films or edited videotapes on
screens or monitors to determine if corrections are
necessary.
What sort of salary
would you expect
as a video editor?
Again, just like a cinematographer,
the salary for a video editor can be
massively different depending on the
skill level you’re at. However, the
average salary for a video editor in
the United Kingdom has been
recorded as £24,124, meaning the
monthly rate is £1,708 and the
hourly rate is £12.85
Of course, this will only increase as
your skill level increases and the
content you produce gets better.
 What are the skills and
qualifications needed to
be a video editor?
Because video editing is an artform, you don’t need
any formal education to become one. However, if you
do have formal education in the subject, it will show
your employer that you have a commitment and have
determination towards becoming a video editor.
Even though no formal education is needed, the
essential skills are always going to be needed. A few
of the skills you will need in order to become a video
editor are:
• a keen eye for detail and a critical mind
• creativity and a passionate interest in film and
video editing
• patience and concentration
• the ability to listen to others and to work well as
part of a team
• a high level of self-motivation, commitment and
dedication
• organisational and time management skills
• the ability to work under pressure and to
deadlines
• communication skills, both written and oral.
An inspiration
for video editing
My biggest inspiration for video editing is
the movie ‘Interstellar’. The film was
directed by Christopher Nolan but edited by
Lee Smith.
I think ‘Interstellar’ is the best edited film of
all time for a number of reasons. However, I
think the most impressive is the use of time
and specifically how specific scenes can span
over multiple different time-lines within the
same scene and still be understandable to
the viewer.
Here is an in-depth breakdown of that
scene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y8BVC
5-fuA&t=44s&ab_channel=ThisGuyEdits
 Working as a
freelancer
Working as a freelancer is a different way to
earn money in the creative space, too. A lot
of people like this option because it doesn’t
tie you to a specific job for longer than you
need to be there. It’s attractive because you
work whenever you want to (or need to)
work. You make your own schedule and set
your own prices. You own your business.
However, some of these advantages can
turn into disadvantages very quickly if
you’re not careful. For example, sometimes
you can go weeks without working. For a
freelancer, this can be a troubling time due
to the costs of living (rent, food, clothing
etc). Your income won’t be consistent. You
are running a business, meaning your need
for self-promotion will never end, either.
Working as a freelancer has its benefits but
its also not for everyone and its important
to figure out what works and what doesn’t
work for you as a creative.
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ematography-oscar-nominee-jarin-blaschke-robert-eggers-12
l%20video%20brand%20messaging%20str
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