Moving Images, Understanding Media

300 Moving Images: Making Movies, Understanding Media

The Camera Team

Working under the supervision of the cinematographer are the camera team

and the lighting crew. Oft en DPs do not actually operate the camera during

shots so that they can work fl uidly with all their assistants and concentrate

on overseeing lighting. Th ey need to be able to look at the big picture. In this

case, there is a separate camera operator who works under the supervision of

a DP. Th e camera operator works the camera, eye to the viewfi nder, hands

manipulating the controls for movement and framing.

Th e core members of a camera crew are the fi rst assistant camera (fi rst

AC) and second assistant camera (second AC). First assistant cameras are the

primary people in charge of maintaining the camera and lenses, cleaning

Figure 8-13 Actor

Heath Ledger on camel,

cinematographer Robert

Richardson on crane, and

director Shekhar Kapur

making The Four Feathers.

Camera crews must be

able to adjust to diffi cult

conditions, as with director

of photography Richardson

working a Panavision rig set

up for the desert location.

(Courtesy Paramount/Photofest)

Figure 8-14 Director Tony

Gerber behind camera along

with camera and production

crew on Side Streets. (Photo

by Seth Rubin, Courtesy Market

Road Films)

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