Film 101: What Does the Director of Photography Do, and Are They the Same as Cinematographers?
Since the director of photography is responsible for putting the filmmaker’s vision on camera, they play a crucial role in the storytelling process. A director’s working relationship with their DP is one of intense collaboration that frequently spans several movies.
Film 101: What Does the Director of Photography Do, and Are They the Same as Cinematographers?
An Explanation Of A Director Of Photography
The person in charge of designing a movie’s appearance is the director of photography, also referred to as the DP or cinematographer. A skilled DP will enhance a filmmaker’s vision and present notions and ideas the director might not have thought of. It’s no accident that a lot of filmmakers and cinematographers collaborate frequently, like David Fincher and Jeff Cronenweth or Steven Spielberg and Janusz Kaminski.
Everything that influences what the camera can record is under the DP’s control (i.e. composition, exposure, lighting, filters, and camera movements). The director of photography chooses the cameras, lenses, and filters that will be used during a shoot in addition to being in charge of the camera and lighting crews on location.
What Does the Role of a Director of Photography Entail?
Let’s examine what a director of photography performs during each stage of film production to gain a better understanding of what they do:
During pre-production, what does a director of photography do?
The director of photography spends a lot of time planning the film’s visual style during pre-production.
Brainstorm
The production designer, director, and other leaders of the art department collaborate closely with the DP to develop the look and feel of the movie. The film’s tone, for example, is a question the cinematographer poses during this stage. What color scheme is used? What other movies’ aesthetics influenced this one? Which visual effects are necessary? Using storyboards or style books, directors and cinematographers frequently communicate with one another during this stage.
Location Scouting
The director of photography will go location scouting with the location manager or location scout. The location will be evaluated by the director of photography (DP) for natural light (or lack thereof), available space and setup, and whether or not it fits the aforementioned visual style of the movie.
From the location scouting, I like taking photographs of the locations I have been to and adding them to a lookbook I am creating.
What is a lookbook?
A lookbook is a compilation of images, such as photographs or movie stills, that serve to show the filmmaker’s vision for a particular project. A lookbook serves as a guide for how a movie will look and feel, taking into account numerous cinematic factors like casting, production design, and cinematography.
Aiming to visually communicate ideas and concepts for things like colors, lighting styles, moods, and other reference visuals, lookbooks often try to convey these ideas and concepts.
If you are creating a PDF lookbook to share with your team, I would suggest using a jpg to pdf converter, so that you can convert your jpg photographs to PDF form for easier sharability to your team.
Assemble the camera gear
The DP will provide the line producer with a list of the necessary gear, including cameras, lenses, filters, and film stock.
Gather the crew
Through working on numerous different films, many DPs have developed a team they can rely on, and they frequently use the same camera and lighting crew from film to picture. Additionally, they collaborate with the line producer to assemble and hire the staff. The key roles that work most closely with the DP are:
The camera operator
The camera is operated by a person. The director of photography (DP) may double as the cameraperson for lower-budget movies. The camera operator will be given instructions on how to hold and move the camera as well as how the DP will construct the shot.
The Steadicam Operator
If there is a Steadicam system in the movie, the Steadicam Operator sets it up such that it can stable the camera while it is moving. The Steadicam operator will control the Steadicam system to accommodate the shot while the DP will compose the shot.
1st Assistant Camera
Since their main responsibility is to ensure that whatever subject or event is being captured in crisp focus, the camera is also referred to as the “focus puller.” The camera lens focuses and refocuses as performers advance or retreat from the lens. Additionally, they will construct the camera in the morning and ensure that everything is put away properly in the evening.
2nd Assistant Camera
The “clapper loader,” or second assistant camera, marks each fresh take on a slate. The editor can then match the sound to the image. Additionally, they collaborate with the 1st AC to indicate the actors’ places during rehearsals so that the 1st AC would know when to shift their attention.
The gaffer
The gaffer is in charge of a movie’s lighting and electrical. The gaffer and his team are responsible for putting the DP’s overall lighting design into action.
The key grip
The key grip operates the cranes, dolly, and any other non-electrical equipment in addition to maintaining the camera and lighting gear. The key grip (and his team) do whatever is necessary (such as run a dolly or give the gaffer the required lighting equipment) to make the DP’s vision a reality once the DP generates the vision and conveys it to the key grip.
What Roles Does A Photography Director Have During Production?
The majority of the director of photography’s work is done during production, when the movie is really being made.
Block Shots: The director and the DP will collaborate to decide how to film a specific scene.
Shoot: The DP oversees the camera and lighting crews during production, paying close attention to the following factors:
Composition and framing: The arrangement of the elements within the frame.
Exposure: is the measure of how much light the camera can catch and how a scene is lit.
Lens and filters: When choosing the camera lens, the director of photography (DP) must take into account several factors, including the story they are telling (emotional scenes may require a lens designed for close-ups), how far away the subjects are (is there enough depth of field for certain lenses), how much light is available (certain lenses are better for capturing natural light than others), etc.
Camera movements: The DP gives the camera operators instructions on where to position the camera and how to move it around the scene.
Review the dailies: The term “dailies” refers to the unedited, uncut video that was shot that day. The director and DP go over the dailies to make sure that everything is in line with the original plan.
What Functions Does a Photography Director Have During Post-Production?
Except for one more post-production step that impacts the movie’s visual appearance, the DP’s job is almost completely finished.
The film’s appearance and color are adjusted using color grading. The DP advises the colorists on how the color palette should look because they are in charge of the movie’s color scheme.
5 Essentials for Every Cinematographer
A director of photography must be capable of leading a big staff while also being visually inventive in their work. A successful cinematographer should possess the following abilities:
Imagination and photographic talent. The DP creates the film’s aesthetics, therefore they should naturally have an eye for capturing moving pictures.
Possibility of giving and receiving instructions. The director’s vision must be understood by the DP, who must then convey it to a large audience spanning two entire departments.
Technical camera proficiency. The DP must understand how to use a camera, the functions of various cameras, how to utilize a variety of lenses, how to expose a shot, etc.
Work experience. Begin as an assistant in the camera or lighting departments and work your way up the ladder. After that, you could work as a lighting technician or camera operator before ultimately working as a renowned cinematographer’s camera assistant. Making connections with the assistant director and line producer is also beneficial because they might engage you as the DP for one of their upcoming projects.
A strong portfolio. A strong portfolio can be developed by working in lower-level camera department positions on paid film shootings and moving through the ranks while simultaneously working as the cinematographer on free film shoots. Getting a job as a cinematographer depends heavily on the quality of your portfolio, regardless of how high up the film production ladder you have already advanced or what school you attended.
Learn more about film roles and responsibilities with James Cameron here.
How three renowned filmmakers collaborate with their cinematographers
Dir: Steven Spielberg, DP: Janusz Kaminski
To give the images a documentary-like distance, Spielberg turned his career around with “Schindler’s List,” both in terms of the plot and the cinematic approach. To accomplish this, he hired Janusz Kaminski, a little-known 33-year-old Polish cinematographer whose TV work he admired (though one suspects it was the way the DP shot Vanilla Ice in “Cool as Ice” that won the director’s heart). The film’s authenticity has an expressiveness to it that never veered into being overly beautiful for a work about the Holocaust.
It was a challenging thread to thread, and for the past 25 years, Kaminski has served as Spielberg’s vehicle while he shape-shifts his way through historical and political sci-fi movies. Every time, Kaminski produced a razor-sharp aesthetic that complemented the narrative flawlessly. As the director’s story worlds matured, Kaminski and Spielberg used light with tremendous complexity and refinement, ranging from the otherworldly light of “A.I.” to the classical atmosphere of “Bridge of Spies.”
Dir: The Coen Brothers, DP: Roger Deakins
With “Barton Fink,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, Roger Deakins gave the Coens’ sandbox a sense of cinematic gravitas that made the rest of the world start to take the smartass brothers seriously. The Brothers were soon able to give the same layered approach to visual narrative that had always been evident in their screenplays under Deakins, and their language also became more precise.
Deakins let them immediately access the Hollywood and genre allusions that their films were referencing without winking or nodding, but rather with their own distinctive aesthetic. The trio’s ability to switch gears and blend genres, humor and sorrow, in a way that felt natural was underscored when Roger Ebert memorably compared viewing “Fargo” to going to a fantastic film festival.
Although the Coens are no longer dependent on Deakins, the depth and color he gives to a comedy like “Hail Caesar” nevertheless make it a special delight to go to the movies.
Dir: Alfonso Cuarón, DP: Emmanuel Lubezki
Although Emmanuel Lubezki may be the most naturally talented cinematographer currently working, his inclusion on our list three times is not only due to talent.
There is a strong craft at the heart of his work, notwithstanding the visceral immersion he achieves with Iárritu or the exquisite beauty of light he captures with Malick. His work with his old buddy, director Cuaron, on films with extraordinary finesse and beauty serves as the clearest example of this.
There is nothing Lubezki can’t do with a camera, as evidenced by Sandra Bullock floating through CGI space in that magnificent light in “Gravity” or the meticulously framed and coordinated camera motions through the most realistic dystopia ever seen on the big screen in “Children of Men.”
What’s more, no DP working today is better at connecting with the emotional world of the directors with whom he works.
Final Thoughts
In the end, a strong script will pique a cinematographer’s interest in the film and ignite the director’s enthusiasm and innovative ideas for visually interpreting their story. The movie’s objectives are to entertain, engage, and inspire audience members to empathize with the characters.
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About the author: Trent (IMDB | Youtube) has spent 10+ years working on an assortment of film and television projects. He writes about his experiences to help (and amuse) others. If he’s not working, he’s either traveling, reading or writing about travel/film, or planning travel/film projects.
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