I have an operational question.
The actor/writer/director (A-W-D) I worked with recently, had put me into a situation which had caused me great confusion and dismay.
With me as the Assistant Director, he had stated that I was to direct him while he was in front of the camera. Equally, he had stated that the DP had free reign to do what he thought best.
Privately, the A-W-D had indicated to me that he was concerned that the DP was a very controlling/domineering character, and he did not want this to happen with him or on his set.
I am still a babe in the woods in such circumstances, and my research of the job of AD did not cover such a situation between AD and DP. My research indicated that the DP was meant to be under the guidance of the AD.
The A-W-D directive ended with me experiencing a number of things, but chiefly confusion and dismay, and under the hot shooting circumstances, along with the domineering or controlling of the DP, I became a bit sullen, and in one or two small instances, a bit grouchy.
Despite this, the A-W-D is apparently quite happy with all the work I did—and I did a hell of a lot--and now wants me to work with him in the same capacity for his next project.
The A-W-D admitted that due to his laziness, he had left things a bit late in getting his team together, and had to accept the DP he could get, and even this took a bit of wrangling and ear tweaking on the part of their common friend, upon the DP.
This time, the A-W-D has taken to heart my pushing him to get into the thick of
pre-production well in advance, and has more or less inveigled me some 6 months in advance of the next film deadline. And he dearly wants to work with another DP, who is also meant to be a good editor as well.
So the questions then are:
i) had the A-W-D poorly managed the structure of set dynamics by setting in place a contradiction?
ii) what was I meant to do--“go with the flow” (which is what I more or less did) or something else?
iii) I wish to do a very professional job—so how can I avoid the possibility of this confusion arising again?
Thanks.
The actor/writer/director (A-W-D) I worked with recently, had put me into a situation which had caused me great confusion and dismay.
With me as the Assistant Director, he had stated that I was to direct him while he was in front of the camera. Equally, he had stated that the DP had free reign to do what he thought best.
Privately, the A-W-D had indicated to me that he was concerned that the DP was a very controlling/domineering character, and he did not want this to happen with him or on his set.
I am still a babe in the woods in such circumstances, and my research of the job of AD did not cover such a situation between AD and DP. My research indicated that the DP was meant to be under the guidance of the AD.
The A-W-D directive ended with me experiencing a number of things, but chiefly confusion and dismay, and under the hot shooting circumstances, along with the domineering or controlling of the DP, I became a bit sullen, and in one or two small instances, a bit grouchy.
Despite this, the A-W-D is apparently quite happy with all the work I did—and I did a hell of a lot--and now wants me to work with him in the same capacity for his next project.
The A-W-D admitted that due to his laziness, he had left things a bit late in getting his team together, and had to accept the DP he could get, and even this took a bit of wrangling and ear tweaking on the part of their common friend, upon the DP.
This time, the A-W-D has taken to heart my pushing him to get into the thick of
pre-production well in advance, and has more or less inveigled me some 6 months in advance of the next film deadline. And he dearly wants to work with another DP, who is also meant to be a good editor as well.
So the questions then are:
i) had the A-W-D poorly managed the structure of set dynamics by setting in place a contradiction?
ii) what was I meant to do--“go with the flow” (which is what I more or less did) or something else?
iii) I wish to do a very professional job—so how can I avoid the possibility of this confusion arising again?
Thanks.
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