by Cybel Martin | Jun 11, 2023 | Art, Film, Movies
BY CYBEL MARTIN for Shadow and Act/Indiwire
“It’s always good to make up for a lack of (financial) means with an increase in imagination.”
— Wim Wenders
*Originally posted – Dec. 6, 2013*
Friends who know me, know I really dislike talking about limitations. I prefer to dream big and be optimistic. I’m a “let’s put on a show! ” type optimist.
However, I will need to dip my toe into the murky pool of limitations for a second. Stay with me.
There are a lot of indie films being made with fascinating stories. Yet too many have mediocre to painful to look at visuals and poor production value. We can adjust our approach to storytelling and raise the bar of expectations regardless of budget.
I’m sure that I speak for many DPs. I’ve no delusions of shooting the next Bond film but hoped for more, given my experience, education & resources, than interviewing to shoot on a 5D in the director’s apartment. I “should” be shooting features with $3-10m budgets but US film production has lost it’s middle class. Or as DP Ryan Walters says in his post “Three Reasons Why It’s Bad Business to be a Cinematographer”, there is an “evaporation of the middle market”.
I love our Indie Film producers, even though they speak with limitations. Many are of the “we don’t have. You can’t have” variety. A film crew’s natural instinct is to problem solve & figure a way to make your film better. However, many producers hear our requests as saying they are incompetent or that crew wants to cheat them out of more money. Make too many suggestions & we can be labelled difficult and replaced. So we keep quiet. And you get what you get.
In 2012, 2% of films were shot by female DPs. When I am offered a gig, the last thing I want to do is lose it to someone who “looks more like a DP” because my inquiries and suggestions deem me “hard to work with”.
In the same way I gave advice that 1st time doc filmmakers are unlikely to hear, here are some creative suggestions I wish low budget directors would entertain and their producers be open to.
If you do nothing else, seriously consider your approach to camera movement and scene coverage.
1 Shoot High End & Rearrange the Budget. I’m prepping a low budget feature to hopefully shoot in 2014. I told my director (Don’t worry, she’s on the hunt to attach the right producer) that if we shot on 35mm or the Alexa, I guarantee we would not rent Grip/Electric equipment. The only exception would be if she wanted a dolly or car rig. I’m very comfortable with both the Alexa and Kodak stocks. I know the combination of latitude, how I can manipulate available light and decisions made with the Production Designer, will create the director’s desired look. I’d commit to not changing the total amount budgeted for cinematography, just how we allocated funds.
Shooting 35mm for a low budget feature film is nothing new. “George Washington”, “Duck Season”, “Napoleon Dynamite”, “Pariah” and “Chop Shop” were all impressively shot on 35mm for budgets under $1 million.
For inspiration on how to shoot with an Alexa and mostly available light, read about DP Yves Belanger’s work on “Dallas Buyers Club”.
2 Hire a Professional Production Designer as a Consultant. A PD’s ability to elevate a story via color, space and furnishings is it’s own form of wizardry yet frequently an afterthought in low budget films. Before putting your best friend’s unemployed roommate in charge, see if you can consult with a pro. Pay them well for three days work (instead of 2 months) to offer suggestions on the overall look of your film, advice on which resources and locations are budget friendly and to recommend crew who can do the “day to day” and operate successfully within your limitations. Ask how they’d like to be credited.
3 Color. I’ve already discussed at length the importance of color. Also see “Blue Caprice” for white wall interiors handled beautifully and “The Loneliest Planet” for subtle yet stylized use of color in nature.
4 Radical Story = Radical Visuals. Don’t play it safe visually if your film is crafting a new “reality”. Consider: “28 Days Later”, “Eraserhead”, “Pi”, “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. A new reality means you and your creative team can experiment and redefine what NYC looks and feels like at 120 degrees (in December) or how someone’s vision changes when they’re “one of the infected”. Have fun, be bold and let your restrictions work in your favor.
5 Go International. Adding footage from a different country can have immense visual impact on your story and in explaining the inner lives of your protagonists. Hire a filmmaker friend in another country to shoot b-roll. In a similar vein, shoot visually captivating insert shots that don’t require actors nor much crew. I was extremely moved by the time lapse in “Boys Don’t Cry”.
6 One Hyper Realistic Scene. If your budget, resources and narrative dictate simple visuals, see if one scene can be stylized to play against that. I don’t want to spoil it but there is a perfect example in “Dallas Buyers Club”. Low budget horror films will do the same: save their money for one big scare or special FX. Budget for a lean crew and hire “day players” when needed.
7 Shoot B/W. It gives the lowest budgeted film a certain panache. Even subjects that you think “should be shot in color” can be more effective in black/white.
8 Sound Affects Cinematography. Poor location audio can ruin the most gorgeous of images. Innovative sound design can make them more powerful. I can’t imagine my beloved “There Will Be Blood” without “the work of Christopher Scarabosio and Matthew Wood. Instead of spending money on music rights, collaborate with your Sound Dept. Tap into their creativity the same way you would with your DP.
Access is key. What do you have free access to that you take for granted?
9 Access to a Vehicle (motorcycle, car, bus, boat, hoveround). I recently saw “Bellflower” ($17k budget). It benefits from a unique twisted premise, an extremely crafty DP and a road trip. It’s amazing how a change in terrain makes me feel like they’ve spent a lot of money. Think “Easy Rider”, “Y Tu Mama Tambien”, “Thelma and Louise”, “Little Miss Sunshine”.
10 Access to a Visually Unique Location. Before you set a scene in your dorm room or parents’ suburban home, ask yourself where else do you have access? Production value increases even more if you can show the “behind the scenes” of a location. Access to your aunt’s jewelry shop? Also film in the back where she does repairs.
11 Access to a Major Public Event. Protests, holiday fireworks, parades, carnivals etc. This is my favorite. Examples are “Get On the Bus”, “Medium Cool”, “La Haine”, “Blow Out”, “The Official Story”. Take advantage of someone else’s big budget or event planning. The b/w photo above (Actress Susan Heyward with my 2nd unit camera op) was taken while filming a narrative during the 2009 Inauguration in DC.
12 Access to a Niche Culture. A glimpse into another community offers immeasurable production value. It can provide not often seen locations, costumes or people. Your Capoeira club. Your Dad’s union meetings. When you have access, creatively exploit it: b-roll, using real people as extras, consider how it reflects on your protag and their journey (see the Housing Rights Committee scene in “Medicine for Melancholy”).
13 Access to Under-represented Weather. Does every exterior scene take place on a partly sunny day? That may be easiest to film but snow, during or after the rain (see “wet down“) or fog could be more dramatic. The short film, “A Story of Water”, co-directed by Truffaut & Godard wonderfully takes advantage of the flooding of Villeneuve Saint George.
14 Access to Other Arts/Artists. Are you also a visual artists? Use photography (opening scene of “My Brother the Devil” and of course “La Jetee”) or animation. Almodovar is brilliant at incorporating known performers into his films. Buika, in the “The Skin I Live In”, was more than a beautiful singer, she epitomized “enchantment”. The same could be said of his use of Caetano Veloso and Piña in “Talk to Her”. Cooking is also an art. Think of all the films with beautiful cooking sequences.
15 Access to Your Old Films. You can use footage from your previous shorts, docs, or film tests for atmosphere, for flashbacks (see “The Limey”), for dream sequences etc. Unfortunately we all have films we are extremely proud of but couldn’t finish. Can you recycle that footage?
Finishing a film of any genre, length or budget is a huge accomplishment. More people talk about it, critique it than can actually pull it off. I hope I acknowledged our limitations but left you armed with new creative tools to make a good film great.
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by Cybel Martin | Mar 1, 2020 | Art, traveling
Let me create the scene for you. I was in Jamaica for a shoot. Traveling with me to the next location was another Black American, a Jamaican and a West African/Brit. The other American and I were snapping photos, enraptured. The color! The ebony black skin! Black people everywhere! Nature! Our two other traveling companions were unfazed. They hopped in the car. It was in this moment that the idea for this article began to germinate. There was nothing wrong with our enthusiasm but … was it an American enthusiasm? I’ve spoken passionately about the potential detriment of seeing foreign countries through a white male gaze. But what about the American gaze?
If you have an American passport, you are more privileged than most. In the past year, I’ve been to Ethiopia, Turkey, Jamaica (twice) and Brazil. My being black and female didn’t make me immune to cliches or eroticizing “the other”. It is my job as a human being and artist to challenge my American programming.
Visit the Actual Country Not the One in Your Head: Even though I’ve watched recent Brazilian films (check out “
Casa Grande”, “
Hard Labor” “
A Wolf at the Door” “
The Way He Looks”
) and kept up on the country’s current events, I still had no clue what Brazil would be like. I admit I was half expecting dancing in the streets 24/7 and gun shots. “
Black Orpheus”
meets “
City of God”.
In the future, I want to watch more documentaries by native filmmakers and read more literature before visiting a country. I’d also like to read up on public reception of popular art. Since I was little, I’ve always loved the song “
Zombie”
by Fela. However, I didn’t learn the political significance of the song until seeing the musical. Similarly, I’ve been aware of the popular Telenovelas in Brazil but had no idea of their subversive past until reading this NY Times article.
Even with additional research (plus whatever prep I do for each shoot), I will remind myself that I don’t know a country or culture – at all – until I actually visit it.
Local Fixers vs Tourism Board – Tourism Boards are extremely helpful when filming abroad. Thanks to them, we’ve gotten through airports quickly, were able to secure locations & film permits before landing and connect with additional crew. We’ve been able to shoot a lot in a very very short period of time. However, they can steer you towards filming the same sanctioned people and locations covered by countless other filmmakers. You trade a diversity of images and voices for ease.
Local fixers can also help with crew, permits etc. But their real value is in giving you access to regular life. A home cooked meal. The after after (after) hours party. How to use public transportation. Student activist gatherings. My experience has been that local fixers, perhaps because they have lives beyond helping the Americans, take longer to show you special locations or introduce you to people. You trade time and patience for uniqueness and exclusivity.
Choosing our local contact (governmental agency, tourism board, local journalist etc) is not part of my jurisdiction. I am *only* the DP. I don’t have to juggle the politics, schedules, and budgets of filming abroad. But the quality of my footage and depth of our experience is definitely enhanced when we work with a local fixer.
Shout out to Kiratiana Freelon, photog
Exu NYC and Zoe Sullivan for being a huge support during my trip to Brazil.
Have Difficult Conversations – This one is tricky. If I feel I’m in a safe environment and that expressing my opinion won’t harm production, I see immense value in arguing abroad. Not arguing exactly, more like a rigorous conversation. The goal being to share my perspective, have it challenged and learn something in the process. Foreigners often know a lot more about US politics than we do and are eager to debate. My nature is to avoid confrontation but I’m noticing from recent travels, that I learn more about a country and its people from debates than I could ever from a documentary or newspaper. I love the tv series “Homeland”. I relate to its cerebral, socially awkward, female protagonist. But by making myself open to other points of view, I’ve learned that people find it offensive; pointing to aspects of the show I was blind to.
Be Willing to Throw Out Your Visual Plan – This is another really tough one for me. Anyone who knows me / has worked with me, knows how important pre-production and reference material is for me. If a director clearly states how they want a film to look, I promise to accomplish that. However, what dictates the look of our film? Choice of b-roll and cutaways? Background actors? Locations for interviews? Is it based on other films shot in that country? Cliches? Our agenda?
Everyone shoots men sipping tea or women at the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, but what of the women I saw in tailored business suits and 3” heels easily making their way up a 45 degree inclined cobblestoned sidewalk, while I huffed and puffed in flip flops? Why didn’t I take a photograph of them?
Yes, travel with a visual plan but be open to throw it away and be inspired by a genuine experience. Regardless if shooting narrative/doc/tv/commercial, a difficult conversation or anecdote shared by your fixer, might inspire you to shoot at a different time of day, in a different location or even in black/white instead of color.
A Word About Security – Years ago, when I was prepping for a shoot in Johannesburg, a well meaning friend said “Don’t go. You’ll be raped”. The first time I went to Nigeria, I posted my excitement on Facebook. Friends, whom I forgot I was even connected to, materialized and begged me not to go. Most people were worried about my recent trip to Brazil. I believe each person was coming from a loving place. And I know there is validity to their concerns. A film producer friend was shot and killed in Nigeria. Two friends of a friend were killed during a carjacking in Brazil. However, on the day of the awful shootings in Orlando, I was nervously taking photos on a
beach in Salvador de Bahia.
I would think nowhere could be safer than Orlando. If that day taught me anything, it’s that nowhere is 100% safe.
I have a saying about accepting advice: “When someone gives you advice, consider the source”. Meaning, people’s advice is shaded by their history, experiences (or lack thereof) and beliefs. People who rarely travel internationally seem to share this bias: If a crime or terrorism attack occurs in a predominantly white city/country, they speak of it as an isolated event. But if a tragedy occurs in a predominantly brown city/country, it represents all of its people. All of the time.
Before letting your uncle, who considers a Sandals resort “roughing it” and listens to Fox News religiously (we all have that uncle) talk you out of backpacking through Central America, seek advice from someone who has actually done it. Prior to going to Brazil and to do everything in my power to travel safely, I spoke with friends who lived there, who had just returned, plus a friend who specializes in mosquitos and infectious diseases.
Become Multi-lingual -The first time I traveled to Ethiopia, I learned three words in Amharic per day. When I returned to Ethiopia, I learned three words of Tigrayan per day. A month prior to my trip to Brazil, I downloaded Duolingo and learned enough Portuguese to argue with a bus driver, convince a taxi to drive me for free and get keys for my apartment in Salvador. Even with a fixer and a producer who speak the language fluently, it helps production and eases my interactions when I know a few words. If you can learn slang, you can learn a few words of a new language. There will be frustration in not looking cool, saying it wrong and seeming childish. But that’s how we grow.
Besides, not knowing a language and not trying to is a lot like gentrification: I’ll visit your home and expect you to accommodate me.
If you want to see the impact of knowing a language on a film crew, watch the documentary “Living On Dollar”. See the whole documentary and look for their observations on Day #28 (around the 31:52 mark). It also shows the importance of the director communicating findings and updating the crew. My director’s research and daily observations affect my cinematography choices and inform me on how to interact more respectively with the local people.
Traveling as an American But… Who else has travel needs, perspectives and joys that are being ignored?
– At the beginning of this year, I had the incredible task of filming on the Soul Train Cruise. It was surreal to hold production meetings surrounded by water while Chaka Khan blasted on the loud speakers. My crew was amazing. I loved traveling, filming and problem solving in the Caribbean. But I’ve never been a fan of cruises. That is until I saw what a great, efficient and inclusive way it was for the young and old, out of shape and fit and most importantly, the able bodied and wheelchair/scooter bound to travel together. Seeing Jason DaSilva’s beautiful documentary, “
When I Walk”
, was the first time I really considered wheelchair access in NYC. Since I began working on Liz Ortiz Mackes’ doc “
And… Scene, a Woman’s Journey to Walk Again”,
I’ve become even more sensitive. However, it wasn’t until being on a cruise that I saw that this was a way to travel internationally, and still accommodate and honor the needs of everyone in your family. Why is this never addressed in travel shows?
– Another “privilege” I have is my sexual orientation and identity. They are accepted. Sure, I’ve been told I’m a second class citizen (by our local fixer), have been denied access to apparently the greatest chapel of the Lalibela Rock Churches and disappointed numerous people with my lack of husband or children. But I feel at ease sharing stories about myself. I also have plenty of gay/lesbian friends who constantly travel abroad. But I’ve never traveled with them nor seen, first hand, how they might have to alter their body language or conceal their relationships to travel safely. So I’m thankful for the few episodes I’ve seen of Viceland’s “
Gaycation” with Ellen Page and Ian Daniel.
I hope for more fiction and non-fiction content that celebrates the joy and exposes the terrors for those “traveling while LGBTQ” and the locals they meet.
Keeping It Domestic – What if international travel is not in your future? The above still holds true when filming in communities different from your own. 9 out of 10 New York filmmakers will shoot Montana like a Terrence Malick film. Watch more documentaries from filmmakers within a community. I’ve taken on the humbling of task of speaking Mandarin (I know about five sayings) when I’m in Chinatown.
We can all do better.
See my work and past articles at CybelDP.com. Chat film with me at @cybeldp.
by Cybel Martin | May 28, 2018 | Artist
(Above: “Falling down stairs saves time”)
Last night, I was googling for images regarding “falling down” and accidentally came across this artist’s site called Exploding Dog. I loved it. I loved his images. They are so simple yet convey so much. I suppose it could be easy to dismiss them for their simplicity. Many of us artists have that insecurity/drive to prove in every single painting that we indeed know how to draw, use color theory etc. Just look at the popularity of Dad’s post on “Learning How To Resolve a Painting”. On a similar note, I finally saw the “Glitter and Doom” exhibit at the Met. Its a very full exhibit on German portraits in the 1920s (Otto Dix, Max Beckmann etc). The paintings are phenomenal and many border on caricatures (so simple yet convey so much.)
***
(Post first appeared in 2011)
by Cybel Martin | Aug 22, 2017 | Art, Film
BY CYBEL MARTIN for Shadow and Act/Indiwire
** Originally posted – JUNE 5, 2013 6:11 PM **
“DP Notes” is a new type of article I’m trying out for Shadow & Act. I’m in the midst of some very fun jobs and thought I could use specific examples from these shoots to show you how I approach each job.
Case Study #1 “MadCap: New York”. A musical shot in 5 days. The original concept and approach was indeed “simple”. A woman traveled from borough to borough seeking artistic inspiration. Filmed in one borough per day for a total of five shooting days. We’d ask a bunch of artist friends to participate. They’d encounter and perform for our protagonist during her journey. It would be unscripted but with definite plot points. We “knew” several musician friends would say no & we’d end up with maybe five people. Wrong. The interest exploded. Creative influences doubled and then tripled.
Origins: My director, Deborah Goodwin and I have been prepping another feature of hers, called “She Lives”. Developing the look for her film has been a wonderful collaboration. As you all know, the process from script to screen in the US is a lengthy one. At some point in April, I was having lunch with a dear friend and fellow DP, Frank Sun. He offered a hard to refuse deal for his Canon 5D Mark III. Around the same time, another good friend/filmmaker, Asli Dukan, hooked me up with a bunch of Zeiss Prime Lenses. I reached out to a bunch of directors, including Deborah, saying we should shoot something with the 5D and lenses. Something fun.
I knew for me, inspired by “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and “Oversimplification of Her Beauty”, I wanted to shoot something less conventional. Deborah and I met for lunch and came up with the original concept mentioned above. We agreed on feature length to give it more distribution possibilities. Our only rule was that every decision be “joyous”.
What we didn’t anticipate was the power of our own inspiration and how many people would want to be involved. From that first lunch to the first day of shooting, the idea evolved and evolved (and still is).
Deborah currently describes the film as “a hybrid-docu-dialogue with music! Talking & listening across the five boroughs to artists as they reframe their reasons for staying in New York City”. What follows are some details on our process and how our film (hopefully) is evolving from being clever to being beautiful.
We had one month to prep. I pitched the idea of shooting B/W. I was inspired by an article on “Frances Ha”, and the industry “wisdom” that no one will finance a B/W film. What better time to do it than now? I showed Deborah examples of the old “Calvin Klein “Eternity” ads. A look flaunting the blown-out whites would naturally take advantage of the Canon’s limitations (remember: turn a limitation into an aesthetic). Deborah showed me images from my idol, photographer Roy DeCarvara “The Sound I Saw” and his spirit is all over “MadCap”. We also agreed to shoot B/W and not create the look in post. Collectively we all loved the idea of the old days of indie-film : having to commit to black/white. I knew magical moments can happen for me when I encounter what others call creative restrictions. Plus, as I’ll explain shortly, I didn’t have a DIT person. This was the easiest way to show Deborah immediately what images I was creating.
At our next production meeting, Deborah and I brainstormed with producer Erin Washington. Together, we pooled our resources to find other crew members, musicians and shooting locations that would make the film special.
Since there was no script nor locations locked down, I couldn’t do my usual pre-production. What I did do was watch films that I thought could help me “troubleshoot in prep”. Our narrative had morphed from one protagonist to several people representing one character, akin to “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” or “I’m Not There.” We discussed our “take-aways” from each film: what strategy we believed the filmmaker used to pull it off: shooting a feature in limited time, shooting B/W, working with musicians or multiple protagonists. Some of the films I studied were Slacker, She’s Gotta Have It, No One Knows About Persian Cats, Mala Noche, Tickets, Down By Law, Man Bites Dog, Two Lane Blacktop and Chronicle of a Summer.
Biggest lesson learned in prep: My iPhone was acting erratic (no one could hear me speak) and I had to rely on text message. After noting how communication was breaking down and our joyous film was turning into a “job”, I realized I had to hear the voice of my director/crew/producer during each step of production to gauge their concerns and brainstorm on solutions.
Inspired by the film “Chronicle of a Summer”, Deborah wanted to let the story emerge from our interactions with the musicians. The idea of a single protagonist became several protagonist became several real people protagonist. This is where the film began to drift from narrative to documentary and I had my next big lesson: defining a film (narrative, doc, commercial) was getting in my way. I needed to focus on capturing the authentic moment. The moments that speak to the audience’s heart, regardless if it’s an actor, man on the street or model holding a Pepsi. (Someone told me I sounded like Tarkovsky and that made my day).
We were all a bit amazed (and appreciative) by how many artists were excited and wanted to participate in our film. More artists meant more shooting days. The artists we were able to film were Illspokinn, Maiysha, Rabbit And The Hare,Hassan El-Gendi, Queen Esther, Peter Valentine and Derrin Maxwell. During our short production schedule, we managed to shoot in Park Slope, Bushwick, Harlem, Midtown and Staten Island. We had Queens, the Bronx and several more musicians scheduled when a film organization contacted Deborah and asked to see a cut of the film. That meant our 5 day schedule was cut to 4 so Deborah could rush off to work with our editor. “MadCap” was living up to its name.
Add to the “MadCapness”: I was shooting in Philly prior to “MadCap” and would leave for the Dominican Republic for another shoot as soon as we wrapped. Since “MadCap” was a love song to NYC, I figured on a way I could add more production value and visuals within our short production schedule. I bought a $30 weekly subway pass and shot b-roll each night after we wrapped. I grabbed the 5D, stuck a 50mm lens on it and walked around like my old days as a photography student. When an idea struck, I’d jump on a train and explore NYC. I shot anything that spoke to me. Lobsters in a tank in Chinatown. Handball players in the LES. That was super fun and gratifying, especially once I heard our editor, Henry Maduka Steady, was excited by my visual musings.
As I’ve mentioned before, I no longer want to hire people to work for free. There wasn’t a budget for “MadCap”, so I took on Assistant Camera & Sound responsibilities. Ill Spokinn hooked us up with sound gear. The camera, accessories and lenses fit perfectly in a backpack provided by Frank. Once I got over the fact I looked like an awkward teenager, traipsing around NYC like this was quite efficient. I kept a list of all of the equipment in the backpack and checked/cleaned my inventory each night.
My original camera package was the 5D, lenses (Canon 70-200mm Canon, Zeiss Super Speeds:18mm, 25mm, 35mm & 50mm) and a monopod. After the first day of shooting, I got a better understanding of what was exciting Deborah aesthetically. By the end of the second day, we both were in love with the 35mm and 50mm lenses exclusively. The monopod came in handy when shooting interviews and the musicians singing accapella. The rest of the gear was left at home.
I had 2 CF cards totalling 96gb and could have definitely used more. Cards were given to the editor each night after we wrapped. Extra memory would have been ideal, not to shoot the artists but to handle all of my b-roll that had to be saved on cards not going to the editor.
You’ve heard the expression “write what you know”. Since I had no crew and no lights, I employed the tactic “shoot what you know”. I made decisions on lenses, shutter and exposure for each “scene”, the same way I approached shooting B/W stills. With each location, I found an angle on the talent that worked well with whatever the weather or available light was doing.
Highlights from our shoot: Three of the musicians are good friends of mine (Maiysha, Derrin and Queen) and I already adore their talent. It was a huge treat to be introduced to the other artists. Rabbit and the Hare’s studio rehearsal was AMAZING. Braving ticks and poison ivy in Staten Island to find the perfect location with Peter Valentine (his poetry and process is “wow”) was another treat. Meeting the nicest security guard ever in DUMBO while shooting Hassan is another great story. Maiysha chatting with Ill Spokinn, while Yette Bames did her make-up. Even just talking philosophic nonsense with my director while we sipped coffee and waited for Queen Esther to arrive at the Chipped Cup in Harlem was entertaining.
(Until it changes) “MadCap” is an expressionistic compilation of interviews with NYC based artists plus performances throughout the city. It was definitely the unpredictable and yet joyous thrill I was hoping for. Deborah (aka @GoodFilm )says the trailer will be released Independence Day Weekend. I’ll keep you updated on the next artists and locations we shoot, the post process, any surprises or things I wish I did differently.
Help From the Archives:
“Filming in NYC? Again? How to See It With Fresh Eyes When Working With a Limited Budget”
“5 Things Cinematographers Look For in a Director and Project Before Taking a Job”
View my work at Magic Eye Film, discuss film at @CybelDP .
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by Cybel Martin | Sep 1, 2014 | Art, Film
Cybel Martin
CYBEL MARTIN for Shadow and Act first posted JUNE 8, 2012
It’s wonderful that Shadow and Act asked me to write a monthly column about my experiences as a Cinematographer.
For those who don’t know me, I primarily shoot features, commercials and documentaries. Beyond loving every second of being a DP, I also teach occasionally, paint, travel whenever possible, and analyze and devour films like they were my last meal.
Although my strength as a writer may not extend beyond my deep and profound 140 character tweets, I will do my best to share some DP knowledge and perspective.
As summer approaches, film production in New York is (thankfully) very active. I have had my share of inquiries of availability and requests for my reel. I noticed there are certain aspects that I need to have in place before fully committing and becoming excited about a project. I have had the joy of going through 4 agents and am presently without one. That means it’s even more important that I have predetermined criteria (in other words: a means to sift through the BS) before agreeing to a project.
Here are five aspects I look for in a director and a project before agreeing to the job. I’ve peppered this article with personal examples to help explain each point and to highlight some of the amazing people I collaborate with.
1. Respect & Compatibility – All artists (and I say this lovingly) are neurotic. From my first meeting with a potential director, I can tell if we can thrive off and enjoy each other’s compulsions. During pre-production and production, I spend an insane amount of time with my director. We travel together, eat together, chat on the phone, watch films, text each other like school girls. About two years ago, I was the DP on a film and became friends with the 1st AD, Marc Parees. Since that job, I had seen his work as a Director, appreciated his aesthetic and work ethic and hung out socially. When he asked me to be his DP for a job, I said “yes” immediately. It was only after saying yes that I learned it was shooting commercials for NYU Stern School of Business.
What does this mean from a director’s perspective? I’d suggest that you not be swayed exclusively by a DP’s equipment package or reel. Find a DP who you can still laugh with on the 18th hour of shooting, in the 6th week of production, stranded in a cherry picker in the middle of the desert.
2. Visual references – My director must have a clear idea of how the film should feel and look. It need not be finalized but they should have some tangible means of explaining their vision. If the script calls for “creepy”, the director might envision “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” while I think “Rosemary’s Baby”. Almost nothing excites me more than to be inundated with photographs, film clips, paintings that resemble the mood I am to capture. They help me get inside the director’s head. There’s one film on my reel that generates more work than any other. Many years ago, I shot the film, “Sonny’s Blues”, for director Greg Williams. At our first meeting, Greg handed me several tear sheets from a current Prada ad campaign photographed by Glen Luchford. He showed me precisely which colors he wanted, the quality of the shadows, the ideal Depth of Field and explained why that was needed for this narrative. Those photographs were very helpful in designing my film stock tests, choosing lights and lenses. A director’s clarity creates a space where I can soar and know that I am doing my job. It also facilitates communication with my crew and other department heads. When there is a lack of clarity, I notice I will fill it in with what other films have done in the same genre, what my personal aesthetic is or what is simplest.
Sometimes, I bring a copy of “The Photography Book” by Ian Jeffrey to my first meeting with a director. It’s a collection of 500 photos by 500 different photographers. It’s an easy way to begin a dialogue with a director who may not be fluent in visual arts
3. Producer attached – As much as I cherish the Director / DP relation, I believe the one between the Producer and Director is paramount. Not only do they believe in the director and their vision, they will do whatever in their power to make sure that vision is manifested. They are the family member who says, “don’t worry, I got a guy”.
A DPs work is straddled between two worlds. There is the one of fantasy; of daffodils, ponies and helicopter shots. This is the world I share with the director. The other one is of numbers, rates, compromises and deal memos. This is the world I share with my producer. I am equally comfortable in both. However, I, the DP, should never have to drag my director out of their vision and into the world of “shoulds, won’ts and meal penalties”. That dynamic exists until there is a producer attached and can erode a great Director / DP collaboration. Producers won’t take it personally if I discuss my rate or my crew needs. A director can. And if that director is a friend, they may not be much longer.
4. Why tell this story? – I can’t speak for other DPs but I need a reason beyond “it would be cool”. In some circles, I have been given the nickname “The Cerebral DP”. I ask a ton of questions during my initial meetings with a director. I want to know their philosophy on the subject. Is there a historical component? Does it reflect on modern times? Honestly, not every director is enamored with my never ending inquiry. Some directors want a DP who will do as asked and keep it moving. This is what I mean by compatibility and neurosis (see #1 above).
Perhaps this is why I love working on documentaries. Ask a documentary filmmaker “why” and it will be hard to silence them. I’m attracted to that passion on a subject. I am also very attracted to jobs whose “why” matches my personal interests. One of my greatest preoccupations is childhood behaviour development within urban areas. So, of course, I was very excited to work on Raquel Cepeda’s documentary “Deconstructing Latina”. The portions, that I have shot, focus on issues of race and identity for a group of New York City teens.
This inquiry into “why” influences what equipment I chose, my lighting plan and camera operating (especially with handheld). It’s also very beneficial for troubleshooting. If we lose a location or a lense, for example, I can offer suggestions that dovetail with the original “why”.
The same goes for advertising. I love shooting commercials because my client “geeks out” about the why. Not only are we to sell product, but it could be to rebrand the product, differentiate from competitors, entice more female or male consumers, educate the public about their community outreach, etc. That list goes on.
I once interviewed for a dramatic feature with a first time director. When I asked him “why this story” his response was that audiences might enjoy it. Hopefully yes, but that purpose is not enough to drive a film to completion.
A “trick” I stole from one of my favorite photography teachers at NYU was to ask “if you were to boil this entire story down to one word, what would it be?”. This past May, I was in Tanzania and Ethiopia on an incredible shoot for Coffee Talk Magazine. I was filming coffee farmers and the word, given to me, was “majestic”. I made sure to capture lots of low angles of Ethiopian farmers in charge of their crops, the energy of the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange and manicured farms of Tanzania.
5. Technical Flexibility – It’s enjoyable when a Director approaches with the project’s desired mood and trusts me to get us there technically. My directors don’t need to know anything technical, however most are familiar with the hottest cameras. DPs have a blast at events like NAB in Las Vegas and Cinegear in Los Angeles. We read trade magazines, forums and chat with friends in related fields for tips on equipment. My enthusiasm wanes if I am told which camera, grippage, lens package I have to use. It’s thrilling to figure it out and stay within budget. I make an exception for when the production already owns the camera or the client has specific requirements for work flow and distribution (for example: my producer on the Nat Geo shoot required an HD tape based camera).
So far, 2012 has been a really fulfilling year as a DP. In March, I shot a film “No Vagrancy” for Ernest Boyd. TheRed camera was mentioned during our first phone call. After reviewing Ernest’s reference material and our time constraints, I suggested the Alexa as the best camera for this film. We continued to pour over photographs and watch a lot of films. After those discussions, I changed my mind from Cooke S2 lenses to Super Baltars. Our producer extraordinaire, John Reefer, arranged so I could do a full camera and light test. Their flexibility and trust gave me the opportunity to really nail the look.
These are my main five. I am sure more will come to mind and will share those at a later date. I strongly encourage other DPs to add their own requirements in the comment section.
There are a lot of indie films being made with fascinating stories. Yet too many have mediocre to painful to look at visuals and poor production value. We can adjust our approach to storytelling and raise the bar of expectations regardless of budget.
