Skill vs Equipment in low end production

[Innokenty Vetkin]

While having good quality equipment is no doubt highly desirable. A lot of us people who like movie making are outside of big industry and have very limited resources. It’s quite easy to just blame your tools for subpar results. But it seems more constructive to find better ways to use what we have, pushing your current equipment to the limit.

What you think are the the most important skills for a cinematographer, that woult help to better utilze equipment with regards to cameras, lighting and other gear?

Topic

[dmullenasc]

Being a keen observer of natural and practical light is an important skill.

[quijotesco24]

Knowledge, Intention and sincerity.
Without a proper deep knowledge of visual language you can’t talk with images.
It’s like learning a new language, you need to know the codes in order to communicate.

After it comes the intention. Once you know how to say something you need to say something meaningful that moves you.

And sincerity because you have to be real to yourself. No point on working on anything if you are not truly speaking yourself. There is only one you. To watch others I watch others films. But people watch a film by you to really know you. So don’t waste your time and everyone else’s if you don’t plan to put yourself on it.

 

[Gregg]

You really need to curate what is in front of the camera.  Everything in frame is partly your responsibility. Locations… wardrobe… story…composition….  Great acting…. Emotion… the correct and appropriate lighting (direction, hard, soft, contrast levels etc.).

get this right first and then worry about ‘better’ gear.

[Author]

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