Some times when I explain to people who don't work in the film industry what I do on set they cant always seem to understand why they need someone dedicated on set to sort out the computers.
Well with so many things that need to come together to make a sc work having someone on set who can sort out technical issues and visualise what is needed to help to achive what is required for the sc in what can be sometimes can be only a few minutes notice is a skill.
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| Holby City Set 2010 |
On set it can often be very hard to pin a Director down to what is required so they regularly tend not to know what they want until they have done a run through on the sc with the actors. I will generally have all the graphics ready in some format that is an interpretation of what is scripted which the art department have signed off and feel is correct for what is required.
Allowing the Director/Production to have this ability to change on the day can some times be a nightmare, especial if they know what they don't want but cant explain what they do want :) but that is another skill you sometimes rely on being able to read people interpret what they want. A good director thought is able to put over their vision of the sc to the rest of the crew wether it be the art dept/camera/make up.
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| lynda la plante The Red Dahlia Police station set (onset) |
Since computers have become part of every day life it has made part of my job easier as people tend to understand what would be feasible/achievable in the time scale given but its often the case of the 7P's = Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Thats what people often don't see its what I do before the shoot day that makes things run smoothly making sure your back-up machines etc are ok, having maybe a few options in case they don't like what you show them 1st whats the plan B?
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| lynda la plante The Red Dahlia Behind the Sc's |
There is nothing more rewarding than a director thanking you at the end of the days shoot as you managed to pull off a sc that they thought was going to be hard work and it all went smoothly.
As a computer and video playback tech you tend only to be on a production for a few days as they only need you on the sc's they require computers etc, so you never really become part of the crew as such your more of a Tech Hobo traveling from job to job dropping in for the day eating their catering and then off onto the next job.
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| Filth : The Mary Whitehouse Story: Multi projection set up |
This does mean thought that things never get boring one day you could be sorting out the computers in a police drama and the next day you could be projecting moving backgrounds etc for driving sc's
