Photography

“Someone has to document the film’s progress, what the crew and actors are doing between takes, how things are designed and coordinated.”
However, the ideal often eludes independent filmmakers. Skilled crew costs money. And then there are differences between how documentary and more script-driven narrative filmmakers feel about an additional person on the set. David Tames, media arts studio manager and instructor at Massachusetts College of Art, who is working on a documentary about humane animal slaughter warns, “The mortal sin is to interfere with a shot.”
An important reality is this: stills are used for posters, postcards, for print media, for online media, for social networking, for the film’s website. They are projected on big screens during festivals and used in festival and distributor catalogues. Having close ups, wide shots, different angles are all very important. It is all part of a film’s collateral and a filmmaker needs to be prepared for every possible use.