If you want to learn a lot about the workings of a set and don't yet have a career path chosen, I would recommend do a few shows as the 2nd 2nd AD, because you will not be the 1st AD so the entire film is not on your shoulders but you will be on the set coordinating with each department, whereas the 2nd AD spends more time in the production office or in between set and there.

making low budget dreams come true

If you want the best opportunity to learn about EVERYTHING that goes on, I'd suggest volunteering to shoot ALL of the behind-the-scenes footage on a low-budget or student film.

I suggest this because if you get a job on the main unit, you'll be spending most of your time doing that particular job and won't have a lot of time to observe what others do when they are out of your view.

I suggest that you start on a low-budget or student film because A) a large "real" movie won't just let anyone jump in to shoot and B) shooting BTS isn't as easy as it seems when you're dealing with prickly personalities and people having attitudes and bad days. It's important for you to learn when to shoot and when NOT to...where you can be shooting from during a shot and where you SHOULDN'T be.

But, the point is, by shooting the BTS for the "making of," ideally you can start from the beginning of the process, so you'll observe the entire project from start to finish and you'll learn a lot about what everyone does as you have the freedom to move around to talk to whoever you want/need to.

Now, having said that, you'll only START shooting on those low-budget projects to give you experience in shooting BTS. What you are aiming for is to work your way up to bigger projects where you get to observe working professionals and hear their stories. Consider it like an internship where you are working but getting to see the entire process.

Naturally, this can take some time as your goal of learning as much about the movie-making process will take several movies (and possibly several months/years). So, if you already have a particular department/job that you're interested in, naturally you'd work to get an internship there. If you don't know yet and you don't want to spend a couple of years finding out, I recommend reading through my book, "What I Really Want to Do: On Set in Hollywood" which describes EVERY job on set in detail so that you know precisely what everyone does all day long. It's written to be like an internship in a book. 🙂

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com
http://www.realfilmcareer.com

quote:

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Originally posted by ccw

What would be the most important part of the job you could work in that would help the most?

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Are you asking about the "most important" or "most
beneficial" job to you? Or the "most important" or
"most beneficial" job for the movie?

I have had the opportunity to work with a production
team. Since I was most interested in makeup efx that's
the job I took. It was the "most important" and "most
beneficial" to me.

What is it YOU want to try?

=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

Thanks for the replies. Basically I wanted something that would give the overall view of the different aspects of filming. Since I am new in any of this but interested I couldn't say exactly what it is I would want or need to learn more of. While I have experience in taking pretty decent footage with a camera, I don't know all aspects of a camera. I enjoy editing and have learnt a lot but know there is tons more to learn...then there are the jobs I didn't know existed but need to know exist.

Kind of like a position where I could see it all or most of it and then be able to say what it is I want/need to learn from there.

Thanks.

If you're doing volunteer work, make sure that it's the work that will give you the experience you want. I think doing a bit of everything is best.

quote:

---

Originally posted by ccw

Thanks for the replies. Basically I wanted something that would give the overall view of the different aspects of filming. Since I am new in any of this but interested I couldn't say exactly what it is I would want or need to learn more of. While I have experience in taking pretty decent footage with a camera, I don't know all aspects of a camera. I enjoy editing and have learnt a lot but know there is tons more to learn...then there are the jobs I didn't know existed but need to know exist.

Kind of like a position where I could see it all or most of it and then be able to say what it is I want/need to learn from there.

Thanks.

---

I really think that you'll get a lot out of my book, "What I Really Want to Do: On set in Hollywood." I am NOT just suggesting this because it's mine. I wrote it because I needed something like it before I jumped into the industry and nothing like it existed. I was exactly in your boat, not sure how the whole thing works and lacking any resources to help (we didn't have the internet back then).

I urge you to at least go to the bookstore or request that your local library have it on the shelves so you can browse through it even if you don't take it home. The more you can learn BEFORE putting yourself out there on real sets the better you can invest your time when you do get out there. For instance, if you discover that you'd like to become a Director of Photography, you then have to learn what it takes to really get that job. Do you just jump in or do you have to work up to it? And how do you do either of those things? What are the possibilities and pitfalls of both approaches?

You'll learn those types of things as well as the basics of the jobs in the book about ALL of the jobs on set, not just the "sexy" ones as most books and schools push. They're all selling dreams to naive kids with a little extra money to spend. I'd rather offer up a dose of reality. 🙂

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com
http://www.realfilmcareer.com

quote:

---

Originally posted by ccw
Kind of like a position where I could see it all or most of it and then be able to say what it is I want/need to learn from there.

---

Professional sets are not the place where a complete
newbie learns the overall views of the different aspects
of filming. But a student film set sure is.

Volunteer on student films. They always are in need of
people and you will learn a lot.

=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

quote:

---

Originally posted by ccw

What would be the most important part of the job you could work in that would help the most?
Meaning, if you had an opportunity to work with a production team and you had a choice what would be most beneficial?
In a production studio with lighting?
Editing department?
A field assignment and learning what goes with that territory like cameras, lighting and sound?

thanks
ccw

---

Work with the producer - learn the finance part of it - hugely important.

Director - learn the storyboarding part of it. And how to hanfle the actors etc.

Screenplay Structure: http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html ; http://www.youtube.com/user/clickokDOTcoDOTuk
Screenplay Formatting: http://www.finaldraft.com/ ; http://www.plotbot.com/

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pippa

quote:

---

Originally posted by ccw

What would be the most important part of the job you could work in that would help the most?
Meaning, if you had an opportunity to work with a production team and you had a choice what would be most beneficial?
In a production studio with lighting?
Editing department?
A field assignment and learning what goes with that territory like cameras, lighting and sound?

thanks
ccw

---

Work with the producer - learn the finance part of it - hugely important.

Director - learn the storyboarding part of it. And how to hanfle the actors etc.

Screenplay Structure: http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html ; http://www.youtube.com/user/clickokDOTcoDOTuk
Screenplay Formatting: http://www.finaldraft.com/ ; http://www.plotbot.com/

---

Not if you want to be a Grip. 🙂

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com
http://www.realfilmcareer.com

Okay...actually I did order the book at a reasonable price off amazon...if not then to learn whats what in where. I don't have any book so thats my big investment in books.

Thanks for all the replies..

as far as on the set, I have no opportunity that I can see of working with students...but there are several pro sets I can volunteer with. One is for local tv and the other is for an indie film producer that already stated they work with volunteers depending on where they wish to volunteer.

I would love to work with a producer and a director and learn how to handle actors and would a great deal from oberservation but also work best with hands on.
As for a grip..thats a world I would love to see...and understand more..which is why I bought the book...realizing I probably should at least know what is what before I step out the front door.