Camera department, SLAM
Changing batteries, swapping cards, taping things, carrying tripods, squinting at monitors while pulling focus, wrestling with ~magic arms~, shaking the camera you just built while saying “let’s shmake a movie” –these are all duties of the Assistant Camera (AC). Earlier this month I had my first legit AC gig – building a run and gun A7sii and an ARRI Alexa for Director/DP Macaela Vandermost on a Jenny Craig reality series. Although the camera build was quite simple, I still feel really proud of putting that cinematic chonk on a tripod so it was ready to go. There are two more episodes to shoot on this project and I cannot understate how stoked I am to keep learning the ways of the AC. Not that I don’t LOVE being a PA – (I vow to never be too proud to carry pelican cases and grab coffee in the name of movie teamwork) – but I would like to climb the mountain a little in this industry.
This past week I filmed an amazing event for Raymond Productions – the event was a Stories-on-Stage style of gathering. Young, middle aged, and older women spoke about their experiences with raising families, or choosing not to raise families. I was damn near in tears through while listening to these tales behind the camera. It’s not surprising but I came away feeling really blown away by the gravity of the life touchstones many of the speakers shone a light on that night. The amount of bs women in this society have to put up with is crazy and I’m very proud of the ladies in my life who continue to navigate these waters so bravely.
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