Unit still photographer

Aunit still photographer(or simplystill photographer) createsstill photosspecifically for use in publicity and marketing of featurefilmsandtelevisionproductions.^[1]^[2]^[3]In addition to creating photographs for the promotion of a film, the stillphotographercontributes daily to the filming process by creating set stills (or plate shots). With these, the photographer is careful to record all details of the cast wardrobe, set appearance and background.

Cornel Lucas,a pioneer of film portraiture in the 1940s and 1950s, was the first still photographer to be awarded aBAFTAin 1998, for work with theBritish Film Industry.^[4]^[5]

Uses in the industry

Due to their relatively low quality, it is not practical to use individualframesfrom film or recorded video material for still photographs.^{[citation needed]}^[6]High resolution images are needed for theatrical release posters,DVDbox artworks, official website photos,billboards,bus stopadverts,point-of-purchasedisplays, key art image sets released to the press and media, and other printed and online collateral materials.

Unit still photographers are also responsible for creating "photoprops"and" set dressing images ", the photos and images used on-camera to create variousillusionssuch asforensic photos,crime drama booking photos, character driver's licenses,passportand I.D. photos, on-screen family photos, surveillance photos, computer screen displays, and any other image a producer may require in the course of a production.

InNorth Americain particular, and some international locations, a unit still photographer must be a member ofIATSE Local 600 International Cinematographers Guild^{[citation needed]}in order to perform services on union productions and union studio lots and locations. The most prestigious of these unit still photographers are members of The Society of Motion Picture Still Photographers, an organization which promotes the work of those within the industry.

In the past, the director, costumer or the director of photography may have referred to these still images for continuity purposes, as the unit stills photographer was the only crew member permitted to take still photographs on set. With the introduction of instant cameras such as the Polaroid, and subsequent digital photo cameras, this job of taking continuity images has now fallen to the continuity and script supervisor.^[7]

While often perceived as a "glamour" job for photographers, the reality is often long hours (70-plus hours per week) in remote locations under difficult and often extreme conditions.^{[citation needed]}The unit still photographer often coordinates with the unit publicist but physically works in close proximity to the film'scamera crew,directorandactors,and also in close proximity to the film's boom microphone operator. Unit still photographers go to great lengths to muffle the sound of their camera'smotor driveandshutterto avoid distracting the actors, and to remain inaudible on the film's recorded dialogue soundtrack.^{[citation needed]}

Typically, this is accomplished using asound blimp,which is a sound-absorbing, foam-filled metal case in which the still camera body is fitted with a proprietary remote operation cable.^{[citation needed]}This allows the camera to be activated and operated from a two-button (activation, focus, and shutter release) exterior control.^{[citation needed]}Limitations exist once the blimp is closed around the camera, as one can no longer access the camera controls (f-number,shutter speed, ASA/ISOsettings) or menu displays directly.^{[citation needed]}TheLCD displayfor reviewing the images will also be obscured in the closed position.^{[citation needed]}This requires the photographer to make control selections in advance and use those settings until the take in progress has been "cut", making adjustments only between takes or set-ups. Unit still photographers in this field typically produce over 2000 marketable images per week for their major-studio clients.^{[citation needed]}

Since 2010, high-endDSLR cameras,which can be remotely controlled withmobile appsonsmartphonesandtablet computers,using the built-in 2-wayWi-Firadio-controlled interface between the tablet and the DSLR camera, and offer internalactive noise reductiontechnologies, have increased the ability of the unit still photographer to work quietly on the set.^{[citation needed]}

Notable still photographers

Marcia Reed(born 1948), American
Arthur "Weegee" Fellig(1899-1968), American

References

^Brian Dzyak (2010).What I Really Want to Do on Set in Hollywood: A Guide to Real Jobs in the Film Industry.Crown Publishing Group. pp. 303–.ISBN 978-0-307-87516-7.
^Larry Goldman (1983).The professional photographer: developing a successful career.Doubleday. p. 117.ISBN 9780385157537.
^Finola Kerrigan (2009).Film Marketing.Routledge. pp. 243–.ISBN 978-1-136-44000-7.
^Martin Childs (11 December 2012)."Cornel Lucas: Photographer who made his name as a pioneer of film portraiture - Obituaries".The Independent.Retrieved2013-10-05.
^Andrew Dawson; Sean Holmes (2 August 2012).Working in the Global Film and Television Industries: Creativity, Systems, Space, Patronage.Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 136–.ISBN 978-1-78093-021-3.
^"What Is The Role Of A Still Photographer In A Movie?".Jun 13, 2018.
^Miller, P (1999).Script Supervising and Film Continuity(Third ed.). Focal Press. p. 5.ISBN 978-0240802947.

External links

IATSE Local 600 International Cinematographers Guild
The Society of Motion Picture Still Photographers
Barton B. MacLeod, Still Photographer "The Green Berets" movie starring John Wayne (http://www.BartonMacLeod.com)
Still Photographer Studio Contract Archived2015-06-26 at theWayback MachineatThe Ned Scott Archive
Guide to the Motion Picture Stills Collection 1920-1934at theUniversity of Chicago Special Collections Research Center

[Dzyak2010-1] Brian Dzyak (2010).What I Really Want to Do on Set in Hollywood: A Guide to Real Jobs in the Film Industry.Crown Publishing Group. pp. 303–.ISBN 978-0-307-87516-7.

[Goldman1983-2] Larry Goldman (1983).The professional photographer: developing a successful career.Doubleday. p. 117.ISBN 9780385157537.

[Kerrigan2009-3] Finola Kerrigan (2009).Film Marketing.Routledge. pp. 243–.ISBN 978-1-136-44000-7.

[4] Martin Childs (11 December 2012)."Cornel Lucas: Photographer who made his name as a pioneer of film portraiture - Obituaries".The Independent.Retrieved2013-10-05.

[DawsonHolmes2012-5] Andrew Dawson; Sean Holmes (2 August 2012).Working in the Global Film and Television Industries: Creativity, Systems, Space, Patronage.Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 136–.ISBN 978-1-78093-021-3.

[6] "What Is The Role Of A Still Photographer In A Movie?".Jun 13, 2018.

[7] Miller, P (1999).Script Supervising and Film Continuity(Third ed.). Focal Press. p. 5.ISBN 978-0240802947.

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Category Outline

Uses in the industry

Notable still photographers

References

Further reading

External links