REFLECTION 4 – BEING A PROFESSIONAL

Someone asked if we had to use the Sony EX3 camera exclusively for this class, and Robin replied both yes and no. No because it’s not completely set that this will be the only camera available to us in the future, and Yes because it would help us build a professional discipline when working a job. Carrying around heavy equipment, bumping in sets, picking up catering, location scouting; these are all necessary jobs that are integral to making a film, and yet they get very little recognition. People rarely see the value in these small roles and tasks that build the foundations of any film, and yet they forget that this is where most people start in the industry. As a university student I’m not going to have a big production house or studio backing up my projects yet. At this moment in time all I have is the equipment office in building 9, my friends and family, and a small network of actors who I’ve made friends with over the course of my education. There’s no flashy camera grip to come assist me, or a hired lighting director. I am starting from the bottom of the chain, and that means putting up with the large equipment hauls onto the trains, or enlisting my friends to come hold a boom pole for 3 hours. This is something that we need to get used to early, so that when we do eventually get to a point where there are more defined roles, and a more professional scenario, I can appreciate every little cog that works in this big machine.

The more low budget you are, the more you can find yourself carrying everything, but it also means you get to control everything the way you want it. Being limited with both resources and money will also help with me being able to overcome those obstacles and find resolutions that I wouldn’t have thought of in the first place. So I think I’m getting used to it, I think I’m building thicker skin and more muscle dragging those pelican cases around the Melbourne CBD. One day I’ll have someone else do it for me, but right now collaborating with classmates is enough for me, and this experience will be something that will shape how I conduct myself in the future.