Are you in love with shooting short films and making people like the story behind the film? Well, the truth is that you can make a great career out of your shooting hobby. If you like cameras and you know a little about film production, you can start your career as a cinematographer and earn a living out of it.
Yes, it may not be easy starting off to be a film producer, a DP, or a cinematographer, but you can still get a place for your talent if you put more effort into your work.
As Mark Murphy Director puts it, cinematography is not for the faint-hearted. It is not for those who are unwilling to get out of their comfort zone. You should do this if you want to become a celebrated cinematographer.
1. Know the basics of cinematography
There is more to cinematography than just hitting the record button and getting the files on your hard drive. Cinematography is both an art and a science – meaning it has more concepts and techniques you should equip with if you want to stand out from the rest.
Yes, almost everyone can work through a camera. However, it takes talent and creativity to compile different shots and bring a movie or story out of them.
You should equip yourself with all the functional elements of cinematography to become the best in this field. Get used to different elements of cinematography like shot composition, lighting, shot size, and camera placement and movement.
2. Get yourself a good camera
If you aspire to become a better cinematographer, you should get yourself a good quality camera and practice. The more you practice different elements of cinematography, the better you will be in this industry. Put all the knowledge you have learned from books and YouTube videos into practice.
Get a DSLR camera and a camcorder to start filming and experimenting at different angles and lighting. This is the only way to get used to the camera and sharpen your skills.
3. Pursue a course in cinematography
There are more technical aspects of cinematography you can only learn in books. Cinematography is quite elaborate, and getting a college degree in this field can make you stand out from the rest. You will understand all the technical aspects of cinematography, making your work easier when you start your career.
Also, while learning, you get that chance to interact with the best in the industry. This way, you will get all the technical skills and knowledge that will prove useful in your career. All you have to do is get a proper course in cinematography and enrol yourself.
4. Watch and learn from the best
Another way to kick off your career in film production is to learn from the best in the industry. Watch as many movies as you can and learn from what the best DPs are doing out there.
When you watch the work of other established cinematographers, you become the best in what you do. Always ask yourself how the cinematographer could take that shot in every scene you watch.
