Filming Assistant

My cousin Jonathan Lee works in the creative industry, as a video maker, artist, educator and other adventures along those lines. One such job he has acquired is working for the crown court producing judiciary 'training videos'. In other words a senior judge dreams up a variety of challenging situations (contradicting laws and such), writes a script, a group of barristers and other judges are hired to play it out, and then Jonathan films and edits the 'trial' into a neat training DVD. Quite a lot of work for one guy, so considering the limited time there is for shooting, he hired me in as an extra hand. I've not done a great deal of filming work before, or certainly not to this kind of professional standard, so at first it seemed rather daunting. However, I soon got to grips with the tasks whilst Jonathan could manage the overall project; he is a very reassuring leader in this way - allowing me to take on tasks within my capability thereby saving him time but still supervising the work at hand.

I picked up a few new technical skills from the specific tasks I had - controlling the 'boom' microphone, and as a secondary cameraman, but the most notable learning I gained, was observing the complexity of film work when there are actors, a set, lighting, a script, and a limited production time, all to be considered and controlled. This complexity is kept in check largely by people management. The director/producer must succeed at two distinct challenges: firstly to produce a coherent piece of video (getting the right shot, well lit, timed etc.) and secondly keeping everybody on set happy (this is especially challenging when there are senior judges and barristers in the room!) Jonathan, I noted, is distinctly accomplished in both these areas - with his easy social air keeping the set very relaxed, and his experience and practised knowledge keeping the production on track. I found I was able to help Jonathan with this (once my confidence had grown) by keeping an eye out for overlooked technical issues, and also contributing to the casual atmosphere of the set (making the odd joke, reassuring actors and so forth). Essentially, a lot comes down to understanding the work environment you are entering into, and how best to behave within it so that everything goes smoothly.

Some 'behind the scenes' stills: