Unit still photographer

Unit still photographer

A unit still photographer or simply, stills photographer is a person who creates still photographic images specifically intended for use in the marketing and publicity of feature films in the motion picture industry and network television productions.

Contents

Uses in the industry

Using individual frames from recorded video material is not practical due to the quality. Much higher resolution images are therefore used. Typically the end uses of these still photos would include the films theatrical release poster, DVD box artwork, the official web site photos, billboards, bus stop adverts, point of purchase displays, key art image sets released to the press and media as well as other printed and online collateral materials.

Unit still photographers are also responsible for creating "photo props" and "set dressing images", the photos and images used on-camera to create various illusions such as forensic photos, crime drama booking photos, character drivers' licenses, passport & 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.

In North America in particular, and some international locations as well, a Unit still photographer must be a member of IATSE 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 also members of The Society of Motion Picture Still Photographers, an organization which promotes the work of those within the industry.

While often perceived as a "glamor" job for photographers, the reality is often very long hours (70+ hour weeks are the norm) on remote distant locations under difficult and often extreme conditions. The Unit still photographer often coordinates with the Unit publicist, but physically works in very close proximity not only to the film's camera crew, director, producers and actors, but also by extension in close proximity to the film's boom microphone operator. As such, Unit still photographers go to great lengths to reduce, muffle, and otherwise mute the sound of their camera's motor drive & shutter so as not to distract the actors and to remain inaudible on the film's recorded dialogue soundtrack while the action is rolling.

Typically this is accomplished using a sound blimp, which is a sound absorbing, foam filled metal case in which the still camera body is fitted with a proprietary remote operation cable. This allows the camera to be activated and operated from a two-button (activation, focus & shutter release) exterior control. Limitations exist once the blimp is closed around the camera as you can no longer access the cameras controls (F-number, shutter speed, ASA/ISO settings) or menu displays, directly. The LCD display will also be out of view to review your images, in the closed position. This requires the photographer to make his control selections in advance, and then stick with those settings until the take-in-progress has been "cut", making adjustments between takes or set-ups. Unit still photographers in this field typically produce over 2000+ marketable images per week for their major studio clients. The use of still photography is the use of alignment, positioning, as well as other techniques used to capture the "money shot." Still life photography is the depiction of inanimate subject matter, most typically a small grouping of objects that are either human-made or natural.

Further reading

  • Stage and Theater Photography, Jeff Lowenthal, 1965.ASIN: B000NU0SJU
  • The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, photography by Susan Cook ; commentary by Joseph H. Mazo, New York, Morrow (1978).ASIN: B000VZQ256
  • Creative Techniques in Stage & Theatrical Photography, by Paddy Cutts, Rosemary Curr, Quite Specific Media Group (September 1983), ISBN 978-0713406672.
  • Photography and the Performing Arts, Gerry Kopelow, Focal Press (June 9, 1994), ISBN 978-0240801681.
  • The Complete Guide to Night and Low-Light Photography, Lee Frost, Amphoto Books (March 15, 2000), ISBN 978-0817450410.
  • Movie Photos: The guide to marketing and publicity photography, Alex Bailey, Imagebarn (19 Jun 2008), ISBN 978-0955933707
  • Barton B. MacLeod, Still Photographer "The Green Berets" movie starring John Wayne (http://www.BartonMacLeod.com)

References

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • List of UNIT personnel — UNIT stands for UNified Intelligence Taskforce, (formerly it stood for United Nations Intelligence Taskforce), a fictional entity in the Doctor Who universe. UNIT first appeared in the Second Doctor serial The Invasion, (1968), although Alistair… …   Wikipedia

  • Don King (photographer) — Don King (born 1960) is an American photographer, cinematographer, and film director. He is renowned worldwide for his photographic and cinematic images of ocean surface waves and surfing. Don King was a high school sophomore the first time he… …   Wikipedia

  • Terry O'Neill (photographer) — Infobox Person image size = 150px name = Terry O Neill birth name = Terence Patrick O Neill birth date = birth date and age|1938|7|30 birth place = London, England spouse = Vera Day Faye Dunaway (1983–1987) children = Liam Dunaway O NeillTerry O… …   Wikipedia

  • Darren Michaels — Darren Michaels, originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an award winning motion picture unit still photographer based in Los Angeles, CA, who has created publicity, marketing, and advertising images for over 70 major motion pictures… …   Wikipedia

  • One Million Years B.C. — 1,000,000 BCE redirects here. For information about this year, see Early Pleistocene. One Million Years B.C. U.S. Theatrical poster by Tom Chantrell Directed by …   Wikipedia

  • L. A. Tool & Die (1979 film) — Infobox Film name = L. A. Tool Die image size = caption = director = Tim Kincaid (as Joe Gage)vzct producer = Sam Gage narrator = starring = Richard Locke Will Seagers Paul Barresi (as Paul Baressi)Fact|date=February 2008 Casey Donovan music = Al …   Wikipedia

  • 166th Signal Photo Company (United States) — 166th Signal Photo Company was the official photo unit in the 89th Division of George S. Patton s Third Army during World War II. Those serving with the US Army Signal Corps 166th Photographic Unit landed in Normandy with the 29th Infantry… …   Wikipedia

  • NW Raiders — The NW Raiders was one of many Police Crime Units in the United States that focused primarily on Crack Cocaine. The initial Raider Unit was a temporary unit formed by Sgt George Hurt of the Fort Lauderdale Police Dept in 1983. The Unit, known as… …   Wikipedia

  • Al Satterwhite — is a notable figure in design and advertising, and has won many awards for his work. He has also written several books and has made a number of films.BiographyAl Satterwhite was born in Biloxi, Mississippi. He discovered photography in junior… …   Wikipedia

  • When Andrew Came Home — Infobox Film name = When Andrew Came Home image size = 125 director = Artie Mandelberg producer = Michael Filerman writer = Susan Rice distributor = Lifetime Television starring = Park Overall Seth Adkins Jason Beghe Evan Laszlo | released =… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”