A director of photography (DP) plays an integral role in video production and helps in having the director’s vision come to life. The DP oversees everything from where cameras and crew will be placed for a shot, to lighting, deconstruction of a shot once completed and more.
Also known as a cinematographer, a DP can truly make or break a video shoot with the choices they make, so it’s important to hire one with the requisite experience and expertise to have your video looking its very best.
They make the director’s vision come to life
One of a DP’s most important job duties is working hand in hand with the director of the shoot to have his vision come to life.
Before a shoot a DP will go over the expectations for the project with the director, read over the script and discuss things such as camera placement, movement and angle, which lenses to use for a shot and more.
A DP that can essentially “read the mind” of a director becomes invaluable to a shoot and is extremely important in achieving the desired final result for a video shoot.
They think about the details
As mentioned above a DP is responsible for some of the more intricate parts of a shoot that include camera placement and movement. They are also responsible for the other details of a shoot that include blocking (how actors will be placed and move in a shot), lighting for the shot, focus and more.
As their name suggests, a director of photography directs each shot or photograph to make sure they are looking as good as they possibly can.
They decide if a shot is useable
Once a shot has been completed, a DP will go back and review it to see if it is usable or not. This will typically be done with the director, with the DP looking for things such as lighting, framing and focus of the shot.
If the shot is deemed usable, they will then review it again in post-production and assist with any edits that may be necessary.
When you’re looking to have a video shoot for your company and need an experienced video production team, we ask that you call on us at Stengel Media.
We’re an award-winning video production company that offers turn-key video production services for a variety of different needs. Whether you’re interested in branded content or commercial spot for your business, documentary filmmaking or anything in between, we have the experienced video staff to have your shoot go off without a hitch.
To book a shoot with our Wyoming based video team, or to learn more about our crew (including our DP), we invite you to give us a call at 307-259-1867.
