To recap, in Week 4, we had the masterclass with Clea Tammes. While it was on publicity within the industry, which doesn’t directly relate to my work on the film sets, I found the class very interesting. I think publicity is an intriguing way to work in the industry, and one of the most important. I found myself wanting to learn more, and I would definitely look into pursuing a career in publicity. Publicity is really the backbone of reaching people through film, even for grassroots/indie projects. Clea provided insight on a large scale of filmmaking, on publicity of not only TV shows and movies, but actors as well, which can be applied in some ways to my future pursuits, whether big or small. She recommended that for social media presence, which in today’s age is necessary for promoting and distributing creative work, to establish a following and connection prior to pushing out content, to pull in a larger audience. This can be very useful in smaller, personally funded projects.
Moving on to the work I am doing on the 4th year sets, my real hands-on work does not begin until about week 6 or 7 I believe, when the films that I am working on get closer to production. So, I have continued to delve into my research and keep up to date with my directors. While I have been informed I will get the scripts closer to filming, I’m going to detail my research into gaffing and set design.
This week I will focus on gaffing.
What is a Gaffer? A gaffer is the onset electrician for the equipment, specifically lighting equipment.
Why are gaffers essential to a film set? Lighting is vital to not only provide a visual, well-seen shot, but to curate the mood of a shot. Gaffers work closely with DOP’s to execute a director’s creative vision, as lighting conveys many plot elements and is not solely a device that allows the audience to see.
How can I be prepared for my potential role as a gaffer? I will meet with the producers and director of the project to understand what they want from the lighting (for example, should the lighting be harsh? natural? etc.). I will also conduct a script breakdown pre-production to note anything that involves lighting/lighting changes.
Extra info: On set, gaffers should be prepared to deal with electrical issues, adjust the lighting, set up and take down the lighting equipment, and of course, be collaborative with the directors.
Articles I read:
https://www.nfi.edu/gaffer/
https://www.soundstripe.com/blogs/what-is-a-gaffer
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