I am the light
November 13, 2014 11:10 AM   Subscribe

 
I get this same sort of masterful feeling when I walk on set. In fact, later this month, I'll be acting as DP on a short video set in a bar, wherein a bombastic sort of man has a disagreement with a CAN OF SOUP, a MUPPET, and a BULLDOG over inappropriate use of a cell phone. It ends in everyone consuming the CAN OF SOUP's contents in a fit of rage.

Without me, it's all just words on a page.
posted by Pecinpah at 11:45 AM on November 13, 2014


Shouldn't your username be LucienBallard?
posted by languagehat at 12:15 PM on November 13, 2014


Parody

I think you might have the links backwards.
posted by uncleozzy at 12:38 PM on November 13, 2014


What's the difference between a DP and God?

God doesn't think he's a DP.
posted by cazoo at 1:00 PM on November 13, 2014 [3 favorites]


Here's what's funny. You never get this kind of bullshit from a sound guy, and yet they're more important on the set than a DP - and I say that as someone who has DP'd plenty. An audience will forgive a badly lit film, a film with poor camera work, or generally visually inferior, but they'll never stand for a film with badly recorded dialogue. There's also a peculiar arrogance that afflicts the profession, where seemingly every other DP thinks they can direct. In the case of writers and editors, that belief is often justified, but it almost never is for a DP. There are tons and tons of films directed by DPs, and yet it's exceedingly rare that a DP turns into any kind of decent director (although as always there are exceptions). DPs also are the most likely person to have a power struggle with the director (I'm excluding above the line talent, producers etc.) - especially a young director - where the DP attempts to take over directing of the film. As a producer, one of my unpleasant duties is to fire people - and the only time I had to do it on the spot, on the set in front of people (it was unavoidable), was a DP. Now, of course most DPs are thoroughly decent and great people, but for some reason the profession attracts an unusually high proportion of asshats compared to other below the line folks.
posted by VikingSword at 1:01 PM on November 13, 2014 [9 favorites]


Still sad to this day that Ernest Dickerson stopped being a DP to direct. As a DP he was one of the young greats = DO THE RIGHT THING!!
posted by jettloe at 1:48 PM on November 13, 2014


they'll never stand for a film with badly recorded dialogue

I always assumed that poor British audio was the underlying joke in Austin Powers' inability to control the volume of his voice after being defrosted. An assumption, of course, but based on too many instances of having to stand for badly recorded dialogue in British films.
posted by IndigoJones at 1:53 PM on November 13, 2014


Wow, if it weren't for the second video, it would be hard to believe the first one wasn't a parody itself.
posted by octothorpe at 4:36 PM on November 13, 2014 [4 favorites]


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