Tom Baker is a DOP and editor - below I have briefly looked at one of the projects he worked on - an advertising campaign for Top Score called We Are Nambian. I would have analysed a short film he had worked on as this would have been closer to the style of our production, however, he has not yet worked as both and editor and DOP on these projects - therefore, I decided to look at this advertisement as he took on both roles, thus I can observe how he took on these roles to produce the finished result. As this production is a different style to our production, I focused my research on contacting him rather than on the specific production as I feel he can offer more guidance through contacting him than I can gain through just looking at his work.
We Are Nambian
The premise of this campaign was to highlight the happiness and togetherness present in the Nambian community which is enhanced by the product Top Score. Therefore, the shots used reflect this and convey the sense of happiness and community that the advert is highlighting.
The way Tom creates this atmosphere are as follows:
- The colours captured within the shots are all bright and saturated which connotes happiness and joyfulness. This is achieved through planning the shots and knowing the lighting directions of the locations in order to maximise the colours / tone captured as well as the colour correction and colour grade which enhances the bright colours within the shots.
- It can be seen that thorough planning has gone into the locations and lighting as the light is utilised in a perfect way in each shot - this means Tom would have had to plan for each location and work out when the light would be entering the scene and from which direction so that he could structure shoot days around these facts. This allows for maximisation of the light and enhancing the effect it gives.
- The shots that track / zoom in also pull in the audience and draw their focus in - this helps them to engage with the product and engage with the feel that the product gives off (in this case, a happy and joyful feel) which makes them connect more - this allows the campaign to have the maximum impact on the audience. VET-MAN will use a similar technique of using zooms to draw in the audience to ensure their focus is on specific elements - this will work to capture the audience's attention and make them connect more with the product which will hopefully enhance the comedic elements.
- Whilst the colours are bright and saturated (and enhanced through colour correction and colour grading), a natural warmth is captured within the piece which helps to suggest that this happiness and joyfulness is a natural occurrence within the community - this natural feel also helps the audience to engage more as they feel as if they are watching normal behaviour and want to be a part of this joyful community. This natural feel is maintained through not over-exaggerating colours - so the colours are saturated to a level where they are bold and bright to convey the sense of happiness, but they are not too contrasted which helps the shots to look natural (almost as if they have not been manipulated at all) which helps the audience to perceive the shots as natural. I will use a similar technique in VET-MAN - I want the product to look natural yet cinematic so I will add cinematic elements such as the orange and teal LUT but use it at a low intensity to ensure the production still feels natural - this will allow the audience to engage more with the product as it will feel natural and observational whilst having a slightly higher visual quality.
From looking at this product, I was able to see how certain shots and planning work to create specific moods and atmospheres. Whilst this isn't directly comparable to the production of VET-MAN, it has highlighted how doing things such as planning how the light will affect the scene makes an impact to how the shot is captured and then, in turn, received by the audience.
As Tom Baker was both the DOP and editor on this production, he planned the shots, captured them and then worked them in the edit - so he had a lot of creative control over how the end result would appear. As I will be working as both of these roles within the production of VET-MAN, I decided to contact Tom Baker and ask for his opinions and guidance on taking on both of the roles - this will allow me to perform better in both roles.
What advantages and disadvantages are there to taking on both roles of DOP and editor?
Biggest thing is you care more. If you know you're going to be in the edit for a long time, and you're ultimately presenting to a client, on the shoot you will work harder. I find I'm even more motivated to get the shots because I want them in the edit to make the film better. Also, as you mentioned, you shoot for the edit - I like to shoot textures and quirky shots that aren't necessarily on the shot list. This gives me some unconventional variety to work with in the edit.
The big disadvantage is that sometimes you can be too close to the footage, know too much. It's important to transition from DOP to editor, which means to change mindset. It's easy to fall in love with shots etc if you've been on the shoot. Lastly, an editor can look in every direction, up, down, left, right, behind. If you've been on set, you don't necessarily think so clearly.
Would you say being the DOP influences how you edit the piece?
Yes but it shouldn't. The two roles need to be completely separate.
What kind of relationship did you have with the director during your projects i.e. were you given strict instructions or was there an element of creative flexibility?
Very close relationship. Sharing and collaborating ideas. The more you work with a director, the more you understand what they like and what you can experiment with. What is great about being a DOP is that even in the edit, you can still run outside and shoot more during post if you need it! There should be nothing stopping you from making the best films possible.
What advice would you give to someone acting as both the DOP and editor of a project?
Take time to be great at both crafts. It's not worth being a DOP and an editor if you're going to be average at both.
How closely do you stick to a storyboard / shot list when shooting a project? And how useful is the storyboard / shot list during the edit?
Most of the time the storyboard (if you use one at all) is a guide or help sell the idea to the client. But the idea and shots always develop from there. Shot list is invaluable and one of the most important things. If you don't have a shot list, you forget ideas and key narrative shots to shoot.
What have I learnt?
- Communication with the director is key as this allows for the sharing and collaboration of ideas which will produce the best end product with everyone in the production team being left satisfied with the product.
- Be flexible with the footage that is shot. As DOP, I will have a connection to the footage as I would have shot it all and, therefore, would have a personal preference towards certain clips. However, these clips may not convey the narrative as well as other clips - I will need to objectively look at the footage as the editor and choose the clips that convey the narrative and comedy well (instead of using a clip I am specifically attached to).
- However, I have also learnt that as DOP, being close to the images can be a good thing as I will remember which shots captured the scenes better - I will also be open to capturing extra footage on the shoot days if I feel these would benefit the edit. As my role doesn't end at being DOP and just with the shots captured on the day, I have more attachment to the project as a whole and will be considering what I can do in each role to benefit what I need to do in the other role. (i.e. as DOP I will be looking for additional shots which can be inserted in the edit that I may not have thought of when planning the shoots).
- I have also learnt that I will need to distance myself from the other role when I am taking on one of the roles. When I am being DOP, I will need to focus on this role and what this role encompasses (i.e. the visuals, colours, shot types etc) and not think about what I'll specifically be doing in the edit. The same applies when I am acting as the editor.
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