Today we’ve got F. Jacob Alvarado on the pod to talk about the kind of work the folks holding the cameras do. Now, just an FYI, the “F” in his name doesn’t stand for “f-Stop,” but that was the first thing that came to mind.
We discussed his work in Fresno before moving to LA, working on music videos, and his role models in the field. After the interview, Madison and Tristan discuss what they’ve been watching, including Inside Out 2, Sex Education, and more.
Enjoy today’s episode and be sure you share it with family and friends!
Links for Jacob F. Alvarado:
About F. Jacob Alvarado
Cinematographer, producer, & director, Jacob has worked primarily in the commercial and music video space. I’ve worked with brands such as Netflix, Hulu, NFL, PayPal, Ring, Vogue, Toyota, AT&T, MITU & many more.
I own camera and lighting gear, I’ll incorporate the best tools that work with your budget & goals for your project. My camera experience includes Sony Venice, FX3, A7S3 Arri Alexa Mni LF and Red.
What is a Gaffer anyway?
Originally posted on NoFilmSchool.
Why are they called gaffers?
The term “gaffer” hasn’t always been tied to the film industry. Etymologically, the word, meaning “elderly rustic”, dates back to the 1580s and was used as a contraction of “godfather”. Later on in history, “gaffer” extended to refer not only to “old men” but foremen and supervisors.
Additionally, the term “gaff” dates back even further to the 1300s, and was originally used to refer to an “iron hook” used for rigging boats.
“Gaffer” eventually made its way into the film industry to refer to the moving of overhead equipment to control lighting levels using a gaff, then, finally, to the “electrician in charge of lighting on a film set.”
How do you get a gaffing job?
Most gaffers begin life as set electricians or production assistants. They need to learn about lighting choices and schemes to work their way up. As they learn those jobs, they also learn set management as well as all the ins and outs of electricity.
They have to ensure there is ample electricity for a whole array of uses on a film set and figure out the watts and amperage necessary to keep everything working.
It’s also important to have a close working relationship with the cinematographer. They are usually the ones who hire this department.
What is a Camera Operator?
Article originally posted on NoFilmSchool.
Camera operator Mitch Dubin works almost exclusively with Steven Spielberg, which means all that movement during the storming of the beach of Normandy in Saving Private Ryan can somewhat be credited to his actions. He defines his role clearly and concisely: “As a camera operator you’re setting up a shot and you have a finder and you’re putting down marks and you say, ‘Okay, the shot starts here and it ends there…’ Everything in between, all those thousands of choices, we make those are ours. That’s what we do — we fill in the gaps.”
Those choices include what to keep inside and outside of the frame, which the frequent David O. Russell collaborator Dave Thompson likens to a form of editing: “What we do is editing as much as it is composing or creating.”
The video, also featuring Steve Fracol (Songs of Anarchy, Scandal) was shot earlier this month in Canada at Story Summit 2016, and provides some truly unique insight on what too often seems to be the unsung hero of the movies.
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