With tighter budgets across the industry, self-shooting is rapidly becoming an important part of the job description for many Assistant Producers and Researchers, but how does this affect the quality of the material produced?
In our experience, the most effective method of filming is situational, as both self-shooting and crew days offer distinct advantages depending on the nature and length of the shoot. Here’s some tips that should shed light on the situational benefits of both methods and help you to make the right decision when filming your documentary.
Intimacy is often given as a justification for choosing to self-shoot parts or all of a film. A smaller crew on a practical level offers you the opportunity to capture physical situations that would otherwise be difficult to navigate, but also allows the Director to capture layers of emotions from the subject which otherwise may not have been revealed. Self-shooting can create a great sense of intimacy and candour with the contributor, and over time, subjects can learn to ignore the presence of a single cameraman – ignoring a crew of 3+ people however, can be much harder. Another key advantage to self-shooting is the flexibility it gives the production team and the editorial decisions they can make, giving them the ability to take complete creative control of a shoot.
Nowadays, most documentary budgets are relatively small, so sometimes self-shooting is the only way to get a project financed. Self-shooting does have its disadvantages too – often spending time fiddling with the camera and sound can put up a barrier between you and your subject, as your attention is distracted from spending time trying to emotionally connect with them. Too often with self-shooting you will see a contributor staring into thin air whilst a PD concentrates on a screen or viewfinder, then when they finally get round to engaging with the contributor, the framing goes completely out the window.
It can’t be denied that there is significant value added to the visual style of a film when going to the expense of a DOP. A DOP has the time to devote themselves solely to the visual and aesthetics. Being able to fully engage eye-to-eye with the subject when questioning them without having your eyes glued to a monitor is an important factor in breaking down the contributor’s emotional barriers. Having a separate DOP who can observe the situation and spot visual opportunities that otherwise might have been missed is extremely useful, and often there is no alternate to editorial experience and story-telling.
James Rogan, Director and Producer of Rogan Productions commented on his experience with self-shooting and using a DOP:
‘In situations where the relationship you have with the contributor is the most important thing, self-shooting is more appropriate as it gives you a level of intimacy and friendship that enables you to really understand the person. In terms of logistics however, most documentaries always require some crew days, even if you have made the decision to predominantly self-shoot. Having time to step away from the filming to see the bigger picture is also an important factor in producing a visually and emotionally engaging film.’
There is undeniable value in using a cameraman rather than shooting PD’s. Whilst self-shooting is more intimate and less intimidating for the subjects of the film, having a DOP allows the Director to focus on story-telling rather than getting caught up purely on the image. Ultimately, when budgets are tight, often a happy compromise is to have a mixture of crew and self-shooting days.
