Every once in a while, the DP of choice becomes the DP Diva, and then the shoot turns into utter agony. Speaking from my personal experience, it is a situation that makes you want to open a yogurt stand and forget that you were ever involved in television production. From requesting last minute lenses, lights and dollies to being obnoxious and even yelling at the crew, a situation like that can be untenable. But this is where you have to dig into the core of your producer soul, put on a couple of balls, and make the show happen with the least amount of collateral damage.
be decisive
When the DP is unreasonable or demanding, never let him see you sweat. If your lips are trembling, if you seem indecisive, if you have beads of sweat running down your neck, you might as well hang a sign on your forehead that says “Come find me” because you just lost control. You have to stay calm, don’t yell back, don’t lose your temper. believe me; They’ll just remember that you were the one screaming like a fool. Find out what they want, set up a quick little conference with the director present, and see how you can meet their needs without going over budget. Make him and his creative vision as correct as you can, but stay out of the money, find a compromise and a way to work it out.
To be prepared
Have several conversations with the DP before you shoot. This may not always be easy; Usually, your DP is shooting other jobs before he’s scheduled to shoot yours. Make an appointment to meet with him in person or talk on the phone. Send him the script and storyboards well in advance. Ask questions. Make sure he emails you all the possible equipment he thinks you’ll need, and then review the quote to see what he can give you. If there is equipment you can’t afford, it’s time to have a conversation with the director and DP and figure out which equipment will meet your needs within budget.
be nice
The cinematographer will be one of the hardest working people on the set. The vision is in her hands; how he shoots it will be what you end up with. So have a heart, make sure he’s had something to eat, offer him coffee or water, or whatever makes things easier for him. Show him respect.
be in control
Without making the whole crew psychotic, make sure everyone is on time. Don’t move like a landing craft when setting up lights and shooting, but keep an eagle eye on the schedule and make sure it’s moving as fast as humanly possible. The truth is, if you let it, a DP will spend a lot more time lighting the shot than you’ve allowed them to. So stay tuned, without being annoying.
Bottom line
You control the financial balance. The footage you end up with at the end of the shoot is your responsibility. If you’re dealing with a tough DP, you’re going to have to hang in there and take the shot, because at that point you’re stuck. So make sure you don’t get mad, don’t yell and for God’s sake be a bigger person than him. To be professional. You have a whole team waiting to see how you are going to react, they will follow your instructions. Show that you care, that you are in control, and that you can be creative and work through any situation that comes up on set.
In my career, I’ve worked with many fantastic cinematographers and had some wonderful experiences, but one day you might meet a diva on set.