No one else remembers your mistakes like you do. Don’t carry that weight with you, from day to day or even shot to shot.

Communicate. That’s really the answer.

A dolly grip is the operator’s most hands-on collaborator on set – they keep us safe, comfortable, and in the right place for the shot to work.

There are many ways a person can get hurt on set – some obvious, some not. The more time you spend on set, the easier it is to recognize when something might go wrong.

You can say no. This is a powerful word that you can use in many situations. If you are being asked to do something dangerous to you, an actor, other crew members, or something is just plain dodgy, you can say no.

Generally I try not to “tell” an actor to do something, but I try to frame it as a request. Starting with “can you” or “would you mind”, because sometimes my technical request might interfere somehow with their process, or might inhibit some subtle character work they’re doing which I may not even be aware of.

I usually work as a B camera operator, and as such, part of my role is to blend in seamlessly with those around me, without drawing attention to myself. I don’t bring ego to the job, as I typically have to work around shots set up for the A camera, and this approach tends to help with large personalities on set, regardless of where they are.

I volunteer creative input as early in the process as I possibly can to gauge whether or not I'll be having fun on the job creatively, or if I'll just be carrying the camera around hitting marks and making the best compositions I can.

The future impact of AI in our industry (and the world writ large) is very difficult to predict. We all know that AI will affect many facets of our existence, but specifics are a bit murky, especially as we try to project further into the future.

I explain my issues to the director of photography and the director. If at all possible I physically go to video village and or the DIT/DP cart. Usually more effective than talking over a radio.

I believe reliance on steadicam is less now. New technologies like gimbals, drones and lower cost remote heads are changing the way we capture images. However the A op should be able to confidently go handheld, set up and operate crane shots and even participate in drone and driving shots if required.

There are many factors that go into deciding which equipment to use, but in my personal case, much of that decision is made for me due to circumstance.  At this stage of my career, I work primarily in television, operating the B camera.  As such, if there is a gear head on the show, it is on the A camera.  That being said, during my career, I have worked on all imaginable types of show, from the smallest to the largest, and have some preferences when given the chance.

It is important to listen to your instincts about a project – there are certain people I would never work with based on past experiences, or on-set stories from people I know and trust.

It depends on several things – how big the shot is, what is involved, and what part of it I need to see (it isn’t always the entire thing). If the shot is long and there are a lot of things happening, I will involve the 1st AD.

I have been an operator for over 30 years, and was a steadicam operator for 24 of those years. I have had my fair share of hard days and shoots, but no more or less than anyone else.

When I started out, I initially wasn't offered any union work, and made my living as a non-union operator doing music videos, commercials, and low-budget films.  Over time, I started working on larger scale projects, and eventually joined Local 600 when 1) I had enough days to join, and 2) I was offered a lucrative union job that I needed to be affiliated with Local 600 to accept.  Both of these things happened around the same time, so for me, the timing was a no-brainer.  

I've only been on one set where I was put in an awkward position by the director and DP not seeing eye to eye, and that was mostly because I was inexperienced.

I generally have two bags that I bring with me on a job. One is an onset bag, the stuff that I want to have quickly at my fingertips that I ask to live on a cart somewhere, and then an offset or cold storage bag which has extra stuff, different kind of weather stuff, etc etc.

To prepare for overnighters, I wake up early do some chores, have a hearty breakfast and go back to sleep for as long as I can. The less I eat later in the day, the more energy I have. When returning home, if possible get to sleep before the Sun comes up. 

For a whole show of nights, just start drinking human blood.

Recovery after a hard day is vital, and in addition to an Epsom salt bath or soak in the hot tub, owning a TENS machine, a foam roller/and or handheld recovery stick, massage gun, freezer cold packs, microwavable heat pack can be very helpful.