What Do You Do When Egos Get In The Way On Set
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. That said, sometimes coming up against strong personalities is inevitable. In those situations, it is important to remember that you are there to do your job to the best of your abilities, regardless of who you are working with, and it is vital that you don’t get caught up in things that divert you from the task at hand. My loyalty is always to the DP, and helping him/her achieve their vision is always paramount, regardless of who is standing in the way. How to go about that is always a case by case basis, but usually having a positive attitude and showing confidence in what you’re doing go a long way.
Egos? In the film business? Impossible.
Yep, it happens and more often than you think. The first thing you’ll have to figure out is how to read the egos in the room before things get bad. Who always needs to be heard? Who has an opinion about everything? 90% of the time it’s about getting things you need to happen while making it seem like someone else’s idea. I’m not sure I can really tell you how I do that well (do I?) but its what you will need to learn. A lot of it has to do with how you pitch. instead of “I have an idea”, there’s a lot of “what do you think of” and “would something like this be of interest”, ways to get ideas out there and not make it something that you are doing but rather giving them the power. It’s a game at the end of the day and sadly learning how to play it is important to succeed.
Read the room. Re-read the room. Re-re-read the room. Attitudes change every minute of every day. Know who you are speaking with, recognize how they react to things, adjust accordingly. There is more to being an operator that is in common with being a therapist and psychiatrist than with being a technician.
