An important skill in the Director’s toolbox is understanding how to maximize the use of B and C camera's when shooting scenes requiring that type of coverage. On April 30, more than 200 DGA members seeking ways to better prepare for their next episodic directing assignment received valuable information about this process during the Director Development Initiative (DDI) online workshop, How to Maximize the Incorporation of B and C Cameras.
The event featured Directors Mary Lou Belli (The Ms. Pat Show) and Lionel Coleman (NCIS) who delivered an in-depth analysis on the technical aspects of maximizing the incorporation of B and C cameras into a project and highlighted information including the language to understanding the techniques around their use, as well as tips, tricks and cheat codes.
During the discussion, Belli and Coleman talked about their approach to processes such as block shooting and shot listing, highlighted the pros and cons of setting up a third camera, and gave examples of how Directors can be more efficient with their camera setup. Further, Belli and Coleman emphasized the power of Directors understanding the rules of the show that they are working on and tips for building trusting and collaborative relationships with their actors, camera operators, cinematographers/DPs, and producers. Belli shared a key piece of advice, noting that “When a DP says [to a Director] I don’t want to compromise it, or I can’t compromise that shot, listen.”
DGA Members can watch the full video from Director Development Initiative events by clicking here.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
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 Director Mary Lou Belli
A two-time Emmy Award winner, Belli has been directing television for over 30 years in many genres from sitcoms to procedurals to documentaries. She is the co-author of four books: The NEW Sitcom Career Book, Acting for Young Actors, PERFORM: Acting for the Screen and Directors Tell the Story which she co-wrote with fellow DGA member Bethany Rooney. A DGA member since 1987, Belli has served on the Western Directors Council, as an alternate to the DGA National Board, as a co-chair of the Women’s Steering Committee and as a mentor for the Women’s Steering Committee’s WSC Squad Mentorship Program.
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 Director Lionel Coleman
Coleman’s directorial credits include episodes of Power Book III: Raising Kanan, NCIS, NCIS: Hawai'i, All Rise, NCIS: New Orleans, God Friended Me and SEAL Team; and the television special, Margaret Cho: I'm the One That I Want. He has also served as a cinematographer on Margaret Cho: I’m the One That I Want; the video, Inside the Lines and the short Brain Drain. Coleman has been a DGA member since 1998. |
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About the Director Development Initiative:
The Director Development Initiative is designed to provide current information on the Director’s craft in order to further the Guild’s goal to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry.