Shooting material under special conditions is undertaken by experienced camera operators. They could be working on productions that require capturing shots from moving vehicles, aircraft, trains or underwater using digital or film cameras.

Shoots may involve risk situations requiring the application of safe work practices and close collaboration with production team members.

Generally speaking, a director of photography or director supervises such shoots but there are circumstances where camera operators may carry responsibility for most if not all of the filming, e.g. deep underwater shoots.

This unit builds on the skills acquired in:

CUFCAM401A Shoot a wide range of television content

CUFCAM402A Shoot television content in a multi-camera environment.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Plan shoot

1. Liaise with relevant production personnel to interpret and confirm overall production requirements

2. Collaborate with relevant production personnel to devise creative solutions for shoots to meet aims and needs of productions

3. Interpret camera plans, identify required special effects and create appropriate shot lists for use during rehearsals and actual shoots

4. Brief relevant production personnel assisting with shoot and determine an execution plan for specific shoots

5. Participate in pre-shoot safety briefings to ensure risks of shooting under special conditions are understood

6. Identify potential hazards and risks that may affect decisions to proceed with shoots and arrange to reduce problems where feasible

Select and set up equipment

7. Assess nature of special conditions and discuss issues with relevant production personnel

8. Select required equipment and accessories for shoots and install correctly and safely

9. Ensure equipment and accessories do not impede operations of other production personnel involved in shoot

10. Participate in rehearsals where feasible and agree to final camera shots and camera movements

11. Adjust shot lists as required

Capture shots

12. Communicate with relevant production personnel throughout shoot and operate camera according to instructions and cues received

13. Re-create and capture shots established during rehearsals and advise relevant production personnel of unavoidable variations from predetermined plans

14. Endeavour to minimise negative effects of movement of equipment and accessories on filming activity

15. Operate camera and special equipment to ensure safety of relevant production personnel and other participants involved in shoot

16. Work in cooperation with other personnel to achieve the desired camera movements and visual effects

17. Complete operations without damage to equipment and without interference to operators of moving equipment

18. Participate in debriefing sessions to evaluate effectiveness of shoots and to identify areas for future improvement

Required skills

communication, teamwork and literacy skills sufficient to:

interpret creative information, scripts and images

provide creative input to production planning

work collaboratively with production staff and others during shoots

complete workplace documentation, e.g. shot lists

respond appropriately to feedback about shoots from others

high levels of initiative, enterprise and creativity in the context of:

demonstrating originality and innovative approaches to filming under special conditions

being able to balance creative and technical requirements

being flexible enough to make last-minute adjustments to planned shots if unforeseen circumstances arise during shoots

self-management and problem solving skills sufficient to:

solve problems and challenges during shoots in a timely and collaborative manner

evaluate own contribution to creative solutions

work under pressure to tight deadlines

planning and organising skills in the context of planning shots to achieve required outcomes in the most efficient way, including taking account of budgetary and resource constraints

technical skills sufficient to operate a range of professional camera equipment in a single-camera or multi-camera environment under a range of special conditions

Required knowledge

industry knowledge, including:

roles and responsibilities of personnel in the relevant industry sector

sound understanding of artistic and technical elements associated with productions, e.g. staging, lighting, sound

issues and challenges that arise in the context of filming under special conditions

features of a range of cameras and accessories

cinematographic language

preparation of shot cards and shot descriptions

production scheduling process

techniques for handling cables, including their compatibility with other equipment

well-developed understanding of photographic principles, such as:

exposure

tonal relationships

focus

light sources

sensitivity and balancing

camera interpretation of colour

characteristics of lenses

colour correction techniques

colour temperature and compensation

camera-to-subject practice/framing and composition:

lens to eyeline

jump cuts

crossing the line

matching shots

general continuity

features of and techniques for using light-measuring devices

duty of care to colleagues and general public, especially on location

OHS procedures, particularly as they relate to lifting, climbing rigs and use of electrical equipment

detailed knowledge of the Recommended Safety Code for Film and Television

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential:

ability to make creative contributions to the planning and execution of filming under a range of special conditions

strong teamwork ethic and ability to work under direction and to deadlines

ability to operate cameras and ancillary equipment in a multi-camera environment and under special conditions

knowledge and application of photographic principles

application of safe work practices when filming under special conditions.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

practical demonstration of skills through filming sequences under a range of special conditions

access to a range of professional equipment currently used in the film and television industry

opportunities to work on single-camera and multi-camera shoots that require filming under special conditions

access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required

use of culturally appropriate processes and techniques appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of learners and the work being performed.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance

observation of the candidate filming under special conditions to assess candidate's ability to capture shots safely

evaluation of sequences filmed by the candidate to determine candidate's ability to meet creative production requirements

written or verbal questioning to test knowledge as listed in the required skills and knowledge section of this unit.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

CUFCAM403A Plan and implement installation of camera supports.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Production personnel may include:

director

director of photography

gaffer

grip

head of department

lighting personnel

news producer/director/chief of staff

other specialist staff

other technical staff

supervisor

technical director.

Production requirements may include:

artistic and style requirements

creative

lighting conditions

location of assignment

mood

news stories to be covered

script

special effects

technical.

Shoots may include:

digital

film

multi-camera

single-camera.

Productions may include:

animated productions

commercials

documentaries

EFP (electronic field production)

ENG (electronic news gathering)

feature films

filmed events or performances

live or prerecorded television productions

music video

short films.

Special effects may include:

explosions

flash pots

floods

gunshots

mechanical

pyrotechnic effects

rain

snow

storm effects, e.g. thunder, lightning

wind.

Execution plan may include:

chain of communication for execution of the filming

cues and signals to be used

emergency action to be taken in the event of accidents

route and timing of camera shots.

Special conditions may include:

filming of special effects

mounted to a crane

mounted to a dolly

mounted to, or filmed from a moving aircraft

mounted to, or filmed from a moving train

mounted to, or filmed from a moving vehicle, e.g. car, truck, bus

mounted to, or filmed from a moving vessel, e.g. ship, boat

underwater

use of a jib

use of a remote-control camera

use of a robotic camera.

Equipment and accessories may include:

autocue monitor

cables

cranes

cue card holders

digital cameras

diopter

film cameras

filter wheel

filters

fluid heads

headphones

lenses

lighting bulbs

lighting equipment

lights

mounts

pedestals

rigs and scaffolding

shot boxes

special camera housings

spreaders

talkback

tallies and return video

tracks and dollies

tripods

underwater camera

video split monitor

viewfinders.

Shots may include:

close-up

cutaway shot

establishing or master shot

extreme close-up

eye-level shot

high-angle

long shot

low-angle

mid shot

point-of-view shot

wide shot.

Camera movements may include:

crab

crane

dolly

pan

physical relocation

static

tilt

track in/out

zoom in/out.

Special equipment may include:

camera housings, e.g. underwater housing

communication equipment

diving equipment

harness equipment

protective clothing, e.g.:

helmet

wetsuit

identifying colour and/or signage on clothing

insulated clothing

fire-resistant clothing

special camera housings

rig, track and mount equipment

sealed cabling or battery equipment.

Other participants may include:

actors

ambulance and medical staff

boat crew

council staff

divers

driver of vehicle

fire brigade

general public, e.g. studio audiences, spectators

interviewees

interviewers

journalists/reporters

performers, e.g. stunt performers, actors

pilot

police

presenters

safety officer

train driver.

Operators of moving equipment may include:

boat crew

crane operator

dolly operator

drivers of vehicles

pilots

train drivers.

Unit sector

Media and entertainment production - Camera/cinematography

This unit contains employability skills.