David Pimm | Category Archives: My first AC job

How I Handled My First Job as Camera Assistant

This is the 2nd post in a 3 part blog. It is preceded by How I got my First Job on the Short Film, ‘Happy Birthday’ and will soon be followed by The Aftermath of my First Job.

I’m a firm believer in learning from my own mistakes. If you can learn from others and not make them yourself in the first place, better still. So maybe this might help some of you guys with your first job.

I forget in which film, or films this technique is used where the screen is split in two and we see two scenarios happening side by side:

What the character expected or wanted to happen

Reality

October 18, 2011 by DavidPimm

How I got my first job on the short film, ‘Happy Birthday’

Happy Birthday Slate

This is the 1st of a 3 part blog, to be followed by How I Handled My First Job and The Aftermath of My First Job.

It’s the usual catch 22. How can I get my first role as a Camera Assistant, when everyone is looking for people with experience?

Well, this was actually my second time camera assisting, but the first job, while brilliant, was a crew of 5 and given to me by a friend without even having to ask, so it doesn’t make for a very interesting or helpful story. Moreover, I don’t believe it helped me get work on Happy Birthday.

I’m sure people adopt different approaches depending on circumstances and/or level of desperation, but here’s how I really began camera assisting.

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