I don't know if this comforts you, Nate, but I didn't think your original post had 'cry baby'-effect, but it was just personal and honest and sincere real information.

You are right that posting such personal information can be very useful on boards, when it's not used wrongly, as with your post.
It's like a teacher that I had, that used to always tell personal anecdotes from when he was on a set. Some other students resented it, thinking: "I don't need to hear this, just give me my lesson", but I always found it interesting and I could learn from those anecdotes, because it gives you a sight on what can happen on a set.

Best regards,

also another thing that happens when we get into a working circle .. we get use to the income , we become comfortable knowing work will be here each month ... when you decide to make a change from AC to operator , or operator to DP or change your day rate from 500 day to 1000 day - that regular schedule and income $$ may change to slower/lower $$ for a time ?? and that is a little scary for many especially if one lives from paycheck to paycheck... i find those that are ready for a change & hang in there are doing very good within a year ( 1st few months can be rough)

you have to be open to when opportunity knocks ...
some never hear the knock ( many times it's not a knock- more a light tap).

i think it always good to look back over ones career every few years and look at different angles .. look at whats working and not working for you etc ...

"there's pigeonholing in all aspects of the business, I'm guilty of doing it to the shooters I hire for concerts. Sometimes I suspect I'm right to do so, other times I imagine I'm being shortsighted"

if i was director or DP on a concert i would surround myself with the BEST persons i can get ... it's a little easier to give a new person a break/chance if you have worked with them before ( maybe there were 1st AC 2nd unit on one of your projects) , if you haven't then you could be putting yourself at risk !!! every now & then we all go for it and give somebody new a chance -some work out, some don't ... Producer hire us because they know we can do the job - producer expects us to recommend persons that can get the job done ... we all tend to play it safe ... AND we all play it unsafe once in awhile ...

I've been bringing up as many people with me from the DVX days, but I'm learning the hard way that not all of them are sharp enough. In fact, I'm looking into replacing damn near everybody save my producer and 2 or 3 other people. $80k concerts should have the guys that shot Rattle & Hum, not some of the guys I've hired that can't be bothered to treat 90 minutes like my life depends on it.

Despite that, that part of my life is moving upward.

Cinealta? Phooey. I need a DP who specializes in cellphones:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...s/4282265.html

Nate and Don,

Awesome insights. If the guy Andrea is working with had the experience, insight and patience that you two have, then he's got every right to work on a specific level. Lord knows I plan to. If he is fresh outta school or a student, then he better get much better at selling himself and working on projects that match his vision.

Remember that "The Celebration" was part of the Dogme 95 movement, which had some pretty strong sentiments about how to make a film- they actually wrote a manifesto with rules, one of which was no artificial lighting. Having "beautifully controlled" lighting might take you away from that kind of feel.

...or perhaps you meant it will be beautiful how controlled the lighting will be?!