What job does a Director of Photography do?

Popcorn in hand, you sit in the seat you handpicked and wait anxiously for the lights to go out. You are in your cinema favorite and as soon as you start the movie you are distracted, fascinated by the colors of the first sequence, you appreciate that the compositionn It is perfectly studied and you are impressed by the choice of light at every moment. If you feel identified, it is because you have the makings of Director of PhotographyYoto.

What is photographic direction?

Photography direction is the process of creation of an image on a visual narrative support. It is the sum of aesthetic sensitivity and technical knowledge. Creative expression develops alongside practical experience.

It is a beautiful, complex and somewhat difficult process, but achieving work as a director of photography It's not impossible, but it will demand a lot from you.

The ASC (The American Society of Cinematographers) defines cinematography as “the creative and interpretive process that culminates in the authorship of an original work of art rather than in the simple recording of a physical event. Cinematography is not a subcategory of photography but rather photography is a tool that the director of photographyYoto It is used together with other physical, organizational, interpretive and image manipulation techniques to reach a coherent process.

So photographic direction is part of the film production that allows the director's dreams to be drawn with light.

What does a director of photography do?

If we had to define the profession of cinematographer In a simple way, we could say that it is the one in charge of lighting, but it is not as simple as that.

The director of photography is a key person in the visual language of a film, is attentive to all the details, takes into account and works among many other professionals, such as his artistic direction team, following the needs of the script and the director, so it is a creative profession.

He is in charge of maintaining image quality and coordinating the photography team (electrical, grip and camera).

All of this is to ensure that the final visual aesthetic is the desired one and corresponds to what was initially sought, transmitting exactly what the story script required through images and tones.

Thus, it is a very hybrid profile and it is common to say that it is divided equally between artist, technician and producer.

They are technicians because they are responsible for understanding and using filming technology. And they are producers, because they manage a huge amount of resources (technical and economic) and mainly set the shooting time, together with the assistant director.

Main functions of a director of photography in audiovisual productions.

The main functions of the director of photography They are very varied, and their presence will be essential in each of the phases of the project, from pre-production to post-production and dissemination many times.

You will be responsible for analyzing the script, the characters, the events through the light, the shot and other elements to be able to give it the necessary touch to express what you want, always in conjunction with the director to agree with him on a general aesthetic. .

You will be involved in developing protocols and schemes with the technical department, and will thus design the map of lights and spaces available for different bed throws. It will also take into account all meteorological aspects due to the direction of the sun and daylight hours according to each time of year.

You will need to establish budget needs.

Discover visual style, and roll photogenic test, makeup, costumes and much more.

How much does a director of photography earn?

Normally speaking and finding out the average salary of any profession is not something simple since there are many variants on this topic, but in the directing jobsn phototofica happens differently since it is stipulated in the salary tables of the Collective Agreement of the audiovisual production sector.

In them, the average salary is estimated at €3,382.97 gross per month. This information is very interesting, since it will help you know if you are being paid well or underpaid.

But do not expect to receive this salary as soon as you start in the profession when it has just come on the market.

Differences between photographic direction and film direction.

When you decide study cinema A very wide range of options opens up to you, not only by deciding which specialty to pursue but also by selecting the school to study the master's degree in production creativity and cinematography that best suits you and your needs.

It is quite common for people to confuse Addressphotograph numberYoto cinematogrtofica with Film Direction, but they are two very different careers.

The film director or film director is the person who directs the shooting of a film, guides the actors, chooses the camera shots according to what he wants to tell, and has the final say in each of these decisions.

The director of photography is responsible for the artistic creation of the film's image. He will be in charge of the lighting, the optics that will be used, the framing and the most appropriate composition to tell the story, and later he will be in charge of deciding the grading that will give the final aesthetic of the film.

Study photographic direction in Madrid

Before becoming a great director of photography and touching all the practical points mentioned, you must know all the theory, and understand well the use of each technique to be able to choose judiciously and justify the selection of the visual style to follow. To do this, it is important to differentiate yourself from the competition, of which there are many in the world of photographic direction.

So the first step to be a good professional and stand out as a Director of Photography is the training in advertising and creativity schools.

Madrid offers many options for different needs and the job market in the capital is the best starting point, as you will make interesting contacts that will help you follow the path necessary to pursue this position.

Online photography direction course

As you already know cinematographer career It is not achieved overnight, the path to success is arduous and you will have to put a lot of effort into earning your space.

Preparing yourself in a good school, with good professionals is essential, since they will guide you and help you create projects to get started in the world.

There are many ways to train for different profiles and needs, from a bachelor's degree of 3 to 4 years of training, and also specific and shorter master's degrees for those who already have some experience in the creative and/or audiovisual world.

In addition, there are modalities not only in person but also remotely, thus making training online for those people who need teaching adapted to their circumstances.

At our advertising creativity school in Madrid, Miami Ad School, a online master in photography production and direction that will help you and prepare you in one year to handle the tools, and to obtain all the necessary knowledge to be a great professional. You will work hand in hand with the best professionals.

At the end of the master's degree, in addition to obtaining a Diploma of the Master of Photo, Film & Creativity, you will have a professional creative Reel / Portfolio with your best creative works and a portfolio of personal projects that will be your best resume to become the best candidate, both for companies and for your own clients. At the end of the one-year training period you will have the right to 3 months of internship in a company, which will help you enter this profession.

If you want to master the art of photo direction to achieve a unique visual aesthetic, don't hesitate to contact our advertising creativity school in Madrid and we will help you understand and express yourself with light, with the fundamental elements and with the help of the best professionals.