Feature films and TV shows all have the same goals in mind. Those goals revolve around producing a quality movie or show and to ensure that it is seen by as many people as possible. Whether it is a large budget feature film or a small independent film, hiring a professional unit stills photographer to capture behind the scenes photos and gallery shots is key. Using individual frames from a Film or Video is not ideal due to the low-resolution of these images. Productions need high-quality still photography for a variety of reasons. Here are some key qualities and top reasons to hire a stills photographer for your production.
PRODUCTION AND BEHIND THE SCENES
After the script is written and selected and funds have been acquired, producers quickly assemble a crew. A key component of a film set is the stills photographer. These members of the crew are often quiet and often overlooked while doing their job... And that's a good thing. A unit stills photographer should be able to meander throughout set taking photos largely unnoticed. When First Team has the set it has to be all about them. Being quiet and for the most part out of sight is important so as to not distract the actors. The stills photographer on a movie set takes photos of the scenes in action as well as any behind the scenes imagery that might be useful to the production.
GALLERY SHOTS
Gallery shots are created during a staged photo shoot with starring members of the cast. These photos usually feature the key actors in various wardrobe attire from important scenes in the Film or TV show. These images are specifically intended for sales, marketing and publicity. They will be used in press articles, theatrical posters and on streaming services. In a perfect world on a large production an entire day will be assigned for gallery shots. This ensures all of the right images are taken for the production company. However, the unit stills photographer often has to work very quickly during these sessions since the actors have limited availability between filming.
PUBLICITY, MARKETING AND SALES
After a Movie or TV show is finished with filming and editing it is then time to market the product. This often involves a third party distribution company that places the Film or TV into the right markets. Still photography is often the first visual asset a consumer will see. Before watching a film, the consumer is often face-to-face with a screen on a streaming platform such as Netflix or Hulo or at a Redbox kiosk. The cover of the Movie or TV show communicates a lot to the consumer: What actors are in the Movie and the title of the Film. The still photos are also used by various press outlets reporting on the up-and-coming release or in reviews after its release. An experienced unit stills photographer is one of the most important members of a crew for this reason. It boils down to publicity, marketing and sales.
IN-HOUSE USE
Still photos taken by the unit stills photographer may also be used for in-house purposes by the production company. Such as creating prop art or set dressing images to appear in the movie itself. Prop art might be photo prints held by the actors during a scene. Set dressing images might be useful in a scene filmed at an actor’s house in the movie in the form of framed prints on the all. Another way the stills may be used by the production itself would be for continuity purposes. The photographs take may help point to specific wardrobe or placement of props without having to review the footage from the movie cameras. The unit stills photographer may need to communicate with the Script Supervisor in some cases. The production also simply likes to have photos of Crew members as well as the Director and Producers on-set. It's good for the memory bank.
HARD WORKERS
Being a unit stills photographer may seem glamorous (and it does have its perks!) but the reality is that it often requires 60+ work hours per week. It may require traveling to distant filming destinations for long periods of time, away from family and friends. It can also be challenging to take photos in cramped quarters on some film sets. The still photographer has to be right next to the camera and audio crew as well and will need to be as quiet as possible to no distract the actors or to have camera clicks recorded in the production’s audio files. Unity Stills Photographer still need to get the shots necessary for the Production Company no matter the circumstances.
TO SUM IT ALL UP
Professional unit stills photography is a very important marketing asset for any film production. Directors and Producers often build lasting relationships with entertainment photographers in order to have quality still photos of their productions. One quality still photo can speak volumes for a Feature Film or TV show.