Operator as Storyteller
Smooth Operator by Matthew Moriarty, SOC
About to get splashed with fish guts on THE WRONG MISSY IN HAWAII. Photo by Tommy Tieche
I’m writing this in week 16 of our industry shutdown and, right now, it appears that while we were focused on our collective safe-reopening efforts, the virus may have developed plans of its own. As is likely the case for almost everyone reading this, it’s been four months of reflection for me. Reflection on my career, on those who taught and mentored me, reflection on the idea of storytelling itself—storytelling with a camera that has human beings in front of it, that is. The SOC, on whose Board of Governors and Education Committee I’m honored to serve, has been a hive of activity on that front lately. In addition to our well-attended Inspirational Roundtables and Making the Transition From Unscripted to Narrative forum, we conducted a 10-part lecture series on the craft of camera cperating for the AFI:
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American Film Institute. Those classes are currently being edited into both highlight clips, and full classes which will be available to all Associate and Active SOC members on our website. In my opinion, this series represents essentially every last concept that can be taught about our craft, short of actual hands-on experience. I’ll apologize in advance for the piece being more theoretical than technical. It’s been so long since I’ve been on a set that I’ve mostly forgotten the technical details of my last shoot. And since I’ve been so invested in the SOC’s education mission lately, I’m rather stuck in that mode of thinking. Ironically, the scope and thoroughness of the AFI Lecture Series puts me at a loss as to what I could possibly address in this piece that wouldn’t ultimately be covered better in that series
SOCIETY OF CAMERA OPERATORS · SOC.ORG