Getting to Know Crew: 1st Assistant Camera

Today I’m talking with Robert Rendon about his work as 1st Assistant Camera Operator on films. I’m hoping to turn this into a regular feature where Robert, who as far as I’m concerned is a Hollywood Insider, explains the roles of various film crewmembers. Hence the punny feature title.

What is your job title?
I’m officially termed 1st Assistant Camera, also known as a 1st AC or Focus Puller. My primary responsibility is to make sure everything is in focus. Sounds simple, but a lot goes into that final outcome.

Distances are marked on every lens in feet and inches. I translate distance to the action and relay that to the lens with a geared focus wheel. After measuring or guessing the distance, I then pull the distance to the appropriate setting on the lens. Hopefully I get it right. Sometimes there is no second take. I’ve been doing this for 15 years so I take it that my guessing distance is OK (sometimes). Luck plays a huge part of it.

Every department on a film set has a certain hierarchy. In Camera, every position has a certain job. I can only perform my job when everyone else has completed theirs, kind of like a race car team. A camera pit crew. The Camera Department answers to the Director of Photography/Cinematographer. Usually the department is composed of:

Camera Operator — lines up and frames the shot
1st Assistant — maintains focus, head of the department - responsible for gear and crew
2nd Assistant — right hand of the 1st, keeps camera logs, lays actor marks, organizes gear
Loader — loads film into magazines, keeps truck organized, maintains alcohol supply (Ed. note: that seems like the most important job on set)

What does a normal day on the job look like for you?
I’m not sure if there’s such a thing as a normal day. That’s what makes this job interesting for me. There are always new people, new locations, new situations to be had. Being flexible is the key to success.

Our days average to be 12 to 14 hours long. Sometimes 16 to 18 hours is not unusual. My longest is 23. I try to establish a routine, but it’s hard. I start by showing up 30 minutes early to grab breakfast and settle in to our truck. I like to take my time in the mornings with a cup of coffee and some music.

Once the day begins, all hell breaks loose. I lug the camera wherever the Director and Cinematographer want it. Sometimes it’s easy on stage in an air-conditioned studio. Sometimes it’s on a mountain, in a desert or on a crowed city street, anywhere really. We basically:

Build our camera.
Lens the shot.
Shoot the scene.
Reconfigure the camera for the next set-up.
Carry heavy cases, push heavy carts.
And do it all over again, all day long. Real glamorous.

What kind of education or training did you have to receive in order to do what you do?
Everyone has their own story; some go to film school, some learn on the job, some are born into it. I graduated from college with a film degree.

It was more theoretical education rather than practical on-set training. During an internship, I sort of fell into the camera department. I learned from watching others. A couple of established ACs took me under their wing. I was very lucky to have met key people early in my career.

For me, college was great but not necessary. It gave me a context of the industry and the knowledge to see things through, but most of my education/training was achieved on set. The most valuable skill has been how to deal with so many personalities. Just like many other jobs, it’s all about people skills. Most of my work stems from previous relationships formed on set. Each job is an audition for the next.

What are some of the projects you’ve worked on?
Sin City
Grind House
Friday the 13th
Friday Night Lights
The Killer Inside Me (to be released next year)
Tons of commercials and a few music videos

What was your favorite film to work on and why?
Every film is different. It’s hard to choose a favorite. Some are better than others. For me, it boils down to my personal experience. The film business amplifies the bizarre, the surreal and the extraordinary. There’s a saying that film people are carnies with teeth. Life can be a circus.

I guess I rate movies on whether I had a good time. The great people that I met. The ability to see places where the average Joe is prohibited. Learning new ways of doing the same thing. Having that feeling of accomplishment. Being part of something bigger than you. My favorite films encompass all of the above.

It’s hard for me to judge the quality of a movie as I’m working on it. The story may be interesting and the cast may be well known and talented, but by the time it leaves my hands and goes through the process of post-production... It’s easy to lose sight of the final product.