In considering movies, much attention is paid to the actors, directors, and producers. They are the ones talked about when the films are discussed by audiences, and they are the most prominent, if the posters and closing credits of most movies are anything to go by. However, there is one role in making a film that is often overlooked, but which is just as important. That role is the director of photography (DOP), or according to modern movie parlance, the cinematographer.
The DOP or cinematographer would usually be described by those who are not movie practitioners or enthusiasts as “the cameraman on the set of a film”, but their role is far more wholesome and complicated. The cinematographer is the chief over the camera and light crews working on a film or television production. They are responsible for making artistic and technical decisions related to the film’s image. They also determine which camera, film stock, lenses, and filters would be used in a particular scene, so as to actualise the creative intentions of the film’s director.
What do the day-to-day activities of a cinematographer look like? How easy does cinematography get? What are the things that could go wrong on set? Netng reached out to industry experts for answers to these questions.
- Barnabas Emordi
For Barnabas Emordi, who has worked as DOP on the sets of movies like Elevator Baby and The Prophetess, as well as the web series Ricordi, cinematography is integral to the movie experience.
“Every department is important in executing a scene at the highest level”, says Emordi, in a mail conversation with Netng. “A director of photography brings words to life visually with the aid of a camera, lights, and an amazing production design. A typical day for me on set involves planning and executing the scenes that are listed in the production schedule for that day. It is quite important that everyone is carried along.
What do Nigerian cinematographers generally struggle with? “We usually struggle with time management. This involves having enough time to properly execute a scene. There are never enough hours, and we end up chasing daylight. Nigerian production budgets are still quite minimal compared to global standards, so we have to make do with the time we have to execute scenes.”
When asked what he fears most about working as a cinematographer in Nigeria, Emordi replies, “What I get scared of is our heavy-duty equipment not functioning optimally on set. That could lead to a whole day of production getting wasted, and that’s millions of Naira down the drain. That could also damage your confidence because everybody functions optimally when they are confident about the tools they are working with. So the state of equipment is a major concern”.
2. Chike Igwebuike
There is divided opinion on how well cinematographers are acclaimed in the Nigerian movie space. There are those who feel that DOPs are relegated to the background, but others think that they get their due accolades.
Chike Igwebuike, a writer and producer who has worked with Multichoice Talent Factory, as well as the crew of series like Tinsel and Unbroken, believes that cinematographers deserve bigger paychecks.
“If there is no cinematographer, there is no picture”, says Igwebuike, in a phone conversation with Netng. “If he does not coordinate the framing, the film will be stale. You can have a good script and good actors, but if the cinematographer doesn’t scale the lighting properly, you will have a horrible viewing experience. If I had my way, I would pay cinematographers over actors. After all, who stays longer on set?”
3. Emmanuel Igbekele Odihiri
Emmanuel Igbekele Odihiri, who has worked as DOP on Nollywood movies like Ponzi, Fate of Alakada, and Quam’s Money, tells Netng the work of a cinematographer is as intricate as it gets.
“The cinematographer’s job description varies with each film set, but it is generally expansive”, says Odihiri. “He or she goes over the scenes with the director and assistant director. They also work closely with the gaffer on plotting the light, although the preparation of the lighting style would have been discussed during pre-production.”
On the most challenging aspects of his job, Odihiri says “one hard part of film cinematography is access to location; sometimes you are not quite sure of what kind of place or setting you are going to be working with. There is also the issue of time – we can’t control certain eventualities such as the late arrival of actors, which leads to us having to make double preparations for the next scene. We also face the problem of limited equipment; we mostly rent these things, so we can’t always do gear tests (to see if the equipment is fully functional). Some films require certain equipment to tell the story better, but said equipment is not always readily available”.
4. Lolo Eremie
The importance of cinematographers to the success of a movie production is somewhat recognised by crew members who function in other roles. The level of creative control is subject to debate, but most film practitioners agree that they are unsung heroes.
Lolo Eremie, a movie producer who has worked on the sets of features like Guy Man and The Herbert Macaulay Affair, as well as the TV series Riona, explains in a phone conversation with Netng that DOPs are integral to a movie director’s vision.
“Not every director can handle the camera”, says Eremie. “The director may have an idea of how he wants the plot to go, and the DOP is responsible for translating that. Communication is key: if the director has something in mind and the DOP doesn’t get it right or moves on his own frolic, then there will be a lot of issues because the end result isn’t going to be very satisfactory.”
Is a cinematographer always allowed to work independently on set? To this, Eremie replies, “You have some directors that are very hands-on: even with the presence of the DOP, every now and then they will sit with the DOP and say, ‘give me this angle, do this, do that’. An example of such a director is Guy Ritchie (director of Snatch and The Gentlemen), he won’t just say ‘go and shoot’, he will literally stand with you. Many directors do this; there are the ones who sit in a different room & use monitors to watch the DOPs while they are filming, and there are the ones who will be on set proper to stare at the lens to see if their vision is being well-interpreted. The DOP is like the hands of the director, let’s just call it that. He or she has to be intelligent enough to deliver the director’s vision, as per the storyboard”.
On the subject of recognition, Odihiri feels that cinematographers do not get the credit they deserve. In his words, “Nigerian audiences don’t grasp the importance of a DOP in a motion picture. They just generally enjoy a good movie or frown at a bad one. It’s only in the film industry that a DOP is recognised for their work”.
However, Emordi has a slightly different view. According to him, “I think DOPs are appreciated by Nigerians because movie-goers and critics understand what a good picture entails. You see people express amazement at the quality of the image for certain projects, and that’s a plus. We could use more accolades, but everything is definitely going to work out for our good in due time”.
Ultimately, the job of a cinematographer is worthy of adulation, especially in a climate like Nigeria where equipment is limited and locations can be volatile. Nigerian filmmaker Editi Effiong and actress Toyin Abraham have each complained about battling street urchins while on set. Like defensive midfielders in a football team, their work is not the most eye-catching, but they clearly determine how a film production will be perceived by audiences. They should be talked about, and lauded, a lot more often than what currently obtains.