Getting the Perfect Photo for a Movie Poster

...While on set as an actor!

As a film stills photographer, I’m used to working with less-than ideal lighting conditions all the time. Behind the scenes of a film set, it can get pretty dark - especially when shooting in studios.

So, it’s always delightful when there is actually good natural lighting on set, and it hasn’t been entirely blocked out - yet ;) 

Taking photos on the set of the short film The Visit was even more special for me, since I was actually there as an actor -  my other job. This film was a part of the Collaboration Filmmakers Challenge, where filmmakers have two weeks to write, shoot, and edit a short film. Always looking for an excuse to meet more filmmakers in Los Angeles, I jumped at the chance to participate. 

So, on the day of the shoot, I brought my camera with me in case I had the chance to grab some high-res memories for myself and the rest of the cast and crew. As luck would have it, I got to take some photos of my co-star, Gage Robinson, in between setting up. Just in case we wanted to use it for the movie poster. Using just the natural light in the room and my trusty RF 50mm f1.2 lens, (amazing for low-light or natural light portraits), I captured some of my favorite shots from a film set so far, getting several options on a simple yet effective framing. 

There are two shots that I love individually (pictured above) and also together, since they show the impact of a subtle change in direction - both the direction I gave, and the direction of the face’s angle to the camera.

Giving quick direction - every detail counts, every second counts

I made sure to get a bunch of variations of basically the same composition, since it’s the tiny details that always make an image really stand out. “Just like that, but eyes toward me now.” “Coffee mug a little higher.” And probably some more esoteric metaphorical ideas, since it's always fun to see what comes out, especially when working with fantastic actors like Gage. We improvise and we see what magic we can make.

There is something very cool about taking a film poster photo, I won't lie. It’s not just marketing for a short film, it’s an art on it’s own - capturing the essence of the message at the heart of the film. 

Luckily, the director, Joel Junior, allowed me to take these photos in between setups, and since I had limited time as the photographer, I worked fast while also being precise. For indie films, it’s so important to get the message across of what your story is very quickly. With so much content being created, capturing an audience’s attention with a strong image to help with your marketing and branding can be the difference between failing or succeeding to meet a crowdfunding goal, or getting the right film industry professional's attention for your next career step.

This is why I focus so much on directing for posed photos - the difference is between “oh nice,” and “ooh, what is happening HERE?” Or as the film festival organizers would say, they need to be able to put butts in seats. Your short film is beautiful, but without great marketing images, no one will ever know. How would they know? ;)

If you need a stills photographer for your next film, you can contact me here for more info! I always look forward to capturing the magic behind the scenes and getting you the money shot.

And now, for a still frame straight from the movie: