Keeping Your Filmer Happy: 7 Tips for Skaters
For those lucky enough to have someone wanting to film with them, here are some pointers for you on keeping your filmer sweet and not pissing them off. Having someone willing to dedicate their time, whether it's an hour or a whole day, is a huge privilege and should not be taken for granted. Hopefully, you can take pointers from this article and stay in your filmer's good books.
1. Breaking the Lens or Camera
The fear of hitting or, even worse, breaking the camera is buried deep in just about every skater and filmer out there making things happen. There's nothing worse than damaging or destroying something, especially if it isn't yours, and finding out it's not even insured, and having to dig into your pockets. Because let's face it... If you don't, your filmer will be pissed. And it's probably their last camera that you'll be filmed with.
2. Showing up late
The best way to start a good session with your filmer is to show that you are keen and ready for the mission. For example, eat a good breakfast, don't get too stoned before leaving the house, and arrive on time! Unless your filmer packed a light with them, daylight is your best friend for the day. And the more time that is wasted waiting for you to show up, the fewer clips you'll be able to get.
3. Saying one more try after every try
We are all guilty of this one, no doubt... The infamous words we all know are bullshit: "One last try!?"
I mean, it's usually bullshit unless you amazingly manage to stomp the trick on that last try; then it's the best feeling in the world. But you can be sure that the more you try and repeat this phrase, the more you will aggravate everyone around you until you stop being a bitch and stomp it!
4. Asking for the footage
First of all, the filmer is well aware of what was filmed maybe just 6 hours ago. However, going through all of your clips, editing them down, and sending them takes a lot of time. So, if you've been on a mission and you're not the only one who was filmed that day, you can only imagine how many clips the filmer has to sift through before even locating the successful attempts. There is nothing wrong with gentle reminders if you feel something has been forgotten or will be forgotten. However, avoid constantly asking for the clips because you may not be favored for the next filming mission.
5. Avoiding giving credit when due
It's just common courtesy to give credit to your filmer; it shouldn't be something skaters or content managers need to be reminded about. The filmer is sometimes standing in one spot or, even worse, figuring out a path that works best for a line, then having to constantly hold up a camera and make sure they aren't the one that messes up. If you land that trick and he misses it, for sure, you're both going to be pissed; the homie knows full well it was on his head, but does the filmer shout at you every time you miss the trick? If the dude is a good filmer, then no, I guess not.
6. Asking them to film with your phone instead
So here is your filmer in all their glory, and in their possession is a camera that you could only afford if you were pimping girls out on OnlyFans. And still, you get people asking them to film something with their phone instead. It's acceptable when it's something that's maybe on the way to the main spot and it's a quick make. Still, when it's something difficult, or you start battling with it, it kills time, and the filmer is left feeling pretty bummed out to have spent most of the time filming with someone's phone when they've had the perfect filming tool the entire time.
7. Not helping carry anything
This is not to say that all filmers expect help when carrying or setting up equipment, but don't be a dick! It's not difficult to offer and be helpful if all you carry is your board and maybe a backpack. It doesn't matter if it's jumping a fence or walking back to the car or train station. If it won't kill you to help, and it will most likely put you in the filmer's good books, and there's a higher chance that you'll be invited to the next session!
