Precision, Control and Communication
The Remote Head Workflow of Joseph Arena
With the recent release of Barry Levinson’s The Alto Knights, audiences were treated to not one, but two Robert De Niros, a feat that required immense precision, from both a performance and a technical standpoint. We took the opportunity to sit down with Joseph Arena to discuss the techniques and workflows of the veteran camera operator tasked with capturing two Bobs in one frame. So, how was the experience?
“It was incredible to see.” Joseph beams, as he discusses the combination of motion control and remote camera operation required to bring the story to life. “There were sometimes days between shots of the different characters, because it was 3 or 4 hours of prosthetics and make up, but Bob was unbelievable at matching his moves! He was so aware of the system, memorising the timing of his action. He was maybe a maximum of just two frames behind between every shot.”
Versatility
From high-end television dramas and Hollywood blockbusters, including Iron Man 2 and Fantastic Four, to indie hits such as Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Joseph has covered all genres, shooting in all styles, but for a man of such versatility, there is one constant.
“Over the years, operating has become such a precise job, versus 20 years ago, where if you had a move that wasn't perfect when you landed, it wasn't a big deal. Then, there was a little bit of tolerance, but now, there’s no room for error. I always carry a two-axis remote head with me because it's a tool that I don't just use on cranes, I actually use it as my regular platform. I put it on dollies, little jibs. It's a tool that you need to carry. I’ve had my L40 for eight or nine years and I’ve put it through every situation.”
Joseph’s career has developed side-by-side with the digital revolution, and this has allowed him to understand how to adapt his on-set workflows and shooting techniques to accommodate the increasing demand for VFX, communicating effectively to deliver precision when it counts.
“You talk to visual effects guys much more these days. They’re on set twenty-four seven, feeding you the information you need, and showing you previews. What's the composition and what are the ratios? The level of energies in the background and the foreground? You have to be ultra-precise, seeing what portion of the frame is dedicated to talent and what areas should be dedicated to VFX. The level of communication between operators and visual effects is very important. They almost become your second director.”
Shooting Discipline
Remote heads are designed to give camera operators the precision control and feedback to operate as if they were in direct contact with the camera, so where did Joseph learn the skills and discipline that have earned him jobs on the biggest shows?
“I started out 25 years ago, in Rome, in rental houses. That's where you really learn what it’s about. I spent six months just packing kit cases. Now, it’s very different, but that experience gave me the kind of discipline I needed to work my way up, all the way to camera operator. When I moved to the US in 2002, I was still assisting, but at the same time I started practising operating, practising with Steadicam, and by 2006 I was operating.”
Since then, the credits have got bigger and the projects higher in profile, but as Joseph has continued his journey, the industry and its technology have gone through a parallel metamorphosis.
“When I started, it was film. Digital was still very new, so I saw the whole progression of the technology, and how you operate with it, but that original training though? It still stays with me. If I want to use the monitor I can, but because we still shoot film sometimes, I can also go back to the viewfinder. I still like to work that way, it’s comfortable, because you’re on the same axis as the camera, looking at the subject.”
Fine Tuning
Joseph’s fondness for a direct, hands-on approach, is not based purely on nostalgia. It is actually part of a procedural workflow he has for all projects - a process that always leads towards remote camera operation.
“I always start productions in the room with the actors at the beginning of a shoot, because I’m a lot closer to them and I can get attuned to them, but as soon as I feel comfortable, and I feel like they trust me, I can go to the remote heads and start really polishing the shots.”
For all of his love for hands-on operation, remote camera operation is a fundamental element of Joseph’s approach to digital shooting. From days between takes to pages-an-hour, after wrapping on Alto Knights Joseph jumped on to ‘NCIS: Origins’ for a job at the other end of the work-rate spectrum, but with no less demand for precision and control.
“On NCIS, it’s different. We're talking about sometimes 8 or 9 pages a day. It's a lot of work, so it has to be a well-oiled machine where everything goes smooth. So yeah, they really embraced my remote head process. It’s essential to be fast and always ready. With the L40, you don’t have to rebalance the head every time you change filters, accessories, etc, because the motors are always engaged, so you can make little tweaks, and even if you are a little bit off, the shot doesn’t suffer.”
Coordinated Efforts
The level of flexibility required for such intense shooting schedules requires more than precision equipment, it needs techniques that enable greater levels of communication across the entire camera department, and this is where Joseph’s remote head workflow really shines, as he explains.
“When you're remote, you have the ability to communicate in a way that you don't on-set, because the talent is too close to you. I have my Dolly Grip, my First Assistant Camera and the Focus Puller, all on HME [wireless talkback radio] so we can all communicate, and that is an amazing thing! Now you have the luxury to adjust things during the shot, because some moments you can only catch it when they're happening then and there, and if you don't, you lose them.”
This workflow has been refined over time enabling Joseph to operate with precision, control and enhanced communication, but things weren’t always as smooth as they are now.
“When focus pullers started going remote, we started having a bit more room on the dolly, and things got more comfortable, but that came at a cost. Initially with HME’s, I’d be on set, operating and I would have DPs talking to me from their station… You're doing something, either on Steadicam or the Dolly, and everybody's on the same page, but then you get totally different directions from people that are watching it bi-dimensionally [from a monitor somewhere else], versus the three-dimensional reality in the room with the actors, where you can’t answer. That got a little bit crazy for a second there!”
Thankfully, Joseph and his team now have a robust and reliable approach, leveraging the enhanced communication of remote head shooting to deliver on the most demanding of set ups.
“Now, if I have a very tricky shot, where I may have to adjust on-the-fly, I already know that's going to be on my L40. I have the ability to communicate with the dolly grip and the First AC while being next to the DP where we can be a little bit louder, communicating openly. I also love the console with buttons, as well as digital menus, because I have the ability to change the speed settings or other functions on-the-fly. You don’t have to go through the pages, so my Second AC can be doing that for me during the shot.”
A Long-Term Relationship
So, when did Joseph first encounter the remote head that would become his remote head?
“The first project I used the L40 on was a TV show that I did about Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac for Universal. There were some shots that I wasn't able to do with other heads, but because of the L40’s strong motors, I could go super-low, underslung, down at ground-level, scraping the floor.”
Before long, Joseph had bought his own L40, and his personal workflow was fully realised. He puts on his business hat to explain how the remote head has been so beneficial to his business.
“The first show where I used the L40 the whole time was ‘The Purge’, in 2017. There was a lot of stunt action work. That was where I really thought ‘this was a very good purchase’ and that it's really worth it. It kept its value on the market, where a lot of the gear that you buy these days for camera, it has no value in terms of rental, because producers will, of course, find deals and discounts with rental houses. With remote heads it's a different story.”
For Joseph, this L40 isn’t just a tool for his craft, but a source of revenue, adding value for his clients and paying for itself over time as he hires it out to productions as part of his service package.
“Financially it was a good choice for me. Producers hire me because I bring my skills, but these skills also come with tools. When they see what I can achieve with them, it’s like a paint brush for every shot – polished. They're getting better shots, more shots, and in less time, because they don’t have to rearrange the set. It’s a specialist tool, but it’s got to be your head.”
Always Working
For Joseph, the L40 has delivered more than operational benefits. It turns out that, as a freelance camera operator, his workflow has become a cornerstone of his business that keeps him in constant work.
“My DPs love the fact that the L40 has a small footprint, versus other two or three-axis heads, which are very big in terms of real estate for lighting. The L40 is tiny in comparison, and they love that they don’t need an operator directly behind it, so it blocks less light, allowing them to light from different directions.”
As Joseph continues to explain his decision-making process, it starts to become clear that his choice of remote heads was based not only on his own needs as an operator, but also by the preferences of his clients, colleagues and collaborators.
“I always look for stability. It has to be very solid, with a lot of torque on the motors, because the DPs I work with like to fly regular cameras, like the Venice 2 with all the accessories, or big cameras, like if you’re shooting 65mm. The moment you start going with long lenses, and it’s not a stabilised head, you need to have a very solid base. Other 2-axis heads are not as solid, when you start adding in a bit of G-Force from fast moves, that’s where you need a very solid head with speed and good torque.”
The Camera Goes Where You Can’t
For Joseph, his decision to acquire his own L40 remote head has enabled him to create not only a consistent workflow he can use on all his shoots, but a business model that provide added value for the producers and DPs who rely on him to deliver versatile, precision shooting on tight schedules and in challenging environments.
“When you shoot practical locations, you don't have room for all these operators and people around the dolly. It really helps to have a small remote head. The L40 is a great two-axis remote head for all my workflows, on smaller dollies, smaller cranes, in studio and on location. I always use it because you can place the camera where you can't physically go - into smaller spaces. It’s amazing for intimate scenes and scenes where you don’t want people around the camera or the talent. It's very solid, and because of the motors, the L40 allows you to work all the way upside down. You really can use it for everything.”
