How To Prepare For A Shoot
Thank you for taking the time to read this page. The goal of this article is to help you prepare for the shoot, answer common questions, and set you at ease in order to help you walk away with some stellar images.
The Don’ts:
- Do not tan yourself for three days before the shoot. (Your skin will be slightly red.)
- Do not clean or scrub your face AT ALL on the day of the shoot. If you feel like cleaning your skin on the day of the shoot use a MILD cleanser and be gentle.
- Do not scratch or irritate any impurities in the days before the shoot.
- Do not try out a new hairstyle that you are unsure of before the shoot.
- Do not party or drink the night before the shoot.
- Do not wear or bring clothing that has any type of logo on it. (Yes, the Izod [small alligator, and other animals] counts as a logo.)
The Do’s:
- Bring a "lot" of clothes without logos.
- Bring food for yourself, water, and a warm set of clothes. (There will usually be some food for you on set, but bring a snack anyway.)
- Bring the signed Model Release. (Or Minor Release if under 18 years of age.)
- Bring the completed and signed W9 if working on a PAID shoot. This is not needed for TFP shoot.
- Communicate any allergies to cosmetics, fragrances, skin care products, or hair care products before the shoot. (At least 48 hours before.)
- Use exfoliant just before you go to bed the night before the shoot. You can watch this YouTube Video. (Gentlemen: Please do this too.)
- Be shaved where appropriate. Ladies: Legs, underarms, & forearms. (Yes, forearms too.) Gentlemen: Be nicely shaven unless you have been instructed not to.
- Clean your nails. (Everyone forgets this, and it cannot be fixed in post.)
- Have your eyebrows plucked - yes Gentlemen too. If you do not know how to pluck your eyebrows, you can watch this YouTube Video. (Yes, it is a little corny.)
- Get enough sleep. At least two hours more then you normally would. It is better to get up later then it is to try and go to bed early.
- Small children: make sure we shoot at a time when you know your child will be most active. (Let Ryan know.) A sleepy child will not be a happy child.
- Be prepared to smile a lot and to have fun. Ryan likes to have a positive atmosphere on his shoots.
What To Expect:
- Ryan maintains a professional, relaxed, and positive atmosphere on set, and he expects everyone to contribute toward this atmosphere.
- Ryan and his team have spent considerable time preparing for each shoot. When he arrives for a shoot he is prepared, and expects everyone else to be prepared as well.
- After the completion of a shoot Ryan will edit together a collection of the best clips and pull stills from those clips as well. A copy of this final collection will then be given to you to use in your portfolio. (The copyright of this collection remains with Ryan, and it cannot be resold or distributed without his consent.)
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Where can I see my images online?
A: The best place to view your clips is by visiting Ryan’s Stock Footage Page, or by visiting Ryan’s Resellers. On each of the resellers pages clips are arranged by content and shoots.
- When will I receive my copy of the clips/stills form the shoot?
A: You will receive your copy of the final clips or stills within 4 weeks from the date of the shoot. You will be emailed a private URL from which you can download your files. This link will expire after two weeks. The still images will also be posted on Ryan’s Picasa Account and my be downloaded at any time. The video clips will be the QuickTime format, and stills will be JPEG’s.
- What is a Model Release?
A: A model release is a formal agreement between the model and the cinematographer about usage of the images where the model appears. When a model signs a model release he or she acknowledges that images or movies with him or her in them will be used for commercial purposes around the world. The images and movies cannot be used for just anything, and the agencies that sell images, known as stock agencies, have a long set of “user rights and restrictions” that protects the model and the cinematographer from abusive usage of the material. The restrictions are very tight, so abusive usage almost never happens.
Most professional or international models have signed model releases many times, but for new models this aspect can feel a little uncertain. When you are asked to sign a model release, take your time to read it through and ask any questions you may have to the cinematographer or film-maker prior to the shoot. Even though the model release is written in a very formal language, try to remember that basically this is just a contract that formally allows the cinematographer or film-maker to use the pictures he is taking of you.