Hi Reader,

I recently had a coaching call with a filmmaker who confessed she sometimes left her set lacking confidence that she got what she needed.

It didn't take long to find the culprit. She wasn't bringing a monitor. She was relying on the little LCD on the back of her camera to tell her how things were going.

The little screen will do that to you. It sends you home unsure. Or worse, sends your client or editor bad footage.

Whether you own your gear, or you rent it, I encourage you to always include a monitor on any set where you're lighting - especially interviews.

To me it feels like the set's campfire - where the clients and crew can gather to work out any issues, maybe change the background, fix a shine, or a hair out of place.

Big productions always have them. Sometimes several - one for the clients, one for the DP, one for the AC to pull focus. But I'd argue almost every shoot should have one, especially if you're lighting a sit-down interview, or any kind of scene really.

Here's why.

The little screen doesn't tell you the whole story. Sometimes it tells you the wrong one. At three inches, held a foot from your face, everything looks great. The focus looks sharp. The background looks clean. The shine on your subject's forehead disappears.

Blow that same shot up on a 17 inch monitor and the truth comes out. I use a Lilliput Q18, a 17.3 inch broadcast monitor, and it shows me everything, for better or worse.

And that truth matters, because your audience won't be watching on a three-inch screen. A big monitor lets you see the shot the way they will.

Suddenly you catch the things that quietly ruin a shot. A boom dipping into frame. A crooked picture on the back wall. Soft focus. A sliver of a light stand you'd never have noticed.

And you're not the only one looking. When my makeup artist, sound mixer, and gaffer can all see the monitor, we can work through the issues together.

There's one more thing a monitor does, and it happens before you roll a single frame. It changes the room.

When you walk in and set up a real monitor, the client knows they hired a professional, not just a person with a camera. The subject sits up a little straighter. The producer relaxes. You've set the tone for the whole day without saying a thing about yourself.

One practical note, because all of this only matters if you actually bring it. A monitor has to be big, but it also has to be portable, or it ends up staying home. I skipped the bulky case Lilliput offers and foamed out a Pelican iM2400 Storm case instead, so it travels safely and even flies without worry. I also added an Impact ME-108P monitor mount adapter, so I can put the monitor on my rolling stand, a C-stand, or even a sturdy light stand, and raise it right to my eye level whether I'm sitting or standing. It also has little feet on the bottom for when I just want to set it on a table or the Magliner.

And no, it doesn't need to be perfectly calibrated. That's a different conversation for another Friday. Most of this value shows up the second the screen is big enough for the whole room to see.

So if you're shooting interviews without a real monitor on set, it might be the best money you spend this year.

That's a wrap for this week's Freelancers Friday. I'll see you back here next week with more real-world lighting breakdowns, freelance business tips, and behind-the-scenes fun.

In the meantime, I hope you have a great weekend. And happy lighting!

Cheers,

Tom Miller Freelancers Film School​

P.S. Know another freelancer who'd enjoy these emails? Forward this one their way, or send them here to sign up.
​