JON STAPLETON INTERVIEW (DOP RESEARCH)

When contacting DOP's, I was able to get in contact with Jon Stapleton who is Freelance lighting and cameraman (my tutor Helen informs me that this is a DOP but for Television), who has worked for BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Sky, MTV and others since the early 2000. Jon started photography as a hobby back when he was in his 20's and when leaving school he got a job as an electrician and was lucky enough to be hired by the BBC, meet camera crews and end up getting taken on as a Camera Trainee and the rest followed after that. Jon explained to me that the reason he went into this job is due to his Dysleixa, at the beginning of his email to me he wrote "Firstly I am dyslexic so please forgive any mistakes. That’s why I got a job where I can do pictures :-)" (Jon Stapleton).

Jon explained "Anyone can learn to operate a Camera but to become DOP I think you need some artistic flare in the first place. If you like art, design or photography you can become a DOP. You must have confidence in yourself, don’t expect others to have confidence in you unless you have confidence in yourself. Don’t be arrogant! Know a good idea when you hear one regardless of who says it. I am still learning to be a DOP after entering the industry 30 years ago. Creativity has no point where you know it all, we are all practicing our art." (Jon Stapleton)

The main things I asked from Jon was for setting up interviews and the right way to do this. He explained "There is no right way or wrong way to shoot an interview" (Jon Stapleton) explaining that with interviews, you need to understand who the contributor is and what they're telling the audience and work from there. Not only their story but the details about them, their job, is there a location that's important to the story, do we need to add drama or urgency to the footage for the story? He explained that there's no 'one size fits all' approach with interviews and all this needs to be considered and looked into.

"When you make those decisions depending on circumstance, situation and message you are a DOP" (Jon Stapleton)

Jon suggested that I work closely with my Director and the script to decide how this interview should be set up and looking at the locations helps to decide on what sort of lighting and lighting set up is required as well. He did say not to just shoot a beautifuly light interview if it doesn't help tell the story of the character. Jon was the DOP for the documentary The Story of Fools and Horses which is the documentary about the classic British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. Below are a few screenshots from interviews in the documentary;

The background is completely relevant by adding in props, sets and aspects of the original series into their as the original set would have been taken down and destroyed as the show had been off air for sometime. Jon ended his email with some simple tricks to keep in mind;

• To add urgency shoot handheld. 
• To be more considered use a tripod. 
• To add drama turn the fill light off or use side light. 
• To give sense of place consider your background and what you want to see behind the interview. 
• Adjust your depth of field accordingly. 
• To direct focus use a short depth of field. To add warmth or chill adjust colour temperature or lighting