One of my goals when I started this blog was to be a place that could redirect its readers to valuable resources they might not otherwise find. Well, I have taken this to the extreme and listed out 100 resources for cinematographers, camera assistants, and film professionals that features everything from places to find work, to books, to podcasts and forums.

The list is separated into sections that can be accessed quickly below:

1 – 12: Jobs and Industry

13 – 20: Film News

21 – 32: Print (Physical and Digital)

33 – 44: Blogs

45 – 53: Podcasts

54 – 63: Forums

64 – 74: Reference and Advice

75 – 84: Tools and Gear

85 – 93: Social Networks and Technology

94 – 100: Analog (Real World)

Jobs and Industry

1. Mandy

A production directory for vendors, crew, actors and those looking to solicit for various services. One of the more dependable job sites, Mandy understands freelance crew jobs in a way not many other sites do. For those ever frustrated looking for film/tv jobs on places like Careerbuilder, Mandy is a haven.

2. Production Notices

A relatively new service, Production Notices is based around user-submissions to its Facebook page. From there the job listing is posted both to the main page and its regional page. The best part of PN is the convenience of having jobs show up in your Facebook’s news feed and on top of that, they only post jobs that are paid; the unpaid jobs have their own dedicated page.

3. Craigslist

Kind of a no-brainer, but Craigslist does have dedicated sections to “crew” and “tv/film/radio” jobs that make it worthwhile. I’ve only ever gotten one job off of Craigslist and the majority of listings are unpaid, but every so often there is a listing for a great opportunity.

4. Production Hub

Having changed their site since I last visited, Production Hub is largely unfamiliar to me. The reason I stopped going, however, is that in my relatively small-market, the job listings were scarce and the site didn’t have much to offer me. For those working in bigger markets, however, this site could lead to some promising gigs.

5. Linked In

For those who are not aware of Linked In, it’s a social networking site centered around finding and fulfilling jobs. While not production specific, the site does occasionally offer multimedia jobs and it’s also a good opportunity to network with other crew with a level of professionalism that Facebook lacks.

6. Internet Movie Database (IMDB)

The Internet Movie Database is the premiere listing of anything film related. It’s also a badge of certification for those working in the industry that they have credits listed on the site, which is particularly stingy about what gets in and what doesn’t. IMDB is not only useful to be listed on, but also to research into other crew you may be working with to gauge their experiences.

7. Local Film Offices

Most forms of government, especially in the United States, have localized film offices whose purpose is to encourage and mediate film/tv production in their region. I live in Virginia where the Virginia Film Office, located in Richmond, is that liaison. They also have a “Hotline” where locally based productions can list crew calls and other opportunities. Local offices like this usually have scores of information on getting jobs in the area.

8. Production Directories

Sort of a sister to the local film offices, many states or regions have a production directory that lists, among other things, crew with their contact information and experience. The aforementioned Virginia Film Office publishes one every year under specific crew positions. Make sure if you have a local market that you are listed in any similar publications.

9. Production Weekly

A more established and dependable job resource. Production Weekly is printed and posted online every week with e-mail addresses, fax and phone numbers and contact info for major productions. It costs money to subscribe ($59.99/month) but the wealth of information and chances for quality work may offset that investment.

10. IASTE Local 600

The guild/union of camera assistants, loaders, cinematographers, and D.I.T’s. A good resource for knowledge on fellow colleagues and standards in the industry.

11. American Society of Cinematographers (ASC)

While IASTE is the union of cinematographers, the ASC is an honorary society for accomplished directors of photography and its members include the most prestigious and talented shooters in the country. ASC is also responsible for major resources of learning for young cinematographers and camera assistants such as their magazine American Cinematographer. This will not be the first mention of ASC on this list seeing as it’s the go-to institution for cinematography.

12. Society of Camera Operators (SOC)

Another honorary society, SOC is dedicated “to the advancement of the art and creative contributions of the Camera Operator in the Motion Picture and Television Industries.” It offers active membership to camera operators only, but allows associate membership to directors of photography, camera assistants and still photographers. Basically, another resource to connect with colleagues and establish yourself within the industry.

Film News

13. Slashfilm

By far my favorite movie blog on the web. Slashfilm provides timely updates with a unique perspective that is both informative and honest. Winner of major blogging awards and recognition, Slashfilm is essential to those who work in the industry to keep up with the happenings.

14. Deadline

Where Slashfilm provides more of the entertainment side of the movie news, Deadline provides the business aspects of it like box office gross, ratings, tracking and agency signings. Its editor, Nikki Finke, is known for her cutthroat journalistic style and sharp-tongued wit and has single handedly rendered traditional print trades like Variety moot with her Deadline blog.

15. IndieWire

A news source for the independent filmmaker and those interested in the films that get less-than-mainstream exposure.

16. Ain’t It Cool News

One of the first movie blogs out there, its geek approach can sometimes be frustrating but the amount of interesting exclusives and breaking news offsets the pedantic approach.

17. Variety

Part of the old guard of movie reporting, Variety is on the downslide despite its prestigious name. Though it still provides thoughtful film reviews, invaluable job posting and box office numbers, the delay that print reporting brings as well as the pay-wall barrier means that Variety isn’t quite THE industry source it used to be.

18. The Hollywood Reporter

Often taking 2nd place to Variety, THR is now in the same sinking ship of the Hollywood trades. It’s still a good read, at times however, because of the interesting interviews, panels and news analysis. It won’t break much news, but it will evaluate it accurately.

19. Filmmaker Magazine

Another publication dedicated to the independent film scene. Its news and analysis skewed towards the indie scene is a good approach when other movie blogs are saturated with the latest comic book movie castings

20. Moviemaker

A blog and magazine that isn’t afraid to report on the art of movies as much as the process behind it. They even have a section for cinematography that helps to illuminate one of the most artistic crafts of the industry

21. American Cinematographer

The publication of the ASC and the premiere source of first-hand accounts of production for cinematographers. AC provides in-depth interviews, analysis, and news on ground breaking productions and isn’t afraid to let the technical knowledge pour out in the article. You’ll read as much about the abstract ideas behind cinematography as you will the film stocks and camera systems used to execute them. Available in print and digital copies.

22. The Camera Assistant by Douglas Hart

Hart’s book is the first I read when I was beginning work as a camera assistant. It covers duties of the entire camera department in both the film and digital realms. I consider it an essential to anybody who considers themselves an assistant camera. Its introductory style lends it to be picked up and learned immediately.

23. The Camera Assistant’s Manual by David E. Elkins, SOC

Where Hart’s book eases the readers into the world of the camera department, Elkins’ doesn’t hold back on explaining the wealth of knowledge necessary to do the job right. Hart’s book is good to begin with, but Elkins really delves into topics with such detail and practical advice that it, too, should be read by everyone working in camera.

24. The Filmmaker’s Handbook

Not necessarily focused on cinematography or camera assisting, The Filmmaker’s Handbook nonetheless provides a basis of knowledge that is practical for anyone within the world of film. It’s long considered one of a few bibles of filmmaking and its newest edition, which speaks heavily on the digital cinema revolution, is full of valuable information.

25. The Production Assistant’s Pocket Handbook

Another publication I read when I was first starting to crew. Its mission is to pass on knowledge that most people won’t bother to tell you. It may be geared towards PA’s but the lessons on set etiquette, finding jobs and dealing with the crazy world of film crews is a good read for anybody new to the industry.

26. The Grip Book

Cinematographers/DP’s are not in charge of just the camera department but also the grip and electric departments as well. Knowing the correct terms and methods, even on the most basic level, will help a DP relate and communicate to their crew. The Grip Book is dedicated to those on set in charge of rigging, flagging and dollying and can still exist as an important resource, even obliquely.

27. Kodak Cinematographer’s Field Guide

A guide published by the esteem film company that encompasses everything from film basics to filter information to advanced tips and techniques. Best of all, Kodak publishes the guide online in PDF form for free. For those working with film, and those who wish to in the future, Kodak’s background and prestige should be of interest enough to download this.

28. Kodak Essential Reference Guide for Filmmakers

A similar resource to the Cinematographer’s Field Guide, this (again, free) download from Kodak takes a broader approach to the craft of filmmaking. Its topics include the basic theories of film to dealing with a crew. Worthwhile for beginner and veteran alike.

29. InCamera Magazine

Three in a row from the film titan, Kodak also publishes a magazine that is similar in nature to American Cinematographer, with a film focus. The magazine is available online as well and features interviews and behind-the-scenes information on some of the most innovative productions.

30. Jon Fauer’s Film and Digital Times

I recently discovered Jon Fauer’s digital publication when he investigated the Arri Alexa and I found his writing informative, his pictures interesting and the approach of the article on-point. A member of the ASC, Fauer’s articles are infused with the kind of technical knowledge that people like me crave. Fauer explains not only what things do, but how it’s done and why it’s done that way.

31. Exposure Magazine

Don’t think that Kodak would still all the film magazine thunder as Fujifilm has its own magazine too. The difference is that Fuji’s publication (also available online) focuses mainly on Fujifilm products and news that advances the PR on those products.

32. Camera Operator Magazine

The trade magazine of the aforementioned Society of Camera Operators (SOC). It illuminates topics relevant to its members which likely skews to the technical edge of the camera department and less of the artistic side of things. Maybe not full of as much value to DP’s but definitely of value to AC’s and those who aspire to become camera operators.

Blogs

33. Pro Video Coalition

Definitely a must-read for those working within any aspect of digital cinema. There’s even a “Camera Log” section that is of interest to those in the camera department. I’ve featured Pro Video Coalition’s posts on here before and think their knowledge, combined with the access they receive, makes for some insightful reads.

34. Abel CineTech’s CineTechnica

A blog run by the well-known rental house that often posts videos of new products and insight into how they work. Coming from guys that spend their day-jobs figuring out equipment makes the information that much more applicable.

35. Self-Reliant Film

Self-Reliant Film is a blog run by award-winning filmmaker Paul Harrill and champions localized, DIY filmmaking. Its mission statement is one that should be heralded by many and the information Harrill passes on through his posts is enlightening and inspiring at the same time.

36. DV Guru

Now defunct and no longer posting anew, DV Guru still has a backlog of posts that remain relevant. Part of the draw to DV Guru is their approach to write for beginners as well as experts and not alienate either of the crowds. This kind of balance means anybody and everybody can find something they enjoy on the site (at least in its archives).

37. Fresh DV

Another digital video blog that rests its laurels on being able to deliver to a wide audience of “creators and consumers of digital video.” Fresh DV posts often and with relevant news, tutorials and reviews making it indispensable in the fast-paced evolution cycles of digital cinema.

38. 2-Pop

A blog that has featured content from The Black and Blue before, and for that, I thank them and give them a shout out. It may cover a wide range of trades, but a dedicated cinematography page narrows the focus enough to be able to find the posts that are worthwhile – including ours!

39. No Film School

I admire No Film School after having only recently started reading it because it was started and is still run by one man. The site is not only a pleasure to browse aesthetically, but it provides original content that is informative to read. In particular, the DSLR Cinematography Guide alone makes this site worth a bookmark.

40. ICG Magazine

The blog of the Local 600 – ICG stands for International Cinematographers Guild – that they publish online. It’s supposed to focus on local 600 members but also features interviews with major players in other trades. Because it’s run by the union for union members, however, it does have posts on gear, cameras and other related technical stuff.

41. The ASC Blog

The ASC has strengthened its efforts in the online realm and part of that doubling up was the addition of a blog to their website. Run by John Bailey, though featuring other cinematographers in posts, the blog reads more like an old-school column of old than the bite-sized articles that dominate the blogosphere now. Though not updated particularly often, the posts are well-written and lengthy and full of the kind of insight that can only come from an experienced artisan.

42. Shane Hurlbut’s Hurlblog

Shane Hurlbut is one of the more educated voices in the DSLR filmmaking movement. His use of the cameras and format on high profile productions gives him a perspective that is interesting to read about. Despite what you may think of his work, the technical advice he dishes on his blog makes it a must-read.

43. Studio Daily

The blog may be one of the more chaotic and hectic looking websites out there, but it does have a wealth of information on it. Just take a look at the sidebar on the left to grasp some of the topics that is able to be covered by the site.

44. Pro Lost

Run by former ILM employee and self-proclaimed “accidental technologist” Stu Maschwitz, Pro Lost provides updates on filmmaking in general but lately has also been focusing on DSLR advice. It was one of my first stops when I started to work with the 7D and its advice was crucial to my understanding of it.

Podcasts

45. Conversations on Cinematography

Run by the ASC, this podcast features cinematographers talking amongst each other and usually focuses on a recent production. The podcasts aren’t updated quite that often but they are lengthy and listening to Wally Pfister talk off-handidly about The Dark Knight is interesting, especially because he opens up about the technical details that often escape us on DVD behind-the-scenes – as an example.

46. American Cinematographer Podcasts

Very similar to the other ASC podcast but much more formal and magazine formatted. Also, this podcast is not limited to cinematographers but does still focus on the art of motion picture photography.

47. Fresh DV Podcast

The podcast from the same blog mentioned above that covers all sorts of topics, but has actually been very camera focused the past couple of episodes. They’ve covered the Canon 5DmkII and data mangement and other interesting digital cinema discussions.

48. RED Centre @ fxguide

You knew it had to exist – a podcast dedicated entirely to the RED camera. It sometimes goes off RED into the umbrella topic of digital cinema but for the most part stays focused on the camera that has changed the game.

49. DSLR Video Shooter

Just like RED, DSLR’s are often found with their own dedicated blogs and even podcasts. DSLR filmmaking is still relatively new, meaning this podcast’s value can only go up as a resource for tips and techniques.

50. Filmmaking Central

Not every episode of this podcast will be directly related to the camera department, but it does cover some topics that are important such as backing up data. Worth checking out every so often to see if the episode covers a topic of interest.

51. The Grip Guide

This hasn’t been updated since 2008 but the archives still contain a huge amount of resources. Episode topics include “Gels and Diffusion,” “Setting up a Light,” and “Proper Use of Cables.” Good topics for those just starting out – no matter what department.

52. The Camera Report with Sean Malone

An interview podcast focused on getting in touch with cinematographers. Though it only has one episode, I am hoping that Malone will begin updating more soon.

53. Cameradepartment.tv

Another camera focused podcast that covers mostly HD and digital cinema cameras. It also features interviews with cinematographers, such as Lance Accord, and episodes solely dedicated to workflow discussion.

Forums

54. Cinematography.com

The go-to for forums in my mind, Cinematography.com is a vibrant and informative community of film professionals. Posts are often responded to quickly and politely with community members earnestly wanting to help and contribute to their fellow colleagues.

55. Deakins Online

Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC is a world renowned cinematographer responsible for many of the Coen brothers films and other classics such as The Shawshank Redemption. He also has a website with a forum in which he personally posts and responds to reader questions about the art and methods surrounding cinematography. To be able to directly interact with one of the greatest modern cinematographers is rare and a resource that nobody should pass up.

56. Creative Cow

Creative Cow is a highly established community within the filmmaking profession. It encompasses the entire spectrum of film but that doesn’t dilute the valuable information that can be gleaned from its forums and the deep roots of many of the discussions.

57. Cinematography.net

A mailing list more than a forum, Cinematography.net is still a resource of advice, tips and tricks for AC’s and DP’s alike. Its interface and organization leaves something to be desired, but it still can result in some answers to the most basic questions of the camera professions.

58. Reduser.net

As far as RED goes, this is the only forum to go to. The users are passionate and informative and even the company’s CEO, Jim Jannard, posts on the site, often breaking news about new products. There is no doubt that the RED camera has spawned a loyal base of filmmakers that are more than willing to provide help and they congregate at REDuser.

59. Arri Digital

Arri’s digital platform has exploded recently with the release of their flagship Alexa camera. In response to the demand and hype, their website has been all things Alexa and includes a forum focused on helping users with their newest digital products.

60. DVX User

A great resource for those working in the prosumer digital realm, including HDSLR. There are dedicated boards to popular HD cameras like the EX-1 and HVX alongside more generalized topics.

61. Cinema 5D

DSLR filmmaking, like it or not, is a real movement happening within certain circles. Like any grassroots movement, those working with their DSLR’s to produce film quality movies are passionate about their work and willing to share the experience. Cinema 5D is a forum dedicated to harvesting that passion.

62. IndieTalk

A forum dedicated to the independent film realm and exploring the entire cinematic process from a low-budget perspective. They also have a dedicated thread to DIY filmmaking.

63. Filmmaking.net

An all-purpose filmmaking forum from pre-pro to making the festival rounds. Maybe not the most focused towards cinematography, but certainly another community to throw out a question and get some feedback. Also has one of the larger member bases of the forums listed.

Reference and Advice

64. Precinemahistory.net

Knowing how an art form has arrived at its current place in history can help to inspire and further current work. This site not only provides history of early cinema but is solely focused on early cinematography.

65. Early Cinema.com

Another website that can be used to glean inspiration from the fathers of film before us.

66. Encyclopedia of Cinematographers

The title describes it all, but don’t think this is an IMDB knock off. It ONLY lists cinematographers and well-known ones at that. That means the clutter of other IMDB crew is gone and finding who is responsible for the iconic images of film is the main focus.

67. David Elkins

The author of The Camera Assistant’s Manual, Elkins’ website is a supplement to his book. It features links to more resources and downloads of forms, manuals and how-to’s that are very useful.

68. Navy Sunrise Tables

The U.S. Navy Observatory publishes online tables for sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset for any town in the US by time. This is useful to cinematographers wishing to exploit the magic hour and even for production personnel looking to schedule a shoot for maximum daylight.

69. DOF Master

Essentially an online depth-of-field (DOF) calculator. Covers formats from SLR to film to most digital cameras. Best of all, if you visit the site on a mobile phone there is a mobile version of the site which can help calculate your DOF on the fly.

70. Ron Dexter, ASC

Ron Dexter, an accomplished cinematographer, describes his website best: “Straight answers to frequent and seldom-asked film and video questions you will not find answered anywhere else.” Another great part about Dexter’s site is that the advice is organized and catered to intermediate and professional levels.

71. So You Wanna Work in Movies

A long manifesto written by Oliver Stapleton, BSC about how, why and what to expect when working in the film industry. It’s divided into sections at the bottom of his website but is one long continuous essay that is geared towards the naive, albeit passionate, film student.

72. The Film Book

An eclectic gather of resources, videos and articles that comprise a scrapbook-esque site about film. Not the most practical to browse but has useful information when discovered, plus the author of the site is also a contributor to the ASC blog which gives his writings credence.

73. 4Filmmaking

A website devoted to all of filmmaking, but has a section dedicated to production. It’s not so much a resource for its info on cinematography as much as its education on issues like set etiquette, how to act during production, how to treat crew, etc.

74. Digital Cinema Society

Though a website geared more towards the operation of its society and members, it has a section for Tech Tips that should provide something meaningful for those working with digital video/cinema.

75. FilmTools

Easily the #1 source for tools, gear, and supplies for the film professional. FilmTools makes it easy to order by department or job title and offers discounts on many of its products. Plus you get a free sticker when you order from them!

76. B&H Photo Video

Slightly higher prices than FilmTools, but competition can never be that bad. Sometimes B&H will offer a product FilmTools doesn’t or at a better price. Either way, it’s worth checking out and against other retailers.

77. The Expendables Recycler

My favorite place to order camera tape and other miscellaneous expendable items from. They don’t have a price list or even a catalog, but that’s because they offer their supplies used and the inventory is constantly in flux. Still it’s a simple process of emailing a list of items receiving back an invoice before ordering. Their prices are often 25 – 50% cheaper than you would get from FilmTools or B&H, especially if ordering gels.

78. Abel CineTech

A major rental house, vendor and overall presence in the film community, Abel CineTech has those in the know working for them and offer products that crews want and ask for.

79. The ASC Store

An online shop run by the ASC that caters to the interest of its society and their fanbase. Featuring items from gear to books to instructional DVD’s. A wealth of useful knowledge can be discovered and purchased here.

80. Other Worldy Computing

With the digital cinema revolution brought on by RED, DSLR’s and the Alexa, storage of footage is becoming an important aspect of the camera department. Even though data management blurs the lines between camera and editorial, having knowledge of good vendors for hard drive storage is important. OWC On-The-Go bus powered drives have been particularly useful and kind to me.

81. G-Tech

The alternative to OWC, G-Tech offers drives that’s price point may be above OWC, but its reliability is high. Designed for multimedia applications, G-Tech drives are big enough to store massive amounts of footage and fast enough to edit on.

82. Newegg

Going with the digital theme, Newegg is the chepeast and best place to buy computer parts and miscellaneous cables and adapters. Those shooting DSLR or RED shouldn’t be buying HDMI cables from Best Buy where they jack up the price. Go with Newegg for anything electronic, it’s always going to be cheaper.

83. Portabrace

Having tons of gear is pointless if it can’t be kept safe and easily accessed. Portabrace is a company that designs rugged toolbags and pouches for on-set life. Manufactured to last a lifetime, the cost will be loaded on upfront, but the gain is all on the back-end when, 20 years from now, your toolbag ordered today doesn’t even have one tear.

84. Cinebag

Another manufacturer of serious set gear, Cinebag bills itself as essential for “life on location.” I can’t argue with that either seeing as I recently placed an order for their CB-01 Production Bag as my AC kit bag of choice.

Social Networks and Technology

85. Society of Focus Technicians (SOFT)

An apt name for a society of camera assistants, SOFT is a tongue-in-cheek Facebook group designed to bring those who work so hard to keep things in focus together.

86. My Mom Bought Me a RED

I’ve featured this page on my site before as the Facebook Fan Page for DP Red Wizard Timmy Rubensteiner. While not particularly useful as a page, Rubensteiner’s facebook page is a good bit of fun, especially if you’ve been working hard with the RED camera.

87. Facebook Camera Assistant Society

Another Facebook group that is meant to join all of the camera assistant’s together on the social network. Even Douglas Hart and other known AC’s have joined. A good resource for advice, finding equipment and just plain talking shop.

88. Alliance of Young Camera Operators and Cinematographers

Another Facebook group that will explain itself much better than I can: “A group for all young DOP’s, camera operators, focus pullers, clapper/loaders, HD/Video techies and camera trainees. There is no age limit … do join to discuss, share ideas, ask/answer technical questions, upload film stills, highlight personal or other useful web-sites and generally network.”

89. Go Simian

The main draw of Simian for cinematographers is that it is a platform to edit and deliver reels. But that’s not just it. Simian tracks reel performance and allows quick easy editing of new reels that can be customized depending on the need/client. It also allows you to send multiple reels and will alert you if those reels contain duplicate clips. Very versatile and the potential to be extremely powerful. Unfortunately, it’s also not cheap.

90. YouTube

Maybe an obvious choice, but the power of YouTube can’t be understated. The amount of How-To’s and tutorials available on YouTube make it worthwhile to at least search for questions. Videos of how to load a mag or simple quick tips make YouTube more than a portal to watch cats play pianos.

91. Vimeo

Quite simply Vimeo’s greatest draw is the level of quality of the videos. It’s a site that caters towards filmmakers and those who are interested in making videos that have heart and story rather than the chance to go viral. Vimeo also has a slew of sample footage from various cameras, samples of techniques and it is a great place to place a reel.

92. Twitter

Twitter can be as productive or as useless as one makes it. If you are able to follow the right people, you can turn Twitter into a portal that leads you to exciting new websites that you wouldn’t read otherwise. It’s also a great website to find out news about major companies and blogs that often have official twitter accounts. For starters I recommend following @Rkearney, @alba, @DSLRgirl, @ryanbkoo and @evan3168 (yours truly).

93. App Stores

With the recent proliferation of smart phones in the market, App Stores have become a robust and commonplace area to find software tailored for specific tasks. Check out my series on useful cinematography iPhone apps for some of the best apps that Apple has to offer (part 1, part 2, part 3). I’m not sure about Android or Blackberry but there are likely similar offerings for each platform.

Analog (Real-World)



94. DVD Bonus Features

When I first started getting interested in filmmaking was the same time that The Matrix really blew the roof off of DVD bonus features. Being able to see how things happened and on top of that watch a film with the filmmakers talking about it is like years of film school that you can exploit at home. Take advantage of it.

95. Rental Houses

No matter how small your market there is bound to be some kind of rental house nearby. If just starting out, it’s not a bad idea to call them and ask if you can get your hands on some equipment to become familiar with it. If they are resistant, offer to work for free in exchange for training on cameras, etc. It is a hassle-free, pressure-free environment in which to learn.

96. Art Shows and Museums

Pieces of art have inspired cinematographers even before they were lighting motion pictures. The art of light was first pioneered in paintings and as such, art can be a great resource of certain looks that may make for interesting compositions in a movie.

97. Dailies and Raw Footage

Watching footage that you’ve been pulling focus on can only help you get better. It allows you to analyze your tactics and figure out which techniques worked and which did not. Further, the cringe worthy moment of a shot going soft serves as the best motivation to not let it happen again.

98. Trade Shows

The film industry, and especially cinema cameras, have many trade shows that showcase new products. A few of the relevant ones to the camera department are NAB and Cinegear. The former is often where the newest camera technologies are premiered and the latter showcases the latest accessories to get the most of equipment. If able to attend, trade shows will often help with networking and get greater knowledge of brand new products.

99. Friends and Family

Maybe your friends and family don’t know so much about the film industry and their favorite movie is The Boondock Saints, nonetheless their opinion can be valuable. They give a more generalized view of how your work would be perceived. Show them movies, show them footage and ask their honest opinion. Don’t alienate them but take each criticism with a grain of salt. Glean out of it only what has potential to be useful.

100. Other Crew

By far the greatest resource that is available to working film professionals is their colleagues and other crew. Some technologies that are standard today have started through the dissemination through the ranks of film crews, Steadicam is an example. Crew has the best advice, the greatest techniques, and all sorts of secrets that they’ll reveal, especially if you’re working for them. Do not alienate those you work with and they will undoubtedly pay off your kindness in spades through recommendations, advice and genuine friendship.

BONUS:

101. The Black and Blue

I felt it was too tacky to include my own site on the 100 resources itself, but I hope and want it to be a valuable source for camera assistants and cinematographers. My own mission when creating the site was to fill what I thought was an empty niche of information about camera assisting on the web. Sure, info was available, but it almost always was buried in forums and was not as easily accessible as it should be. Here’s hoping that I am well on my way to that mission and this post is a step in that direction.

Also be sure to read these other 200 resources I’ve put together, too:

I’d also love if you please shared this around so others can benefit from the valuable resources via the social buttons below.