An Interview With Michael Vega
WRITTEN BY BRANDON DUQUE
As a University Student studying film, I’ve come to learn many new technical skills and knowledge outside of watching films. I’ve come to meet a lot of creative minds who share the same interest in films as me. The film course has students who aspire to be cinematographers, it became a topic in most social gatherings outside of university where everyone would discuss favourite cinematographer and their most favourite cinematography. It wasn’t something I could relate to, but it made me more interested in the practice. When the Ravensbourne online magazine was under development, I started looking for someone to interact with and found Michael Vega, who is a family member’s fiancé and someone I’ve had the opportunity to work on set with. While he works as Steadicam operator, I’ve decided to interview him to compare with cinematographers and help those who aspire to become one to get some insight into the industry for a better understanding of practice.
The Interview
Q: ‘What is a Steadicam operator and what are their jobs?’
A: ‘A Steadicam operator is a person who is highly skilled in handheld camera operation and their main goal is to capture the vision of the director of photography, we are creating a visual story for our directors.
Q: ‘How did you get into Steadicam operator?’
A: ‘Well it started after secondary school when I took an interest in the practice and decided to apply to college to study it, however during the 2 years after graduating I’ve come to a realisation that it didn’t really focus on the practical side of it. So, I decided to buy my own equipment and start my business as a freelancer and from there I managed to work with Arsenal, Anthony Joshua and Liam Gallagher.
Q: ‘what is it like to work on set?’
A: ‘Working on set is stressful when there isn’t a call sheet but apart from that it is fun as everyone is caring and collaborative they want to help. It feels satisfying when I’m able to capture each scene perfectly and make good time.’
Q: ‘What are difficulties of working with the directors?’
A: ‘Most times the directors have a habit of tolerating with the talent, what I mean by this is they tend to allow the talent to waste time messing about. It makes it difficult to set up for the next shot as time is very limited and we end up shooting nearly all night. Another thing is that the directors have a habit messing up the breaks and shot scenes making it annoying to suddenly switch up but I manage to adapt.’
Q: ‘Could you argue a cinematographer is different to a Steadicam operator?’
A: ‘Yes. I’ve worked with many that they have a better understanding on what makes an image good and how the camera should move in order to get a good take. A few cases I’ve worked with someone who doesn’t know how a camera works but knows how a scene should look to tell a story. A Steadicam operator is more suited in technical capabilities in which we know how a camera works.’
Q: ‘what advice would you give to students during and post university?’
A: ‘My advice would be to constantly go social events and get contacts from people who work in the industry. Practice constantly using the equipment the university provide for you. For post university use the contacts you’ve accumulated to ask for jobs and start building your business. Another thing, start buying your own equipment as soon as possible in order for people hire you.’
Conclusion -
My take from this interview is filled with mystery, I’ve gained a much better understanding of cinematography despite the fact that I’ve interviewed a Steadicam operator. It has showed me why both are the cornerstone of film and why everyone aspires to become one. It is definitely an oversaturated career but with determination anyone can succeed.