Anatomy of a Shot

One of the shots we're using this weekend looks simple enough--but looks can be deceiving.

I'm referring to the "Walk & Talk," where the event host (in this case, GodTV's fabulous Brit Emma Owen) addresses the camera while moving from one place to another. In most cases, the camera goes backward ahead of the host, so she can move forward effortlessly.

But, though you see it on "Saturday Night Live" occasionally, there's a reason most monologues stay confined to the stage. This shot is actually pretty intricate and take a lot of people to pull off.

At least four Walk & Talks take place during the course of a full ATF event broadcast weekend, and each takes, in addition to the cameraman, an extra ten people or so.

1 Cameraman -- In place to actually take the footage for broadcast, walking backward ahead of the host.

1 Steady -- Walks behind the cameraman, to help steady him in the difficult project of walking backward with a piece of heavy and expensive equipment, and helps avoid any obstructions in his path.

1 Lighting -- Holds up the "sun gun," a small but very bright piece of lighting equipment to light the immediate area in which the host stands no matter how dark the rest of the arena is.

3 Grips -- To handle cables from the camera, as well as any additional cords needed, for power, microphone or lights.

4 Security -- Given that we have the arena backstage area and the hallway, people will need to stand at either end of both in order to keep others from walking in and out of the shot.

In addition, production assistants have to make sure the shot is set up correctly, running for gels (to color or temper the light), making sure everyone is in position, calling for makeup touchups and making sure the interview room -- the destination of the Walk & Talk -- is ready, complete with talent inside.

Running these as a grip in New York in April, it's surprisingly complicated, with the only cable being used for the camera itself but an extra grip needed just to keep cable behind the rest of the crew so the grip doesn't walk over it while winding. Here in Hamilton, the path of the Walk & Talk is a less complicated straight shot, but the cables are more involved.

But the result seems simple and effortless… when the "SNL" host decides to take his monologue backstage, you'd never know he's got a dozen staffers on the move ahead of him. When Ms. Owen takes her viewers back to the interview room, you'd never know it either, unless, of course, CCM took you behind the scenes.

Two down for Hamilton!! Bring on the rest.