outside those industry hubs, such as Virginia. "If a film is coming to your
area, and you have a little experience, you stand a pretty good chance of
getting on it . . . Kids can come right out of school, or working at a rental
house, and hop right onto a major motion picture." Due to escalating
costs, the production budget may only allow the gaffer to bring his best
boy, and hire the balance of his crew locally.
"As for getting your first opportunity, I think working at a rental
house is not a bad idea . . . or working with a rigging crew. It tends to
be more manual labor, but you get a good behind-the-scenes view.
You learn the equipment and the basics of electricity at a slower, non-
production pace. I think it's important that guys rig a few times before
they actually get thrown on the
set, where the pace is much
more frantic.
"There are so many avenues
for getting lighting work. If
there are commercial houses in
your area, try them. Do corpo-
rate industrial films, whatever
you can find to get your hands
on equipment."
Professional Profile:
Jay Kemp, Gaffer and
Rigging Gaffer
There might have been
another lawyer in the world
if Jay Kemp had not discovered
filmmaking. The Virginia
native was entrenched in a
liberal arts/pre-law curriculum
at James Madison University
until opting to spend the
first semester of his fourth
year abroad. "I went to London and studied art, architecture, theater,
and history. It opened my eyes to a lot of different possibilities."
Returning to the States, he began looking into other programs at
James Madison.
"At the time, they had a quality communications/arts department.
One of the directions you could go within that was television and film.
I decided to pursue that." Kemp graduated in 1984 with a bachelor's
degree in communications/arts, with an emphasis in film and television.
What do you like
least about your job?
"What I like least is what
the job can do to a family.
I've been very fortunate
that my family under-
stands what I do. The
fact that I'll go for six months of working
70 to 90 hours a weeks, and then go for two
months and not work. It can be a real emo-
tional and financial roller coaster. But, at
this point, I wouldn't have it any other
way. It's kind of a love/hate relationship."
--Jay Kemp
What do you love most
about your job?
Kemp enjoys the fact that his job forces him
to adapt to new situations, lighting chal-
lenges, and diverse personalities. "It's never
stagnant."--Jay Kemp
VOICES OF
EXPERIENCE
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