Working with One of the Best Assistants in the Commercial World

Working at The LA Lofts has endless advantages, not only do I have access to a studio when there is no rental, and use of camera and grip equipment, the contacts I make are the biggest thing! The first contact I made was with professional assistant/photographer: Lou Cabales. This guy has talent. He has a method to everything that makes the job easier. He taught me the basics of being an assistant for production shoots, magazine shoots, and some catalog shoots as well. Everything from the organization of equipment, to methods of unloading equipment, to being able to think of what the photographer needs even before the photographer knows.

With that said, he put me on my first job! I was a “third assistant grip.” The job was for a popular LA based magazine and the photographer was Kurt Iswarienko a fashion/commercial photographer from West Hollywood. The talent we were shooting was Patrick Dempsey at The Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. I didn’t know we were shooting Patrick until he came up from behind me and hopped into the set! At first, I was a little starstruck and for about a good ten minuets I couldn’t remember his name to save my life.

Then it was time to work. I had to haul about 15 highrollers, 20 c-stands, 10 packs and 10 heads up a flight of stairs. It took the other two assistants and I about a good half an hour to finish that up. After we hauled up all the grip equipment, it was time for breakfast compliments of Kurt, the photographer we were assisting. After that, there was some down time for all the assistants to hang out and talk while the photographer and digital tech set up the camera and the “look.” About an hour goes by and it’s time to work, holding reflectors, changing stops on the packs, running around grabbing whatever the photographer needs when he is shooting. About 2 hours of the same thing over and over again. The shoot is wrapped up, it was time to break down all the grip and haul it down to the grip truck.

What I learned from this shoot was that an assistant is required to have the following attatched to him at all times: sharpie pen, non-slip gloves, ballpoint pen, sharp knife, 6 gaffers tape strips stuck to your shirt, and a pad of paper. That is a standard pack, sometimes other accessories are required that are unique to every shoot. I also learned that it is important to always be moving, staying busy, and never talk during the shoot unless you are away from the photographer.