I have no problem with clients or people shooting for digital content while I shoot (even if some share my lighting secrets to other photographers… ibang story yan). But as the term specifies, Behind the Scene, BTS, so the material for the video must come from me shooting the celeb.. Tama ba? Don’t answer.

So, I come to my studio ready to shoot and I was greeted by a huge boom mike in front of my camera. This boom mike looks new and was big as a Christmas ham. Pang movie yata. Beside it was a sound engineer who was testing two other mikes mounted on 2 other video cameras. There were 2 other camera men roving with a producer in tow giving instructions.. Wedding ba ito?

“Kaninong mic ito at sino sila?”

I pointed to the people walking around with the video cameras..

“Ay sir pang BTS lang po yan, Don’t mind them.”

a girl who seemed to belong to the client, answered.

“Naku ate, malakas ang music ko, marerecord yan, plus di papasa sa copyright law pag nasama sa BTS yon sound.” I said smiling.

“Don’t worry sir edit out namin naman..” she answered.

“Eh, Bakit pa may high tech mike kung edit out rin ang sound?” I thought.

Pang yabang ba ito sa client?

So I asked them to clear my space so I can shoot,

nakaharang sila sa akin kasi.

I shot the female celebrity with beauty lighting.

And this was the requirement of the client.

As we progressed in the layouts, the celeb got to wear sexy clothes. Out of respect, I make sure that cleavage is not too much, crotch shots are avoided and she is not compromised in any shots I take.

However, I notice by the corner on my eye, that one of the video guys was shooting the celeb in a bad angle, medyo nakakabastos. I pointed this out loudly to the celeb so that she should be careful how she moves because there are video cameras around shooting.. Fair warning na ito ha. In my mind, strike 2 na sila.

I then asked for my assistant to bring out my stool and other props

I had in my studio. Hindi nila mahanap,

so I asked aloud if anyone saw my stool and props.

The producer of the video team answered,

“Ay sir, nasa labas po, nag-shoshoot kami duon..”

“Nag-shoot? Teka, who gave you permission to take my things?

I thought BTS lang kayo?” now I was pissed.

“This is not your studio and please ask permission next time!”

I ended my shoot in the early evening, however, out of respect, nakiusap yon client if they can shoot videos for posting and digital content. Mabait naman ako, mataray lang, I said ok.

I turned my lights off and left them, the digital team and the client to do whatever they needed to do.

10 minutes palang ako in my office, my assistant goes to me worried.

“Sir pinapatawag kayo ng celeb.

May hihingin daw na favor.” he told me.

I went back to the studio finding the female celeb agitated.

“What’s wrong? How can I help?” I asked.

“Raymund, I am explaining to this group na mali ito.” she said.

“What is?”

“Raymund, we shot with beauty light, clean and vibrant.

Ito yon mga images na makikita ng tao, yon magandang ilaw mo,

tapos itong video lalabas sa FB and YouTube, panget ang ilaw nila!”

the celebrity was irritated, but she had a point.

“Wait, nakakatawa, wala silang dalang ilaw…

Can you please light me the same way sa print for this video?” celeb begged.

How can I say no, right?

“Of course I can light you properly.” I did so.

Tanga.

Mali ako.

I ended up doing the whole video shoot.

No choice.

One, galit na si celeb.

May point sya, she has an image to protect.

Two, hindi sila marunong mag-direct.

Asar na si female celeb.

Three, I was lighting for them. Hindi pala sila marunong.

At sino ang babayaran for the video work?

Sila di ba?!! Hindi ako!!!!!!

So, utang na loob.

Here are the ground rules: (all caps!)

1. DO NOT OFFER YOUR SERVICES TO A CLIENT, PAG HINDI PALA KAYO MARUNONG!

• TURUAN NINYO ANG MGA CAMERA MAN NA WAG
• MAGING BASTO PAG NAG-SHOSHOOT NG BABAE!
• HINDI PORKE MAY EQUIPMENT KAYO, MAGALING NA KAYO. MAG-ARAL.
• RESPECT THE STUDIO WHERE YOU ARE SHOOTING.

2. HINDI SA YO ITO, AT LIBRE NA NGA ANG RENTAL NINYO.

• INGAT NA KAYO, CAUSE WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN IN MY STUDIO, I WILL RELEASE THE KRAKEN!

*Ending, ito, instead of makapahinga ako ng maaga, we ended around 11pm shooting their videos, while my still shoot actually ended around 6pm. By the way, ni ha or thank you wala akong narinig from them.