Graeme Duane - The camera in the hands of the shooter.

The shooter's translation of what he is shooting is what dictates directly the finished style of the show when it emerges from edit. This doesn't mean using "outs" to shift a sequnece along, but rather a conscious effort by the cameraman to create different senses and styles for the completed program in the field and in the heat of the moment.

In effect what this means is that the lens becomes an extension of the eye, and the style of the show dictates how the content is seen. If the show requires a sense of chaos and realism, then this should be consciously aquired through deliberate and confident use of the camera. If the show is monumental and languid, then this should come from the lens, not post effects or mood creation.

Recently a couple of styles have been required (among others), and even stock libraries are looking for more varied ways to illustrate the mundane.

1. The lens as the eye, cameraman in character

2. Time & the environment

3. The presenter in realtime 3D

4. Landscape in monument

5. Lit interviews, intimate stories in the first person

This is what sets cameramen apart, understanding the style, translating it into a range of techniques, and applying these with confidence in the field without jeopardising the value of this as stock.