A wedding-turned-zombie apocalypse was certainly not on my 2024 bingo card, but this past weekend, I was given the opportunity by long-time classmate Alivia McGarry to do behind-the-scenes photography for her senior thesis film, Something Blue (@somethingblue2024 on Instagram) in Fairfield, Connecticut. Going into the experience as a television student, I was fascinated by the differences between a film set and a live television environment. But with these differences, there were also many similarities between a film set and a television environment. I also learned many different things about photography, the time and nuance it takes to make a student film, and how to work collaboratively to create a final product (it takes a village to make a film!)
As someone who is fairly new to photography, I was apprehensive about doing photography for something as big as a senior thesis film set, but as soon as I got to set, I immediately felt welcomed and appreciated. While behind-the-scenes photography (aka “BTS”) is not an integral role in the production of a film, it is still important to producers and directors to have photographic documentation of the production process. BTS is a great way to market the film on social media, provide cast and crew members with photos they can use on their own social media or LinkedIn, and document what the production process looked like.
BTS photography is also a great way for someone who is not directly involved in film to gain experience being on a film set without the added pressure or knowledge about how a set operates. As someone who did a significant amount of film and television work in high school, I knew I wanted to pursue only television in college but still find a way to be involved in the film program. Film is an art form I love and appreciate, and being in a creative environment is one of my favorite things about being in college and being in a communications field.
Photography was never something I had taken seriously, it was mostly something I did for fun with my friends on the weekends, but recently it has become something I have immersed myself in and begun to put more effort into. Behind the scenes photography is particularly special because as the BTS photographer, one is tasked with observing and capturing moments where people are doing what they love most. It is so rewarding to get to see my friends and classmates get excited about things they love and are most passionate about. Capturing these moments with a camera is also extremely exciting and rewarding, as these moments on a set show the creator’s passion and elation about their work. It is so nice for myself as a photographer and them as the crew to look back at photos from set and see these special moments.
To end, my first senior film set was certainly one for the books, a film with a top-notch crew, zombies, and fantastic actors (what more could you ask for!), and I can’t wait to see the final product. Something Blue by Alivia McGarry, coming May 2024!