When someone hires you on a job they trust you with having the knowledge to execute their needs in production. Prior to the shoot it is absolutely mandatory to prep! We all have the luxury to prep and even if it’s not paid you want to make sure there are no technical issues that hold up production. I went to an Abel Cine event in Burbank and someone asked the panel “What if you don’t have the luxury to prep?” the panelist looked at him so confused. We must show our work ethic in each project and give our all into the project no matter what the budget may be. I will always request a prep day to make sure I come ready for every shoot. Once you are on set, time is of the essence. You want to have a low stress environment to stay creative to get the desired result. Often there will be many cooks in the kitchen. Take suggestions, but don’t steer off from the vision. When I was first starting out, I listened to all suggestions and contradicted my own vision. You have to have the ability to make fast decisions to get the coverage you planned for and also to maintain quality without sacrificing it for time. Simple is often better, there are set ups that require major light and you have to plan for that, but the best DP’s and Directors where the ones who can make a decision and problem solve without losing their cool. Keep your cool, take suggestions with a desired result, and make sure to take care of your client’s needs!