The team leader will provide you with guidance to reassemble at some point
during the battle to adjust the coverage as necessary.
2.
As a team member you must plan your shooting so as not to miss
an
important event and also not to saturate one subject with coverage.
3.
Planning coverage. There is a saying that two minutes after the battle
begins, all the plans can be thrown away and new ones made. This may be true,
however, if there is no plan to begin with, how can you change it? Planning is
an important requirement to visual information coverage. When you are working
as a team, it is even more important.
a. Your team chief will provide the overall plan of action; location,
time to report, if you will be in a separate location from each other, or
together with a specific unit. Planning and coordination is more important if
the team will remain with one unit.
In this case you do not want to "trip"
over each other getting the coverage.
b. When a small unit or area is to be filmed, each cameraman must have an
assigned spot to work from.
If you are assigned to film one squad or fire
team, then stay with that unit and do not leave it. Your team chief may want
to move you at a later time and he must be able to find you.
c. Communications are a problem on the battlefield. You will most likely
not have any radio communications with the team leader. You will not be able
to use the unit radio as it will be needed for tactical purposes. If you are
in a rear area, and the battle is not around you, a radio or telephone may be
available. Your team chief or detachment commander will make arrangements for
communications when required.
4.
Part of all planning is equipment.
When you go into a tactical
situation, you must be completely equipped
both to survive and to obtain
footage.
a. As a cameraman and as part of a team, you must arrive at the unit you
are covering with everything you need. This includes:
(1) Camera equipment, film, charged batteries, filters, and spares (the
spares being batteries, filters and film).
(2) You must also make sure you have your complete TA 50 equipment.
You cannot expect to have the unit you are covering supply you with a helmet,
canteen or weapon.
You must make sure you have all the things necessary to
survive.
(3) Visual information doctrine calls for all cinematographers to also
carry a basic load into a tactical situation.
This includes: rations,
ammunition, and fuel for vehicles. If you will be assigned to a unit for an
extended period of time, the unit you are attached to will provide resupply for
food, water, and fuel.
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