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FilmSkool — a free film school

Filmmaking 101: What is a 1ST AC?

Film Riot explains the first assistant camera’s job: building and maintaining the camera, pulling focus, running the camera team and why the role matters so much to every take.

Film Riot · 14 min · Beginner · CIN · Cinematography · 2021

What you take away

The 1st AC owns focus and the camera; keep them in every lens conversation.

Watch it

Filed under

Oscar winners for cinematography

Books on cinematography

Cameras and glass

Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM — A stop and a half past normal
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II — The standard zoom most FX bodies wear
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II — The wide end of the same set
Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM — The portrait-adjacent normal
Canon EOS R6 Mark II — The affordable full-frame RF hybrid
Nikon Z6 III — Partially stacked sensor, N-RAW internal

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