Actors and camera operators came together for a lively night August 14th when the Chicago Acting In Film Meetup NFP (CAFM) met at Daufenbach Camera for an evening of education, information, and role playing on camera.
“We are thrilled that Daufenbach welcomed us back for a jam-packed event,” says CAFM Board President Steve Scholz. “Our actors group takes a 360-degree approach to learning about Chicago’s film industry, and we’re grateful that Daufenbach’s team helped empower us again.”
The camera rental house and the film actors educational nonprofit first collaborated in 2012 for their initial version of ‘On-Camera Actors On Cameras,’ which showcased the newer cameras and lenses being used for film, TV, and commercial shoots. Owner Lawrence Daufenbach and CAFM Founder Grace McPhillips helped run that event, and this 2023 workshop was led by Scholz and Daufenbach’s General Manager Stephen Wheeler with help from Inventory Manager Alex Will.
“Since the last time we hosted CAFM, a lot has changed for us as a company and for filmmaking technology,” says Wheeler. “Our inventory has grown in size and diversity, allowing us to service an even wider variety of productions. We were excited to share some of the newest equipment trends for today’s shoots, especially the large format cameras and lenses, and how that changes things on set.”
Photos Credit Nijole Shuberg of Nijole Shuberg Photography
This year, Daufenbach celebrates 14 years of camera rentals and special events for Chicago’s film community. CAFM celebrated 16 years of meetups earlier this month, continuing their ongoing mission of educating local film actors. And their collaboration provided some great takeaways for attendees.
Glenn Harston, CAFM’s Board 2nd Vice President and Board Treasurer, said that after hearing technical terms thrown around during his 23 years on set, he now has a better grasp of what they mean. “The night really put things in perspective and put them into a language I understood. I’ll now know more about how to position myself and what they’re looking for on camera, and I believe that will improve my performances. It was really a remarkable behind-the-camera experience.”
Shannon L. Novak, CAFM’s Board 1st Vice President and Board Secretary, enjoyed catching up on the latest technology. “This was priceless information, not only as an actor on set, but also as an actor doing self tapes or wanting to create their own projects. The staff were very kind, have a lot to offer, and I would highly recommend reaching out to them for any rental needs!”
After using the Sony Venice camera to demonstrate lenses, selected CAFM members performed two-person six-line scenes. Scholz directed the actors while Wheeler and Will filmed them, then they adjusted the blocking based on what looked best for each camera and framing.
“My advice for actors is to trust your director, but also trust your director of photography,” says Wheeler. “Their jobs are to make you look good and direct the audience’s attention to you and your performance.”
This event took place as the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes have affected projects that would otherwise use Daufenbach’s cameras and employ local actors. Scholz, who is also a SAG-AFTRA Board Member with the Chicago Local, says that the strikes are top of mind with CAFM’s members.
“We stand in solidarity with the unions as they negotiate their agreements and we want to be prepared when those film, TV, and streaming productions start back up,” says Scholz. “Fortunately, this night at Daufenbach helped our members get focused and sharpen our skills, so I know we’ll be ready for action.”
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