VIDEO ASSIST OPERATOR
Pieter Both is Hollands first official Video Assist Operator. After working in many different departments on Photo & Film sets (from assistant photographer to catering, location scouting/management, lighting department, production, etc), he got his first opportunity as a Video Assist Operator in 1998 by helping out a friend and he never left this department again.
“The fact you’re on first row and a 100% aware of what the shoot is about because of a constant look through the camera, is what attracted me so much to this position on the set.”
Due to the Digitalisation within the filmindustry over the last 20 years, the technical developments have been incredible and the services a Video Assist Operator provides nowadays are incomparable with the early days. From U-matic and SuperVHS recorders to the 4 camera’s Qtake/Ovide digital option and all the systems in beween. Pieter has seen and worked with them all.
“Nowadays  instead of just providing an image and playback, we can make it so much easier to give just the right image, playback in a split second, or make a small edit when needed. Key, blend, making great Video reports, it all makes the job I love so much more interesting and important”

DATA WRANGLER
With the coming of the first digital RED camera’s in 2007, a new task was added to the job by taking over the ‘loading’ part of the thentime clapperloader. “Also here the development has not stood still and we came a long way from firewire to USB-C/SSD harddisks and Macbook with MIX. All this increased the speed with which we can handle the data, file and check it, enormously.”

LIVESTREAM OPERATOR
The latest development within the VideoAssist departement is Livestreaming. Especially with the corona pandemic this turned out to be a saviour for the industry in many ways.
“There is almost no shoot anymore where I don’t have to let someone or interire groups for that matter, watch along while the people are not on set. And with the strong mobile routers it is possible to deliver this service from and to anywhere in the world.

OVERALL

“I do love the dynamics of a filmset very much. Every job, well as a matter of fact, everyday is different. Different set, a different composition of colleagues who I love very much.  So I enjoy my work so very much and take it very very seriously. Everything for a great end result.”