Sunscreen and the Silver Screen

It’s that time of year again, when the days get longer, sleeves get shorter, and we all get reminded that the ball of fire in the sky will scorch us at the slightest opportunity.

A few years ago I was reminded of this after an eight-hour shooting day. What lovely weather! We were all thrilled to be on an outdoor shoot, all day, after weeks of cold weather. The day started with a nice breeze, so we didn’t feel the heat, and then carried on through a pleasantly warm spring afternoon. Only later did I realize my forearms and my nose were burnt to a crisp.

I could hear my mother’s voice in my head “you know, even if it’s cloudy… or cool… you can still get a sunburn!”

Mom is always right. ALWAYS.

The burn-of-the-day award went to Zach, though, who dutifully blocked the sun from our actors during a critical scene. A large, black board or sheet used to block light this way is called a “flag,” and since we didn’t have any flags, we used my collapsible reflector. This reflector is the five-in-one type, so while we pointed the black side towards our actors to block stray light, the silver side was redirecting that sunlight directly into Zach’s face. A 43-inch disc of blazing sunlight, take after take.

In addition to potentially blinding a crew member this way, we also bounced sun into every shadow of his face. The insides of his nostrils were burnt. I’m not exaggerating.

These days, I am rarely caught without my straw hat. And I do not point the shiny side of the reflector up my nostrils.

Director Aaron Pate and DP Jarod Phillips – a.k.a. The Straw Hat Brigade

I realize sunburn is not at the top of everyone’s film set safety concerns… and that’s why it’ll git ‘ya!

After witnessing a few on-set injuries over the years, I made a tiny med-kit a permanent fixture in my camera bag. The latest addition is sunscreen. I also like to have a checklist of things to bring, because otherwise these little things get forgotten. If you saw me packing my bags, you’d think I was going camping!

Here are some extra tips regarding sun exposure on outdoor shoots:

• Timing: Sun exposure is harshest when directly overhead (11am-1pm). Many people try not to shoot at this hour for lighting reasons, but even if you’re taking your lunch break it’s worth reminding everyone to get out of the sun for a moment.

• Staging: Plan a shady area for people, like a greenroom. Any degree of sunburn sucks, but severe cases can result in fever and nausea (often called “sun poisoning”, pretty miserable stuff). None of us want to be responsible for injured cast and crew, and furthermore, a little redness on actors and actresses could spell continuity issues or a postponed shoot. Set up a separate area for staging sensitive equipment like camera gear, laptops/DIT area, too. Pop-up canopies are a great idea. They come in all sizes, usually available at your local sporting goods store. Many of these solutions can help mitigate a light rain, too, so check the description and make sure they’re waterproof.

• Sunscreen is greasy! Bring hand towels to wipe hands after applying, especially for camera operators and crew who will be handling sensitive equipment

• Cloud cover does NOT prevent sunburn (Mom was right!!!)

• Reflected sun will burn too; keep this in mind when shooting around light concrete, snow, & sand, near mirrors and reflectors, etc. The light Zach was blocking in the story above was actually sun reflecting from the windows of a nearby office building.

• A wide-brimmed hat is a great way to shade your face and neck, preventing burn and unwanted glare. As a camera operator, a large hat often keeps the sun out of my face and off of my camera.

• Just… don’t point the reflector up your nostrils.

If you have a good sun tip, or cautionary story, message me and I’ll share it here!

(2019 UPDATE: An earlier version of this post appeared on April 1, 2014. Today’s revision eliminates less relevant information and adds more helpful tips.)

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Tags: Safety , Behind the Scenes

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