You have read it, you have heard the term, you may even know one, but you really don’t know what a DIT – Digital Imaging Technician – does, get ready to remove all doubts since here we will tell you exactly what their role and relevance in the film industry.
Let’s start with the basics, and that is, by describing the main functions that a DIT does.
- Evaluates, selects and implements the appropriate tools for the project: monitors, waveforms, software, etc. and designs the appropriate pipeline for it.
- Performs basic image monitoring and live quality control, signal, as well as look management.
- Inspects parameters such as: recording, sensor, metadata, OCF (original camera file) and consistency of all material.
- Establishes and maintains communication between the photography and postproduction department (editing, color, VFX), to maintain a correct flow and prevent potential jumps or simply to make a clean delivery without origin problems.
“The role of the DIT – Digital Imaging Technician – has more and more relevance in shootings, it is a pillar and a necessity for film projects, its importance and responsibility increase in the same way that technology advances and the way in which we depend on it. That someone on the set knows how to manipulate it and take technical advantage to be able to open the way to all the creative sense, it will always be very necessary”.
Diego Sánchez. Managing Director, PIXEL.
If we have not yet been very clear and you still have no idea what it does, we can say that a DIT serves as the link between the look and all the technical processes, and in order to achieve this, is responsible for maintaining a good workflow.
The DIT is an expert in color flows, digital cameras, image capture, management and interpretation of metadata, as well as its collection, so we can consider it the right hand of the photography director.
A Digital Imaging Technician is capable of making live corrections, as well as adjustments in the exposure and QC (quality control) has the knowledge and experience to do “troubleshooting” at any point of the flow, from capture to delivery.
If you’re wondering right now, do I have what it takes to be a DIT? Take a look at these skills and you decide.
If working with other people isn’t your thing, don’t even sign up, being a DIT requires 100% team collaboration. You know how to express yourself, you can speak easily, you are on the right track, because you must have excellent communication skills.
But be careful, do not get too excited, since you must also have knowledge of audiovisual workflows with professional digital cameras, knowledge of photography, lenses, filters, lights, experience manipulating color, either on set or in postproduction, prior training for handle color correction tools… shall we follow? Okay, if the above is not enough for you, you should also master the English language, be able to work in environments with high stress, fast and practical thinking much needed, excellent computer skills and programming knowledge, and finally if you have any knowledge, computer engineering is welcome.
And don’t think that it ends there, because you may know how to handle a computer very well and translate any text from English to Spanish, but if you don’t handle: Davinci Resolve, Baselight, True Light, Livergrade, Silverstack, Shot put pro, Yoyotta LTFS, Lattice Colorfront Express dailies, and Colorfront on set dailies, Hedge, Cannister…then, don’t even dream of belonging to the distinguished work that a DIT performs.
Of course, we cannot finish this article without first showing off that the DIT’s that collaborate and are part of “PIXEL CREW” are your best choice for the project you have in mind. We dare to say this for the following reasons:
- DIT’s from “PIXEL CREW” were trained in the right way. We were the first to support each other with DIT’s of various nationalities, who have many years of experience and transmitted all that knowledge and techniques.
- At PIXEL, we were pioneers by having the tools and knowledge to make DIT’s leaders in the market.
- While everyone was still figuring out, what a DIT was, at PIXEL we were one step ahead and we already had a generation graduated and ready to put everything we learned into practice.
- We are always moving forward; we are continually up to date, and this allowed PIXEL to be the first to enter the era of digital camera.
Come to PIXEL and discover everything we can do for your project.