Recently, I’ve been working with an animal photographer, shooting cats and dogs. Mostly, we’ve been shooting auditions for upcoming jobs, but we’ve also done a few advertising and PR shoots involving lots of smaller dogs. We also shot with a Great Dane, and that was cool. Working with animals can be a lot of fun, but doing so comes with a new set of rules, no matter what type of animal that’s on-set.
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many differnet animal talent–including cows, pigs, horses, goats, and other farm-related animals. I’ve also been on location with wolves, monkeys, an orangutan, and even a large, brown black bear named Balou. Working with animals like a bear or wolf can be exciting, but it can also be very stressful… for people and the animal. Pet photography is one thing. Getting a bear or an orangutan to cooperate and do what the art director needs on command is another. Animals have personalities too, and sometimes they can wake up on the wrong side of the bed, just like you and me! I have a great deal of respect for the animal trainers, handlers, and photographers I’ve worked with over the years.
The biggest thing you need to be mindful of is how your presence and actions may affect the animal. Animals can be very sensitive, especially if they are in an unfamiliar place and around a lot of unfamiliar people and equipment. Many dogs are well adjusted to being on-set after a few auditions and proper training, but Bessie the dairy cow may not be too thrilled with a bunch of people running around and flashing strobes everywhere. Animal stress is your number one concern here. If you are working in direct contact with any animal, you need to be the animals friend (if possible) and help keep them at ease. Too many sudden, frantic movements and shouting will stress out any animal, and probably the art director, too. Always heed what the animal trainer tells you, and ask them questions if you are unsure about anything.
Most animals can tell if you are a threat to them or not. Luckily, I get along very well with most animals. Be confident and friendly toward them. This disposition is always favorable when you’re on-set or on location with any animal. If you’re not a pet owner or don’t consider yourself an animal person, just try to be as pleasant as possible when you’re near them. Don’t be afraid, because all animals can smell that fear, and it puts them on alert with you. Of course, cats can be cranky and sometimes don’t like strangers at all. In these situations, just do your job and let the animal handlers do they’re job, and everything will be cool.
Don’t go out of your way, while working, to pet the animal or be overly affectionate to it. Don’t call out its name or try to get its attention, unless instructed to. If everyone on-set is doing this, the animal gets excited and confused, and the animal trainer can lose control of the animal.
Make a connection with the animal when you arrive on-set, while the animal handler is present. Usually, this will happen at some point prior to getting things under way, anyway, so that everyone has a chance to meet the animal. This way, too, the animal handler becomes aware if the animal is upset toward anyone in particular, for any reason. This is when you need to be on your best behavior and follow instructions from the handler so you know what’s going on. Granted, this may not be so critical with a border collie, but you better be paying attention if you’re working with a wolf or some other animal that can gnaw at your thigh and pull your leg from your hip-socket! No sense getting mauled like Roy Horn.
On the lighter side, yet still very important, if you have any pet allergies, take a non-drowsy antihistamine before you arrive on-set. Don’t forget, because you allergy sufferers know how miserable you will be if you don’t take something. Even if you aren’t sure how you might react to a certain animals dander, it’s better to be safe than sorry. I am very sensitive to many dogs and cats, but I can manage it with an over-the-counter allergy medicine. If I forget to take it, life sucks for me that day. It’s kind of hard to download images off a CF card, or wrangle strobe heads and power packs when you’re sneezing all day. If you can’t avoid it, at least bring your own box of tissues. I get the super-soft kind, without the lotion. That lotion stuff comes off on your hands and consequently onto camera gear and laptops. Yuck!
No matter what sort of shoot you’re working on with animals on-set, there is definitely a different etiquette, or sense of awareness you’ll need to have. If you are working on your first-ever animal shoot, just keep your eyes and ears open, and listen to the direction of the animal handlers. After a few shoots you will be more comfortable and know better how to conduct yourself around many different animals. Some of my favorite shoots have been working with animals. It’s crazy awesome to walk on-set and shake hands with an orangutan or feed a 500-pound bear gummi bears from your mouth!
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