In short, this will be the most important person that you hire!

The most cost effective way to get a Director of Photography (DP), of course, is to do the job yourself.

If you think you can do it yourself–say you’ve taken a few courses, or maybe you have a mentor in the business or at film school who can guide you–by all means, go for it! But if not, you need to find somebody in the business with some skills and know-how.

You can start searching for your DP at your nearest film school. Even if you don’t have a school dedicated just to film making, your local college will have a film or other arts department. You can also visit filmschools.com to find the nearest school. Once you have a contact there, set up a meeting–but don’t just go to meet the department chair; come prepared.

Have some information about your film ready, with flyers to post around the department. Be sure to include your phone number and name. Be sure to arrive for your appointment early enough to scan the school’s bulletin boards, which is where you may find DPs already seeking employment.

A good DP will know everything about the technical effects of the scene. He or she will have a demo tape for you to check out. Once you’ve seen that and his or her credentials, you will be able to make a decision on whether or not he or she is the one you’re looking for.