Auto Facial Focus vs Manual?

[Patrick Bronte]

Thanks Craig,

For a novice, getting help from a Pro like you and Todd is a real godsend.

Your knowledge is helping me sort out my priorities and what my budget will be workings towards.
I’ve done a lot of “filmed” oral histories on consumer grade Digi8 & HDV cameras and miniDV tapes. They were just point and shoot jobs because I was only wanting to record their experiences for posterity. Now I’m doing a project that requires a much more professional approach for the end recordings will be used in a variety of different ways.

My tasks at this stage require me to have a lot of storage space for I need to archive the taped recordings. For that part I’m thinking that this set up would be good for that:
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/VOYQHDB4.0T/
Then I can store the drives in those cases you sent the link to. What do you think? For my current project I’m going to take your advice and upgrade my internal storage. Do you use the drives produced by Apple or do you find drives made by the likes of WD would be just as good? My second internal drive is from Apple but they are twice as much.

A couple more queries I hope you can help me with before I get out of your hair.

How do I make use of the focus assist option Peaking 2?

When I digitise (in FCP) the HDV tapes, 80% of the time I can expect dropped frames. I’ve followed so much advice from forum posts but they still occur. Would something like this breakout box help minimise the amount I get?
https://www.dvcreators.net/matrox-mxo-2/
I use a Canon HV40 for the HDV recordings. I don’t get any dropped frames using the Digi8 camera. To be honest I’m unsure what these breakout boxes do but from reading around it sounds like it could help solve the drop frame issue which can really cause havoc when putting together a story from the HDV recordings. What a advice can you offer me on this problem.

Lastly, I’m improving my editing skills and am learning the Art of colour correction/grading. I don’t feel I need a field monitor for the camera at this stage for there are more important products on the shopping list as far as the big picture goes. I do however feel that a broadcast monitor is required for the post production work – especially colour grading. Is it possible to purchase something that can be plugged into both my camera and computer (if there is a PCI card that would allow for HDMI output).
What do you think of the following option and offer any suggestions towards something that is cheap but will work:
Is this to good to be true for doing both the field and post tasks?: https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Lilliput-969A-O-P-BNC-Composite-HDMI-Out-Broadcast-Director-DSLR-Monitor-/350818267742?pt=UK_Photography_Movie_Camera_Accessories&hash=item51ae65f25e

Thanks again Craig!

[Craig Alan]

Apple does not make hard drives. WD has been spotty in the past though they own HGST (originally IBM) and apparently also Toshiba. Word was back then go with deskstar IBM. I stayed with that legacy recommendation so I buy HGST. That said any brand has had failures. If you are very concerned you can get enterprise class drives that have longer warranties. Just look for 5-year warranties for which you will pay extra. All that said tapes will last longer properly stored than hard drives will.

The best way to capture all your tapes digitally is to record them using something like a AJA KI PRO. There will be no dropped frames other than what is on the tape itself. And it will record them in an editing codec (Apple Pro Res) rather than HDV or whatever the cam used. The result will eat up more hard drive space as well but will be edit ready. Basically it records whatever you see on the monitor. You can go HDMI or SDI out to recorder. You can also use the Ki Pro with any camera that has SDI or HDMI out. The advantage is you will then be recording in Apple Pro Res rather than the codec of the camera. It also has audio inputs, which will record much better audio than most cams.

On the HV40 you will be recording in a much higher codec. It bypasses the tape altogether. The Hv40 has a really good image for its price point. Remember small lens mean it needs lots of light.

You do not get a monitor that can be used for color grading for a few hundred dollars. The Flanders is the low price leader for color grading and can be used in the field as a field monitor for production, which will improve your production skills, a lot.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Patrick Bronte]

Thanks agin Craig.

This industry is dam expensive! Prices for somethings at the consumer are coming down but the more I learn and research the more I learn how things like the AJA KI PRO. are out of my reach. There might be somewhere in NZ that I can hire on from.

What did you think of that eSata dock and HDD combo? Like you said it’s a funny time because firewire is on its way out, Thunderbolts coming in etc.

I need to start some serious saving!

Thanks for your all your help you’ve opened my eyes and taught a fair bit .

[Craig Alan]

Understood Patrick. On the other hand, Imovie is more powerful than any editing that took place before 1990. Like I said unless you plan to be editing all that footage at once there is no need to store it digitally. Keep the tapes within reasonable temp range. Forward and rewind them every so often.

Check out

the ki pro mini or

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/759460-REG/ATOMOS_ATOMNJA003_Ninja_Video_Hard_Disk.html

My experience is with the KIPro so do research on these two if you are considering them as possibilities.

If you can’t afford this stuff now stay the course. With good lighting and good sound and a decent camera you can get great original footage. Content is King. You can always color correct later. Also there is nothing wrong with your Mac Pro. It was the tool of choice up to say last year for FCP 7 professional editors. Max out the ram, update the graphic cards if you want, and use those hard drive bays. I would concentrate on good lighting, good sound, and organizing your footage in a way that you can tell a powerful story.

I haven’t used the capture break out box you asked about but with a mac pro you can also buy a card. So ask someone who has. Also call the companies. I have gotten great help from tech support. I would future proof my choices to work into the next bunch of Macs. Lots of pros are using Imacs with thunderbolt and usb 3. USB 3 ain’t going anywhere for a while and is very fast. A USB card is pretty cheap.

I’m happy for now with the P2 250 cam we’ve been using, but its no Canon c300 or Alexa with prime lenses. But you know it takes a very nice image and is a great run and gun cam.

I’m not that happy with my $1000 tripod but its better than my $600 tripod and I’ve gotten good shots with both.

Point is yeah pros are using equipment at all price points.

The basics though is preparation, good light, good sound, know your gear and make it work for you.

Don’t hesitate to ask people what they think. Happy to share.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Chris Nuo]

thanks. I will check them out.

[Patrick Bronte]

I just really want to back up my collection of tapes. The solutions you’ve provided are all good ones. That Ninja would save a lot of hassle.
The great thing with the talent I’m recording is that you just have to press record a they provide great content. This leaves me to worry about all the things to make sure that content is captured well.

I’ll load up some screen grabs of some stuff I’ve recorded since I’ve been chatting with you.

Are you a teacher? What type of filming (for want of a better word) do you shoot?

[Craig Alan]

Ninja – make sure it works with the editor of your choice. Audio and Video. And if so you should be able to record directly to it as well as using it as a transcoder. When you do transcode make sure all meta data on the tape is toggled off. Since you are recording a feed out (not internally) what you see is what you get. So for example the time and date could be recorded on the recording. And take notes cause you will loose the meta data. What you will gain is the footage in an editing codec. Prores 422 is good for FCP X/FCP 7

You might want to look into CAT DV if you will be archiving tons of footage.

Yes I teach HS in LA. We have a very nice studio that is professional but not well budgeted which can be difficult. I am currently setting up a a post lab. So I need to be a jack of all trades. We shoot all sorts of stuff from short form narratives, to documentaries, to abstract artistic, interviews, events, music vids, instructionals, talk shows, PSAs, commercials, etc. I was a professional writer in the industry for many years. I have also produced/directed theater and television and have done some acting.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Camcorders: Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV30/40, Sony Z7U, VX2000, PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Patrick Bronte]

Well you’ve taught me a few things about what I need to consider in order to capture the right stuff.
I’ve recorded a couple of interviews since talking to you and Todd. I stuffed one up with the magnification aid but my latest is pretty good. Apart from the “shine” coming of his bald head. This is obviously the head light not in the right spot. I have it at a forty five degree angle as taught & told. How would you avoid this? My head light has a soft box but no diffuser, should I try the peg & tracing paper trick?

Cat DV looks great and affordable. So I just need to get the RAID system. But on your advice I think I need to upgrade my shot gun mic. My XF-100 has two XLR ports so I use a pretty decent lapel mic and a shotgun mic that is on a stand that I raise up to the talents knee height and have it pointed at their face. It sounds good but can be better got any recommendations?

[Todd Terry]

Just couple of things…

First, just some semantics. There’s no such thing as a “head light.” I think you are talking about your back light, but that term could equally apply to a key light. It’s no big deal of course (and we have made-up or just-plain-wrong terms for things here all the time), but if you ever have to work with a different assistant or gaffer and ask them to adjust the “head light” they’re gonna look at you like you have lobsters crawling out of your ears.

It’s a “back light” (or occasionally a “hair light” or a “rim light”). Diffusing it could help with a bald head. Also, with a bald man or white-haired man or woman it can be helpful just to trim or flag it down so that it’s not so much blasting their heads, but mostly on the shoulders so it gets good separation there, and some of the light bleeds up onto the top-of-head area. You also don’t have to put it absolutely-directly behind them, but can move it a bit to the left or right to give a nice effect (usually in the opposite direction from your key light). Even far enough that it gives a little bit of splash on the side of the face can be a very nice look.

As for your shotgun, micing from below can work, but I’d usually only do that in a pinch… and even then it sounds like your mic is a fair bit farther from the talent that I’d usually prefer. You’ll generally get much better results booming from above rather than below, and you can mic much closer that way as well. If your talent could reach up at about a 45° angle with not quite an extended arm and touch the tip of the mic, that’s usually considered pretty good placement (although I try to mic just a big closer than that if I can). When micing from above, avoid the mistake that a lot of people make by pointing the thing right at the talent’s head. You’ll get getter results aiming at the neck, sort of base-of-the-throat area.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Todd Terry]

BTW, Patrick, nice website.

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com