pre-shoot advice re:Time-of-Day on multi-cam shoot

[Jeremy Garchow]

Are they controlling their own rolling or do you have a centralized tape op?

[John Pale]

[Bob Cole] “I’d appreciate some pre-production advice about how to instruct the camera operators. They’ll have to use time-of-day, of course, but should they just roll the whole time, so as to avoid FCP’s problems with digitizing over timecode breaks? There are lengthy pauses in tennis matches — including changeovers every two games. “

Assuming the “in between stuff” is not part of the final product, they dont need to keep rolling…but they should start rolling again well before the action starts, giving you enough pre-roll for capture. Probably best to only stop recording between games. You will have to make a new multiclip upon each break. No big deal. It only gets complicated if some guys keep recording and some guys stop. Try to get everyone on the same page.

[Bob Cole] “I will absolutely need the TOD timecode on every file for syncing up the multi-cam view. “

It’s nice to have it, but don’t sweat it if your timecode drifts among the cameras (I have done lots of network sports coverage, and its pretty common if the cameras are not on a common TC generator). There are lots of ways to sync up tennis (e.g. the sound of a serve), and you can just make your multiclips based on inpoint instead of timecode.

[Bob Cole]

[JeremyG] “Are they controlling their own rolling or do you have a centralized tape op?”

The former.

[Bob Cole]

[John Pale] “There are lots of ways to sync up tennis (e.g. the sound of a serve), and you can just make your multiclips based on inpoint instead of timecode.”

True. Problem with rolling anew for each game is I will have lots of multiclips to sync up — there are probably going to be about 150 separate games (at an average of 15 games/match), and editing time will be really tight. I’d like to minimize the editing grunt work so I have more time for actual editing. (And operator inexperience is a factor: I’ve only edited multi-camera once, several editing platforms ago.)

Thanks for the ideas.

— Bob C

[John Pale]

Sounds like fun. I would keep the cameras rolling as much as possible then….
Tape is relatively cheap compared to the time involved in dealing with the problems.

[David Smith]

[Bob Cole] “editing time will be really tight. I’d like to minimize the editing grunt work so I have more time for actual editing. (And operator inexperience is a factor: I’ve only edited multi-camera once, several editing platforms ago.)”

Bob,

I’ve shot a LOT of tennis and this sounds like a great deal of work with such a time constraint. Any reason you’re not using a small truck or flypack so you could switch the games live? I would think all of the extra post time would eat up most if not all of any extra production costs, and I think you’d get much better coverage with someone being able to see and direct what the operators are doing.

What kind of cameras are you using?

Regards,
David

[Bob Woodhead]

Switch it live to tape with ISO records. Sync TC a must. Save your editing for the show, not the action.

[Bouke Vahl]

My advice, shoot REC RUN TC so you can ingest fast. But, to be able to sync up, use AUX TC (have one tc signal, no matter if it comes from your personal I pod) to go to each cam.
Next, use my app. to split clips and sync them. Inest fast, sync fast, never think about it again. It WILL involve multiple receivers on all cams, but it WILL save lots of time and money.
(guaranteeed money back if not 100% satisfied)

Download from
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hth

Bouke

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smart tools for video pro’s

[Bob Cole]

wow — so much good advice. Thanks a lot. I’m really glad I asked here — you all are making me rethink my assumptions, and that is a much better thing to do in advance than after the shoot.

— Bob C