Shooting a conference video

[Tim Wilson]

[Nick Griffin] “FYI: Canon’s C-100, C-200, C-300, etc. are NOT DSLRs. They are real cameras with real shutters….”

Yes, the “C” stands for “Cinema”. Canon was mightily distressed by the rapid adoption of the 5D in video production. They never intended it to be used there, and they knew better than anyone that it was a bad idea in virtually every use case it was being used in outside its original intent.

Rather than chase themselves down the rabbit hole of jamming on production features to a “still camera with some video”, they started from scratch to build a PROPER digital cinema camera. The degree to which they stuck the landing is reflected by its incredibly rapid adoption in the market. In our informal surveys inside the COW forums, the EOS C series is every bit as widely used as RED and ARRI, and maybe moreso.

Not that I’d want a troubleshooting forum like the COW to be the only source for such a conclusion, which is why I’m not making a firm conclusion as much as a general observation…but this is something to be underscored at every opportunity. The C stands for Cinema. The EOS Cinema Series is straight legit.

In fact, my only issue with the C300 Mark II is that they didn’t give it a whole new name. I can see why they did this. It’s pretty much the same form factor (maybe even exactly the same), and “Mark II” really was a magic name in reference to the 5D….but it really might as well have been given a different designation. Massive, massive upgrade. They did this right.

[Al Davis] “In addition to the master line feed off the house board, I attach a lavalier to the podium mike, and secure it with black tape.”

My #1 favorite trick. I wouldn’t even dream of shooting a conference any other way, unless I could maybe put myself in a position to wire the talent directly. Certainly for a shared mike, though, taping a wireless lav to the podium is a MUST.

Greg, I’m going to second pretty much what the rest of these guys said. There’s not a million steps to achieve next-level production values in a conference setting, but there are a solid half-dozen. Some of those, you may not be able to control no matter what (lighting in particular), so if you can only do a couple, I think the ones to focus on are getting closer (even if it’s just a B camera to the side of the audience a LOT closer to the stage) and not relying on house sound (or worse, ROOM sound) as your only audio source.

Since you live in a place with so many conferences, I can easily imagine that this could become a lucrative sideline for you. It was certainly the case for me when I was still in production. When I had some ability to control the production, conferences were some of my favorite things to shoot. I even enjoyed what I learned from most of the speakers, even for the transportation and telecom kinds of conferences that are well outside my areas of general interest.

But man, when things get ugly, they get REALLY ugly. Hence our communal desire to keep things cool for you.

I’m obviously chiming in a couple of months late on this thread, so I wonder. Do you have an update for us?

[Greg Ball]

Hi Tim,

The client went with a low cost alternative. But as usual the advice here was spot on!

Thanks!

Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.
https://www.ballmediainnovations.com

[Nick Griffin]

Bet it was really a GREAT video. Too bad it’s in bad taste to remind past prospects that they “get what they pay for.”

[Mark Suszko]

If they went with a lowball guy instead of a Greg Ball guy, it’s their loss… but maybe you can make some back-end when they come to you to “fix this in post, pretty-please?” Or the next time they are deciding to do something, maybe they’ll remember you.

Standards have changed and a lot of these kinds of gigs have been lost to lowball operators and amateurs who don’t see the value in the gear and skills we bring to a job. However… the product they get out of that lowball approach typically doesn’t last very long and is soon deleted or forgotten. Because bad communication is not effective. A bad job isn’t worth the “saved” money. I think that’s where you can still make a sales case on these prospects: “sure, you can DIY it and get *something*… but will anybody watch it and be moved to the action you want? Because recording something is one thing, but crafting a successful, EFFECTIVE message… that’s quite another.”

[Todd Terry]

I have my old fall-back line when I’m asked, “How come those other guys are so much cheaper?”

Well, “Because they’re worth it.”

T2

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

[Tim Wilson]

[Todd Terry] “”How come those other guys are so much cheaper?”

Well, “Because they’re worth it.””

???????????? I’ll definitely use that!

Greg, I’m sorry to hear it though. I started to wish you better luck, but actually, I wish you better clients. ????????

[Greg Ball]

Thanks for your well wishes Tim. I need both!

I also love Terry’s comment:

“How come those other guys are so much cheaper?”
Well, “Because they’re worth it.”

I plan on using it too.

Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.
https://www.ballmediainnovations.com

[Greg Ball]

Thanks so much for those encouraging words Mark. As always I agree with your comments.

Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.
https://www.ballmediainnovations.com