-
Shooting a Masterclass DVD – help please!
I have been hired to shoot a Masterclass DVD for a legendary cellist. She wants a DVD respresenting a cello Masterclass. She will be performing on stage with someone accompanying her on piano. No audience – just the cellist and pianist. The theater they are negotiating with has a board, mics, they believe a recorder (digital) and most importantly Good Lighting! I will also be filming the artist speaking (being interviewed) in various locations…her home, the stage and the park. The DVD will be about an hour long.
The client wants the shoot to be done at a minimum cost as funds are low. I want to comply with her request of course, but I also want to produce a good quality video as this may turn into a lucrative business.
These are my ideas – any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!!!
Cameras:
I plan to shoot with a Panasonic DVX 100B. Not sure if I should use 2 or 3 cameras…and which camera would be best for the job…
– I was thinking of a 3 camera set up on stage, but if I can do it with just 2 cameras that would bring the cost down.
– I own a Panasonic DVX 100B – I can rent an additional one (or 2 if necessary)
– If you do not think the DVX 100B is a good camera to use for the job, what other suggestions do you have???Sound: I have a gunshot mic and boom. Do you think I can get good quality sound for my purposes or do I need to hire a sound engineer?
Lighting: I have a basic kit. We plan to shoot on stage and since the theater has good lighting I thought the basic kit would suffice. We will be shooting the “interview” portion during the day, so I don’t have to worry too much about lighting.I thought to do the interview portion with only one camera (DVX 100B), gunshot mic, basic lighting….again to keep costs down. Should I use more than one camera for the interview portion?
I am very excited about this project and want to make sure I am on the right track. Any suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated!!!
Thank you kindly,
Rose Sanchez -
1 Reply
-
Hi Rose,
I would hire a recording engineer — preferably familiar with classical music — without a second thought. Instruments call for specialized mics and recording technique that most of us don’t deal with every day, and a master cellist will want her tone reproduced as faithfully as possible. Your engineer could deal with the venue for you to make sure that the mics and recorder they are providing are appropriate for your needs, and if they are not, make recommendations as to what to use instead.
Good luck with the shoot!
Walter Soyka, Principal
Keen Live, Inc.
Presentation, Motion Graphics & Widescreen Design
RenderBreak: A Blog on Innovation in Production
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up