[Bob Cole]

[Mark Suszko] “tracking points “

We’re planning on lock shots – not enough time and money to do tracking.

[Bob Cole]

It could be due to some arcane issue specific to your computer. I know that mine on occasion have acted weirdly, or simply been “slow,” for reasons that took quite some work to ferret out. Perhaps you might try the same footage on someone else’s comparable computer, to see whether the performance differs. If you want to send me a small file I’d be happy to give you a basis for comparison.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Interesting thread. Thanks Trevor, and the PP experts who have answered his post. I’m still editing on FCP7, but am preparing to move to PP.

My personal bias, as far as rendering time and editing, is:

Pre-edit: I don’t mind taking the time to render to the best format for a smooth edit.
Edit: Make it as fluid and smooth a process as possible. (I like to be able to stack layers of video and still have real-time playback.)
Post-edit: render as quickly as possible. (meet the deadline!)

What is the best file format for PP, given those preferences? Does the answer to that question differ, depending on whether you are editing on a PC or a Mac?

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

[Mark Suszko] “ot just One Omni and two Totas.”

For traveling light, no pun intended, Totas in Chimeras are very good instruments. And outside the Chimera, as Mark says, they can be useful to light up a broad area. Definitely need the screens, even inside the Chimera.

[Bob Cole]

No offense meant, Todd. Anyway, I’m not objecting to the slider during a quick soundbite, esp. when it’s to-camera. But I’ve seen these dolly moves during an extended interview, and it’s like, where the heck is the camera GOING?

[Bob Cole]

[david braman] “check out the change in exterior exposure between the next to last shot and the final shot “

Great catch! I never noticed that before. It’s not that jarring to me, I guess because of the slight change of angle and the cut to a pan. I wonder whether they blocked the scene this way because they realized that the exteriors wouldn’t match.

[Bob Cole]

Wait! I just saw the reflection of the camera in the bus window! Yes – it’s an iPhone! Can’t tell if it’s a 4s or a 5, though.

(Sorry. Couldn’t resist, after seeing the website for the new iPhone slider.)

Back to business. There is a great little move about 17 seconds in of a man with a drill. How do you think that was done?

[Bob Cole]

The reason I ask about your slider is that my main interest in one is for moco timelapses, for which the slider has to be pretty close to perfect, I imagine. (Yes, there are a ton of sliders out there; Google just linked me to one for an iPhone! What a world. I would say, just wait for the XLR to iPhone adapter, but I am pretty sure it must already exist, and I don’t want to Google to find out.)

Then there is hand-holding while riding a hand truck (with the help of a strong and trusted grip).

I wish it were otherwise, but lack of time seems to be a reality. Yesterday we did two “dolly moves.” Of course, they were really handheld “sweeps,” but there was no budget for anything more elaborate. Sometimes the handheld move is more natural – less linear and confined – than the slider or dolly move. That’s what I tell myself.

btw – on my list of my pet peeves, at least until I do it myself: the dolly interview! Whenever I see that, I hear the producer yelling, “WE’VE GOT A DOLLY! Aren’t we cool?” It seems disrespectful to the interviewee, and distracting to the viewer. I’m just waiting for the dolly interview where the interviewer starts texting during the two-shot.

[Bob Cole]

Nice spots. I think I’ve been to Airport X.

Any specific rec’s on sliders, Todd? There are a ton of them of them out there, thanks to the DSLR market. The big impediment to a dolly move is always the time it takes to set the tracks, so a slider is appealing.

The idea of confining myself to 3′ of travel is a little off-putting, but it makes sense – that’s often all I use even if I have a much longer section of track laid.

As for the tripod-dollies, I have never tried them, and am not much interested. It’s very limiting, and as John S. commented, you still have the nuisance of the tracks. If the camera is on its own tripod, a la Wally/Ronford etc., I can’t imagine there’s much you can do smoothly in the way of reframing, tilts/pans, focus pulls. Am I mistaken?

You can always make a dolly from plywood and skateboard wheels. You still have the nuisance of setting track, but at least you have a platform to stand on, so you can operate the camera more completely. I love the Dana Dolly, but I don’t like the acrobatics of reframing plus moving the dolly.

[Bob Cole]

[Todd Terry] “I’ve never had to clean a sensor,”

I’m wondering whether DSLRs tend to attract more dust than professional video cameras. If they do, it could be (1) because of the mechanical action of the mirror and attendant static electricity; and/or (2) the users of video cameras are more careful with their lens changes.

The idea of using a zoom in dusty, potentially sensor-damaging situations, makes a lot of sense.

Bob C