[Bob Cole]

Thanks – great ideas. Nick’s (overly modest) post, particularly his mention of split NDs, reminds me of the split focus filter. I’ve always been intrigued when I’ve seen that in features.

I like the general principles expressed by Todd, Terry, and Nick, which I’d summarize as “do it in-camera when it gives you something you can’t get in post.”

A related question: Where can I find information or a tutorial on electronic manipulation inside the camera? Decrease skin detail? (in post I can use something like “Beauty Box.”) Crush the whites or leave that alone? (in post I can legalize the image.) Again, I don’t want to paint myself into a corner in post – I prefer as clean an image as possible myself. To what extent do you use the incredible range of choices inside the camera? Where does going that route give you something that you just can’t get in post?

Thanks.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Thanks. I’ll look at Vegas. My list wasn’t meant to exclude anything else out there. The other consideration is that the client’s computer may not be that high-powered.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Thanks John. I’ll be exploring those settings.

[john sharaf] “As far as using pure blocks of white (like a white backing or cyc) it’s more common to put that value at 80ire. A window about the same.”

Two more questions arise from your comments:

1. I appreciate what you are saying about the possible distorting effect of too much area at or above 100ire. Is there any way to know whether you have given too much of the frame over to 100ire? I’ve been working by seat-of-the-pants, trying to make sure that not “too much” of the frame is 100ire — but how much is too much, and is there a way to make sure that I’m not using “too much”? If I play back the video in the camera (usually the EX1R in my case now), and the audio is clean, am I safe?

2. When you say that “it’s more common to put that value at 80ire”, do you mean that there is an option to do that electronically, or are you talking about putting up large rolls of ND?

I’ve actually been pretty bold about using white, in large part because it hasn’t yet resulted in a catastrophe (and because I edit most of my footage, I can use the “broadcast safe” filter in Final Cut Pro). I try to use doors and windows in the background, esp. if they are architecturally interesting. But I’d like to know how to “do white” more safely.

Thanks so much for your help with this.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

[john sharaf] ” Outside the Cine 2 is the most aggressive setting to crush the highlights.”

John, could you please explain what you mean, and why you would want to do that. I’ve only heard of crushing the highlights being a bad thing.

I was about to post a question about deliberately using blown-out windows for interior interviews. I like the look of big blocks of pure white in the composition, but I’ve been leery of going over the 100-ish IRE limit. Am I behind the times, with that concern?

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Movie stars are movie stars because the camera loves them. Often the lighting is very atmospheric (and “wrong”), and it doesn’t even seem to matter, because the camera loves them.

But for the rest of humanity, lighting is crucial. I’ve found there are good books for portrait photographers which would help you develop your skills. You may encounter people whom you will have to light from the “wrong” side to de-emphasize a facial deformity.

Posing helps too, esp. when the subject has an asymetrical feature (e.g. a nose that veers to the left or right) or a physical disfigurement. You may find that adjusting the eyeline, having the interviewer move up or down, left or right helps greatly.

Your camera probably offers skin detail settings that will make faces look smoother.

Then there’s make-up. A great make-up artist can really help you.

Finally, there’s editing. Lots of b-roll so we don’t have to sit there studying this non-movie-star face — and software like “Beauty Box” which selectively smooths flesh tones.

It’s an endless, fascinating challenge. Enjoy!

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Travel day: half rate plus actual expenses or mileage.

Often when I get there early enough, the client wants to start shooting – which turns the half day rate into a full day rate.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Great question. Results of continuity testing of the mini TRS:

Mini Tip and ring: continuity. So it’s a stereo that is a mono.

Mini Tip or ring to signal (the non-ground part) of each RCA, either male or female: continuity.

Mini Sleeve to ground of each RCA plug male or female: continuity.

I’m beginning to think that Ty is right….

[Bob Cole]

[Ty Ford] “for people who didn’t know if they were coming or going.”

Clearly it’s going to be my cable of choice.

[Bob Cole]

[Mark Suszko] “I think there is a common disease among people in our business where we LOVE to swoop in like the white knight and solve every problem and meet every deadline, even stupid ones, no matter the cost because we get off on helping people and demonstrating our mastery of something.”

That is so true! On the one hand it’s a fantastic trait. I owe so much to a handful of people on this and other websites. Some truly eminent experts have taken the time to set me straight, many times. I can’t possibly repay them because they know so much more than I do. But I appreciate their generosity.

On the other hand, we really have to watch out for this tendency in ourselves. We can easily be exploited by people who recognize this tendency to need-to-be-needed. So I try to be careful about riding to the rescue, because as Ron is fond of saying, there are lots of grinders out there.

I justify it, business-wise, by saying that it is like putting money in the bank. There is a heart-warming article about this in today’s NY Times. “The Tire Iron and the Tamale.” Highly recommended.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

But your accents are so cool. And you have Shakespeare, and per capita you win so many more Oscars than any other country. It’s not all rain and gloom.