[Bob Cole]

correction: Premiere Pro didn’t provide nonsense words — it guessed real words, which was worse. If it had just provided phonetic equivalents, it would actually be easier to understand.

[Bob Cole]

Just installed InqScribe. It does not transcribe on its own – it facilitates manual transcription and allows you to insert timecode. Very nice, and I’m sure it has many other features, but I was hoping for automatic transcription.

btw – tried Premiere Pro (CS4) transcription, and it was useless for the interviews I supplied. Some of the interviews were man-on-street but others were highly-controlled studio sessions, recorded with a Schoeps, very clean. The nonsense words that the software supplies are so far off base that the transcript is more trouble to read than it’s worth. ymmv!! I’d love to hear from someone who finds it useful.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Onto the camera issue: I own a GoPro Hero. Poor battery life, inability to see the LCD frame — it’s great for what it is, and the support has been terrific — but I want something higher quality, which I can rely on to work for a long unattended session, even it if it’s slightly bigger.

I’ve been looking at small HD camcorders (Canon Vixia, Sony HDR’s). If you have suggestions, or suggestions for other criteria I should apply, I’d appreciate hearing them.

One of the amazing things about these camcorders is Face Recognition. You select a face and the camera allegedly tracks the face for exposure and focus. This might help — and it might also totally screw up – one of the problem shots I’m trying to solve: a driver silhouetted by a sometimes-very-bright window. I need to expose and focus for the driver while still having at least a tiny amount of detail in the window. I probably will not be allowed to add interior lighting. I may be allowed to put ND on the window glass but am not sure. Have you used any of these little prosumer cameras with Face Recognition?

Thanks for the great responses. Very valuable. I’m leaning toward a FilmTools mounting kit (tripod-esque) for the rig, based on your advice.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Hey thanks. Pix would be great. The oblong device sounds like a very smart idea.

I think it’s funny how every supplier seems to say, “It’s so easy – it takes TEN MINUTES to set this up.”

I’m sure that is absolutely right – as soon as you have it all figured out after a ton of trial and error. And a 30-second spot in one continuous take, takes only 30 seconds to shoot. True, and yet so very very wrong.

[Bob Cole]

I like the 6.5″ Marshalls at about $1600. I’m sure a great sub-$1000 monitor is possible, but I didn’t get to test either of the models you mentioned. I did see some nameless monitors that were terrible in that sub-$1000 range.

I feel your confusion — just went through it myself. There are so many criteria, and you need to figure out which matter most to you. You need to clarify why you want a monitor. Is it for focus? Composition? Client involvement?

You would be very well-advised to try monitors out in person. A monitor could be perfect for one application and terrible for yours. For example, a studio shoot would be a fine place for a heavy, high-resolution monitor — but if you’re running around locations single-handed, you’ll want something lightweight. Powering options are another consideration; a battery can change the whole configuration dramatically.

For me the criteria were a reasonably clean image; optional pixel-to-pixel monitoring; light weight; reputation of manufacturer; flexibility of powering. Incidentally, I found that most mounts were too weak – I wound up buying a sturdy little Manfrotto ball-head which screwed into my camera’s hot-shoe.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

[Bob Cole]

I’ve also seen three vacuum cups supporting a central camera platform.

Many of these rigs, no matter what the brand name, seem to be based on the same Wood’s bases.

How do these devices handle curved mounting surfaces? For the very slight curve of a car windshield, I wonder whether a 4.5″ or 6″ diameter cup would be better.

[Bob Cole]

[Dan Brockett] “the ceramic dual pin socket and 650 watt quartz bulb”

Dan, and Terry too: could you tell us more about the fixtures you use with the China Ball? And why you chose what you chose? I use a Chimera Triolet and mogul bulbs, which I like, but it’s expensive and of course tungsten.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Junk? I’m curious why you’d say that. I’ve been required to use two different small JVC HD cameras for other producers, and though I didn’t want to go out and buy one for myself, they had their good points, including light weight & good picture. Definitely not junk. The only problems I had was with a blown fuse (from using an on-camera light), and perhaps too-light weight.

But I’d like to hear what you experienced, in case I get a gig on those cameras again.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

Two more:

1. Have you had any experience with Sticky Pods?
2. Vacuum mounts seem to require smooth surfaces: clean glass or metal. But what about textured surfaces like daskboards?

[Bob Cole]

[Bill Davis] “back this kind of mount up with safety cables and other appropriate “fail safe” backups”

That raises a question. Just how do you rig the safety cables? Is there any online reference re: installing safety cables? Most of the rigs I’ve seen pictured online either don’t have cables at all, or have cables which would seem to allow considerable movement of the camera, assuming a suction cup failure.