[Dean Sensui]

From my limited experience, any element in the credit roll should take at least 7 seconds from the bottom to top of the screen.

Somewhat similar to the “non-stuttering-pan” rule/recommendation/suggestion.

By the way, ever wonder why credits don’t roll -down- the screen?

Dean Sensui — Hawaii Goes Fishing

[Dean Sensui]

Here’s the setup I’m using:

Two ATW-1800 dual wireless systems to provide four channels of audio. The Audio Technica 1800 systems have proven to be rock solid and durable. Sounds pretty good, too, if they’re set up properly and good mics are used.

Edirol R-44 4-track recorder.

All are powered by an A123 Systems nano-phosphate battery pack that I built.

It records constantly. Both the camera and the recorder are set to time-of-day timecode. I use SequenceLiner with Final Cut Pro to roughly correlate the audio track with the video clips.

Here’s a photo of the recorder system. It’s in a small Pelican case. The four antenna leads are attached to a small antenna mast (just out of frame). If I shut it the system’s weatherproof, although it does get warm in there if it’s not shielded from direct sun.

https://hawaiigoesfishing.com/images/audio_box.jpg

Here’s an example of the results. In post I can mute unwanted tracks or boost desired tracks. Very helpful when everyone is talking simultaneously. The on-camera mic, an AT-4051a, provides a backup and ambient if needed.

https://hawaiigoesfishing.com/shelter2009_silver2.html

This is single-camera coverage, in real-time. Unscripted.

Dean Sensui — Hawaii Goes Fishing

[Dean Sensui]

Your results will depend upon the type of LEDs used to build your lights.

In the case of Andrewsky’s LED CoolLights, the spectral distribution is roughly similar to daylight until just past the 650 nm wavelength. There’s a slight green spike, then a rapid falloff of energy in the longer wavelengths.

This means there is a lot less red in the light being emitted.

Some other LED lights might have a spike in longer wavelengths. LEDs vary widely in their spectral characteristics, so results would depend upon those characteristics.

In the case of the CoolLights, I insert a “minus 1/2 green” gel and the lights work just fine as supplementary lights in daylight conditions.

Dean Sensui — Hawaii Goes Fishing

[Dean Sensui]

Graham…

DV and DVCam both share the same color space, 4:1:1. They’re also non-square pixels. And, sadly, neither provides a very nice key because there’s often some serious aliasing taking place in the green channel which defines the key itself.

While having better optics are a big help, the chroma channel is where you really want some seriously good definition. It’s the chroma channel (chroma key) that will determine how clean your keying will be.

I’ve keyed 4:2:2 standard definition (DVCPro format) with nice results. I’ve struggled with 4:1:1 standard definition (DV and DVCam) and barely got acceptable results.

On the other end of the spectrum I’ve had great results with HD (DVCPro HD and XDCam EX) in both 4:2:2 and 4:2:0, and, of course, outstanding results with 4k RED.

I wouldn’t recommend DVCam or DV if you want to get a good key. So much work goes into setting up a green screen set that it would be a shame to shortchange yourself in the critical step of recording it to a good format.

Shoot it with a Panasonic HVX-200 or Sony EX1 and you’ll be a lot more satisfied with the results.

Dean Sensui — Hawaii Goes Fishing

[Dean Sensui]

I’ve never seen this happen before.

Do the dots move?

Is it happening in other shots?

You sure the dots aren’t objects on the building? 🙂

Dean Sensui — Hawaii Goes Fishing

[Dean Sensui]

Check to see if the Sony HVR-Z7E is recording audio at 48 kHz. If the sample rate is different your sync could be thrown off.

If it’s not at the same rate, then convert it with Quicktime or some other application where you can export an AIFF file at 48 kHz.

Dean Sensui — Hawaii Goes Fishing

[Dean Sensui]

I’ll add my vote to 50 IRE on the green screen. And there’s no need for a backlight unless the scene in the background plate requires a source to get the foreground subject to match.

Turn off any sharpening to get clean edges.

I’m using Primatte in After Effects and can get flawless keys. I’ve keyed hair, veils and transparent plastic product wrapping (the type that requires a 2,000-watt laser, bandsaw and a gorilla to open).

Dean Sensui — Hawaii Goes Fishing

[Dean Sensui]

Some goofs: Abtronic begins to smoke and user starts to panic in trying to get it off.

Of course there’s electrocution complete with lightning (courtesy of After Effects).

Talk about how it’s a small device and compact. Then as camera pulls back note that it’s connected to a car battery with big fat clips.

Someone wearing it as part of a daily routine — by the end of the day their hair is totally frizzed out due to high voltate jolts.

When showing 6-pack abs, note that there are red ovals burned into the surrounding skin where the electrodes were.

User experiences series of “gentle muscular contractions” as it’s turned on, and then an “accident” happens. Walks awkwardly off-camera.

Dean Sensui — Hawaii Goes Fishing

[Dean Sensui]

I ran into this same problem with a sequence and haven’t solved it. I tried re-capturing the original media and using a different hard drive. No luck. The sequence is five minutes so I decided to skip it and move onto something else.

Copy/pasting is worth trying.

Thomas, in your case, you might want to try media managing each sequence separately. At least some of your material will be consolidated.

If you find something that works, please post here.

Good luck.

Dean Sensui — Hawaii Goes Fishing

[Dean Sensui]

Did you check out benchmark tests at Barefeats? Rob-Art Morgan is usually quite thorough. He’s also open to having people help out with tests on their own systems to help fill out his test results.

https://barefeats.com/harper.html

Dean Sensui — Hawaii Goes Fishing