Frank Otto
Forum Replies Created
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[john sharaf] “It requires that everything be meticulously maintained and operated without compromise”
That’s why when I was shooting ENG and magazine I always used my own gear – the gear that I knew was maintained and hadn’t been abused by a staff shooter or broken and unreported.
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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Thanks Walter…I had the same issues – I slapped a light up for a quickie hidden id thing – got back to the station and watched as the editor adjusted the image to get the detail in the shot. Her response was I had failed to light the interview right, but she’d correct it for me so it’d be ok.
Occasionally I’d also cross light the subject with different gelled light – it gives a color rim to the shadows…a bit of an edgy look.
Thankfully, in my current position, I have to make everything as identifyable as possible.
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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You’re welcome, David. Let us know how it works for you.
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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Separate the interview from the background. Light the background only using as much light as you need to totally overexpose it. Back down the iris until the background is just around 87ire or until the zebra goes away. Your foreground subject should be in sillouette.
Position them in front of a window, expose for the window – again, they should be in sillouette when the exposure is correct.
Light them, but only shoot the shadow. Profile or near profile is best – lets you see lip and jaw movement.
Hang a sheet between you and the subject and light them from the back so the shadow hits the sheet.
Backlight the subject and let the light flare into the lens – this will sillouette the subject and give a halo effect or, depending on the light used, a rock concert beam effect.
Worst case scenario – put the subject outdoors – shoot subject low and into the sky for background, expose for the sky.
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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The Pro Am is highly limiting. One of the factors is that you’re limited to a ten pound payload. If you upgrade the camera, add an obie light or find you’ll want to use a remote head in the future the ProAm will limit you drastically.
Other things to consider – the arm mounts on a pan-tilt head, not directly on the sticks so you’ll have issues with potential tilting of the head due to weight and movement plus it uses the pan action of the head so you’ll have to consider the extra weight, torque and stress on the pan-head.
The tilt mechanism on the arm is a cheezy way of using the pantograph-parallelling mechanism to acomplish a psudeo-tilt…as you reach the end of your tilt limits (up or down) you’ll need to add more effort to control it as the panto action of the arm will be fighting you.
For the price the EZ-FX arm is a very good buy. It uses your regular camera pan-tilt head to pan and tilt the camera by operating the rig from the front rather than the rear with a simple extention to the pan handle. The EZ also has a higher weight capacity – I’ve used it with larger broadcast cameras, a camera with a prompter attached and a 1k soft light mounted to it with no sag or give – max of about 45 lbs. THe EZ also has a platfrom and attachment for a monitor. Should you want to upgrade the EZ will accept a remote head with no difficulty.
Con for the EZ are the nylon bushings rather than steel bearings and the set up is a bit longer that the ProAm – but not by much.
Do a search and look at the EZ’s specs and the video to get an idea of how it works. I use the EZ on a regular basis for commercial work, including restarants, nite clubs, product shots and general scenic work – it’s not a Porta-Jib or a Vinten, then again, it’s a third of the price and works very well.
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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First, take the magnetic film out of the 8mm cassette and hold a strip up to the light – if you don’t see anything, it won’t work.
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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I use softs all the time for interview and product shots. The only problem I have in very small rooms is spill from a too wide source which can be overcome with egg crate grids or flags and cutters – or even a flag made of “blackwrap”- a black annodized aluminum foil.
Three point lighting isn’t etched in stone. Often I use just the softbox as the only “source”, placing it 30deg. off center so I get a darker side of the interview. Occasionally, if the shot needs separation I’ll hit it with a 150-300w. fresnel if I don’t have a natural source in the room like a table lamp or window.
Alternatively, pointing that 300w. fresnel to the wall with a wash/slash/poof/glow/(insert your favorite look here) works if you don’t want a backlight or don’t have the room for separation. You can also use color gel on the light to accent the room or the person.
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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Idiot…
Sheesh, Grin. Too long in the bay, eh?. Good thing Charlie King doesn’t drop in this forum….ah, what th’ heck – he’s just across the room – I’ll tell him…
Now’s the time to start practicing alternative “digit-al” control. I just read a story about a woman who hails cabs by whistling with her toes. I imagine as long as you get the occasional pedicure it shouldn’t gross out the client too much.
But seriously pal, I feel your pain.
“A moment of carelessness can leave a lifetime of sorrow…only you can prevent finger fires” -Tokey th’ Bear, 1969
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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I’ve heard it before Rich… (a common ploy in Las Vegas)
Botton line…They lied. It doesn’t and you can’t. Hotels have a BMI-ASCAP license for “non-syncronized” music, meaning music from music delivery systems such as DMX and television events shown in public rooms or general public areas. License does not cover any other use. And playback of a specific song is concidered syncronized since “you” chose what song and when to play it in a public event or venue. Additionaly, the Hotel would have had to produce the event in the first place to even consider using their license.
Fair Use doesn’t even come into play – especially if client has the ability to pay the fee or select another, similar song. “Perfect for the event” is not a vaild arguement.
We just had a case here in town of a major resort/hotel getting slapped down for using copyrighted materials in their hotel and website promotions. Another company got clanged last month for using video clips in training.
Cheers,
Frank Otto
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Mark’s advice is very good, especially regarding establihment of a paper trail should you end up in litigation. As always, put your terms down in writing in advance before doing any work for any client.
My personal services invoices (after marrying a former SEC investigator/broker/CFO who took over my cashflow) reflect a penalty of market rate interest (currently 17.825% compounded weekly) for slo-late pay. I also discount for 14 day and 30 day and take away the discount for late pay (35 days plus). My invoice has a 30% markup/pad built in so discounting 15% for 30 and 25% for 14 is not a true loss. My ps invoice was always delivered at the end of the event or session directly to the producer or unit manager and a followup copy sent direct to accounting within 12 hours.
Prior to that, I’d do what many of us do – first time client after 30 gets a soft letter asking if they forgot their obligations. After 45 client gets a hard letter asking if they intend to pay in a timely manner. After 90 days client gets a nastygram from “management” with legal jargon – in effect a pay on demand. After 120 days they get the collection notice and in Nevada, I attach a mechanics lein which would cost me about 125.00 up front and that cost is passed thru on collection demand. Worst case scenario, court fees and attorney time is also added at judgement.
If you have national accounts, you’d be suprised what a call to corporate counsel can do – most “coporate” clients’ – ESPN, HBO, Showtime, MSG – legal departments have no idea that their accounting people are slow paying the vendors. We’d put a call one time into Cablevision on a 60 day (after their accounting people told us corporate policy was first time accounts get paid on a 120 day until an account has established a track record?) – their legal department shipped a check FedEX from legal’s account along with a letter of apology explaining that the person(s) who made that statement were no longer with the company.
BTW, I kept working for that client for three years – no reprocussions. And my check was alway there 14 days after the event.
Cheers,
Frank Otto