Jemima Harrison
Forum Replies Created
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Figured it out now… Part of the problem was a faulty FW cable.
With the 200, you have to change the settings to get it to record to the Firestore. With the 2100, you just plug in the FS and it’s automatic.
Jemima
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Will report back. That is if I can figure out how to hook up a Firestore to it… you don’t happen to know that, too, do you..?
Jemima
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Roddy, thank you SO much… That works on both counts!
Jemima
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This exactly what we’re grappling with at the mo. We already have an HVX-200, so could do varicam with that if needed – although presumably the 500 would produce better quality given the “proper” HD lens one would have with it?
Any opinions on how discernable the difference in quality between the 500 and the 2100 is likely to be? And is the 500 smaller and lighter than the 2100?
Jemima
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Thanks for that, Neil. It’s reassuring that it’s possible to take hard drives in the cabin.
Re backing up to DVD – what was your workflow? I had rather dismissed it because I reckoned it would take SOOOO long, but perhaps I’m wrong?
Jemima
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I think we may have to agree to disagree, Shane, as much as I want to be convinced – certainly about the P2 cards which are a mad price and involve a crazy workflow if you shoot the volume we do.
I’m impressed that Marc Singer is using them on a long-form doc on his own but, boy, it makes for one helluva long day.
I’ve done quite a bit of research re the Firestore and although I know there were some glitches, I thought the most recent firmware update has resolved them – except for the oustanding problem of sound whine if placed too close to the camera mics (which we can avoid). Am I wrong?
Jemima
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Thanks Shane
It’s obviously horses for courses. I just can’t see us taking an assistant with us everywhere JUST to handle the P2 cards. We’re a husband and wife team who specialise in tricky, sensitive docs. My partner shoots, I direct and do sound where necessary. It makes us very small and intimate – like having a couple of friends round most of the time. Much of what we achieve is because of this – and the time we spend NOT filming, but just hanging out, is as important as the filming. We’ve perfected putting people at ease. Assistants, bless ’em, rarely have these social skills – even if it is nice to have someone who can carry your tripod.
I really, REALLY want to use the hvx-200 – not least because we’ve bought it… But the workflow compared to shooting on tape is a pain. Apart from all the backing-up hulaballoo (which, actually, takes almost as long as it would to digitise and is the last thing I want to have to do after a long day’s shoot), there’s the question of transporting back to the UK. We’ve always carried tape in our hand luggage, but I can’t see any way we’d be allowed to take hard drives in the cabin on any internal or transatlantic flight.
The best solution I’ve come up with is to shoot to the Firestore and back up each to a couple of mobile FW drives. We’d probably get by with rotating 5 Firestores – plus of course we’d need loads more FW drives; then there’s the laptop – another potential point of failure. It all makes my collies wobble.
Jemima
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Thanks Jan
I loved Marc’s Dark Days. Interestingly, a friend of mine, film-maker Chris Terrill, is currently embedded with with the UK Marines on a long-term series and due to go off to Afghanistan soon. Chris explored several options but I think finally went with the XDCam HD.
Marc’s workflow with the P2 cards makes it sound, if not easy, then at least possible… Do you know any more about his back-up procedure?
Jemima
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Recording live into FCP would be impossible for the kind of critical, in the field, documentary work we do.
“Er… you know that bit where you cried those huge voluminous tears remembering your dead husband… Er, could you just do that again for us ‘cos my laptop had a bit of a hiccup.”
Jemima
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Shane, can you tell me your workflow for shooting a long-form doc in the field with P2 cards?
I can’t see how it can be done in a way that would work for us.
Jemima
http://www.passionaterproductions.co.uk