John Sharaf
Forum Replies Created
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Again, my preference is to use comparable gear in order to keep color temperature consistent, so the 4×4 and 2’x4 fills the bill costs less than the HMI option. Don’t scrimp on c-stands!
JS
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If it were me, I’d take a 400 Joker as the backlight and use with a softbox. This way (God forbid) if the 800 fails or won’t restrike, you’ll have a backup. If you must use a tungsten light, get a 500-650w fresnel with a dicroic or blue glass and scrim set to control.
If cost is a big consideration, now that it turns out that you aren’t actually shooting into the window, you could use that 4×4 Kino and the hanging Lee216 the same way and a 2′ Fourbank as backlight. Notice that they are the same ratio of output as the 800 and 400!
JS
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Daniel,
The Joker 800 kit box is exactly the same size as the 400 kit.
The most beautiful key light is made by double diffusing; use the
softbox on the 800 and hang a roll of Lee216 in front of it; this really wraps on the subjects face and all but eliminates nose shadow but still has a directionality. Double diffusing requires a bigger source, namely the 800 vs. the 400 if you are fighting a bright background. If however you are able to scout the actual shot and determine that the 400 will provide the necessary poop, then you’re all set. Myself, I always prefer a slightly larger light that I can scrim down, because as you well know the alternative of making a small light brighter is not pretty!JS
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Daniel,
A 400w HMI is hardly “overkill” if you’re trying to balance a window in the shot. I’d recommend both an 800 and a 400 Joker, which you can use either with softboxes or one hard and one soft. I am fortunate to have several 1800w Arris which are the biggest HMI you can plug into a household circuit, so there is no second guessing, you can always dim, scrim or diffuse the light down if necessary.
JS
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Nathan,
I don’t believe there is any right, wrong, ideal standard “shooting ratio”; it really is a function of the director’s wish and style, spiced with economic considerations (time is money). I think it is fair to say the episodic television in general has a lower ratio thtn feature films or commercials, because they only have 5-7 days to complete their 45 minute script. A feature film with a 50 day schedule may shoot only two minutes a day and a commercial might shoot all day, or even several days for a 30 second product (although there are often several versions involved).
In general I think the answer is that the work usually fills the time available. Also the ratio is affected by a common process of continuing past a “circle take” to make a “protection”. This is a hold over from the film days, where it was always possible for the film to break in the processor, or the tape to be crumpled in the VTR; now with digital files these problems are less likely. It’s more likely to loose an entire file than for one small part of it to be damaged.
On the set there are many individuals who can affect the shooting ratio in addition to the director; an operator who keeps missing the shot, an assistant missing the focus, an actor missing his/her marks or blowing a line, the boom dipping into the shot, etc., etc. Certainly in a professional environment these things are less common.
I’d suggest that you’d be a “lazy filmmaker” only if you choose to move on without being completely satisfied that you got the take you need/like.
JS
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Vincent,
Standard definition conforms to SMPTE standard 601 while High Definition is SMPTE standard 709. These standards differ by raster size (720×480 vs 1920×1080 or 1280×720) and colorometry. Standard def can be 4×3 or 16×9 and your receiver allows you to letterbox, side cut or unsqueeze the picture to fit. High Def is always 16×9.
Early 16×9 capable cameras would top and bottom cut the 4×3 to 16×9 thus reducing the vertical resolution, later versions preserved the full height and offered side cut to accommodate legacy 4×3 use.
Eventually all the 4×3 receivers will be replaced and only 16×9 sets in both SD and HD will remain. Another possibility of course is that all conventional “TV” sets as we know them will disappear in favor of computer monitors, which was/is the true promise of “convergence” which was the unrealized dream at the origin of the High Def standards.
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Jerell,
I’ve long since gotten rid of my 1200 and 1400 decks, but my recollection of that error is that you’ve go a dirty read head. There is also a green/yellow/red warning indicator; red means bad. Cleaning the heads on this deck is a little tricky; sometimes a cleaning tape works, but usually the only satisfactory solution for me was a trip to Panasonic factory service.
Good luck!
JS
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Hi Ben,
Internet is wonderful source. Here’s what Wikipedia (#1 listing on Google search) says:
JumboTron is a large-screen television using technology developed by Sony, typically used in sports stadiums and concert venues to show close up shots of the event. Although JumboTron is a registered trademark owned by the Sony Corporation, the word jumbotron is often used by the public as a genericized trademark. Sony JumboTrons ceased being sold in 2001, when the company decided to exit the business.
JS
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T stop is really only pertinent in film cameras, where you are not able to “monitor” the effect behind the lens, and you are more likely to be setting exposure with a light meter.
In video you are always looking at the post lens effect, eithER in a viewfinder or monitor and thus have no reason to know or care what the T-Stop is or isn’t. There is no need for grading or anything else if you are consistent in the method you use to set exposure; most likely zebras, waveform or histogram in video.
JS
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F2.8 on your light meter equals the exposure on the film or imager of the T2.8 setting on your lens.
JS