[John Sharaf]

Mike,

When shooting video in a theater, where all the lights are going through dimmers and are often colored with ge4ls in addition, the general practice would be to use the tuingsten preset on the camera. This way the LD’s intentions in creating mood with color are best transferred to the video record.

If however there is multicamera coverage, it is of some concern to “match” the cameras, so that the color effect is similar on all the cameras. In this case, you should consider aiming all the cameras at the same white balance target ( a chip chart is ideal and that which is usually used in an engineering environment) which should be lit by a nominal tungsten unit (that is with no added color gel) and at full line voltage.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Dennis,

Thanks for your encouragement. Yes my chin is up and my arms are swinging wildly!

I suppose the situation at ABC is at the root of my sensitivity on this subject. The fact is that hundreds if not thousands of lives have been adversely affected as a result of bean counters in control of profits at the expense of a proud organization made up of real people (i.e. journalists) being penalized for essentially trying to do a good job.

One can not help but be embittered by these developments and the “joke” that is left is only am embarrassing imitation of the news.

This same scenario plays itself out everyday now in industries across the spectrum of American life, as I mentioned in the previous post, but I think every once in a while we must shine a strong light on these things, as I hope I have done in this case.

I too saw Neil’s website and was frankly confused by the GMA video there. I’m glad he has since clarified his involvement, but again I think we’ll see more and more of the blurring of line which it represents; namely the new Digital Journalists enlisting the aid of there friends and families to crew their productions for free and everyone (and their uncles) publishing links to ABC News stories and the like, claiming (or at least inferring) authorship. This is absolutely fine on one’s blog, but I was taught higher standards regarding the truth when I started at network news many years ago, which obviously have fallen by the wayside to the benefit of business decisions.

These feelings come in waves, and while I might sound crazy, I assure you I am not, and I know that because they are echoed by lots of other folks in the same position as I. I’m grateful for this forum as an outlet, and I believe that though oblique, discussions like this do have a place in lighting and for complete lighting directors, as without our skills and abilities to shine that bright light on the subject it will forever remain in the dark. I have always cherished the opportunity to make an appealing picture to enhance a subject or point of view and I guarantee I will continue to do that going on.

Cheers,

JS

[John Sharaf]

Neil,

Believe me, I understand.

I thought long and hard before I replied to your query, as I knew a possible s**t storm was brewing, but I could not stop myself!

I would never suggest that you don’t do what is necessary for your own survival, but you must be aware of the road kill that is created, and then act responsibly, which it seem from your last entry that you are doing.

From the beginning we’ve all tried to do the best we can for our clients; often going beyond the call and agreeing to cut-throat deals, including extras at no charge, waiving overtime and meals, etc. The problem comes when the clients then expect all these things every time, and that is exactly what is happening now. The water’s been poisoned for everyone, and there’s no going back.

In the last year, I’ve seen my best and biggest network clients actually vaporize (poof). I’ve had others close their doors and disappear. Some just refuse to pay the bills. Others systematically book and cancel, and the ones that are left want to pay half or less of what they’ve paid before, and none of it has to do with me (or you) not doing a good job.

In the grand scheme of things, it’s not just camera people or lighting technicians; it’s auto workers, telephone repair workers, longshoremen, factory workers of all kinds, people who work in warehouses, essentially anybody who has worked in an industry long enough to have advanced to a higher pay scale that now finds their livelihood threatened.

Obviously the technology has had an effect too, as you suggest. Why would anyone pay the legacy costs of production for a video that’s 2×3 inches in size on a stuttery internet presentation?

The true scope of unemployment is a well kept secret and the reality of under-employment even less known. I can tell by the number of calls and emails I get from others looking for work that times are bad and don’t seem to be improving.

When I see my peers at trade shows like the recent NAB and guys in regional markets tell me that they’ll be happy to work forty days this year, I have visions of the dust bowl in the 1930’s. I used to have some months in which I’d work forty days (by double dipping).

I can only hope that we’re in the bad side of a pendulum swing, and that eventually it’ll all come back, but my suspicion is that the cost cutting that’s been going on, in order to raise corporate profits, will not allow the type of spending that benefited film workers in the past.

When an entire section of the country is being wiped out by an uncontrolled oil spill that’s been going on for forty days, I am forced to wonder about everybody’s future. And who do they turn to to fix the spill? James Cameron. Please, give me a break. If our life is a movie, it’s turned into a disaster film!

See what I mean? I should have left well enough alone. Buy the Diva and aim it at your subject, it’ll be beautiful, and hope for the best!

I’m sorry,

JS

[John Sharaf]

Hi Neil,

No faux pas per se, but this trend that you enunciate, namely replacing freelance camera technician vendors with in house employees and prosumer equipment is seen by many here (namely other freelance camera technicians) as a direct threat to their existence. The reason your freelancer was able to do such a good job in the past is that he has a complete kit from which to draw the proper gear for the particular shot that you’re doing at that moment. Every setup might require a different tool set for the best result; that’s why there are hundreds of different types of lighting units manufactured.

If in fact you are always recreating the same lighting effect in the same environment, of course it is possible to own a small kit that will serve your purpose. If however you are in different conditions, such as rooms with windows, exteriors, large warehouses, fluorescent workspaces, etc. the small kit you describe will be a compromise and the quality of the work you’re able to produce will suffer.

Bottom line, none of us here want to see our peers put out of work by the scenario you describe, it is affecting all of us who do this job across the country (and I suspect around the world too) so we are reluctant to assist you on that basis. Don’t take it personally, we’re trying not to as well!

Regards,

JS

[John Sharaf]

I’m not familiar with that particular camera, but Sony etiquette is to hold down rotary switch for five seconds and then turn menu toggle on to view “top” menu, then you’ll have all the functions available.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Tom,

Try installing the newest version 2.5.1 which you can download from Sony Support site at no charge.

JS

[John Sharaf]

It is important to shoot an appropriate frame rate for your intended end use. 30p is a good rate for webcast because it repeated each frame twice and makes it easy7 for the encoder to keep up. In addition, it’s a good frame rate for feature news/doc on tv, as it has a somewhat film look vs. live video look of 60p or 60i. It’s for this reason that CBS’s 60 Minutes is shot at this rate.

For DVD’s the favored rate is 24p, especially for long form like movies. This is because it uses on;y 40% of the stpace of 60p or 60i and you can fit a feature length program on the DVD.

Finally, 720/60p and 1080/60i are for a live tv look.

The real problem comes when there are multiple end uses or even unknown end use. 24p can be easily converted to 60i, although it will retain it’s film like motion. 30 and 60 cannot be converted to 24p successfully, although there are “film look” processes that approximate the film motion.

One last thing to remember when choosing frame rates is to use a 180 degree (or half) shutter) when shooting 24 or 30p.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Wynn,

Yes that is correct, although the two cameras can be matched to look very close. Best method is to use qualified engineer, DSC Chroma du Monde chart and WF/V scope.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Tom,

In places with out convention grip equipment support, you can often find a white silk parachute to use as an overhead.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Peter,

I know for a fact that audio is not embedded in the 25p/50i formats, but I’m not sure about time code. I believe the work around would be to input the audio to the audio in connectors on the Nanoflash.

JS