[John Sharaf]

Hi Bob,

Yes, the PDW700 is a world camera, it shoots 1080/720/NTSC & PAL at 24/25/30/50 and 60. It’s particularly appropriate for ISO recording, because the media lasts 45 minutes in HD or 85 minutes in DVCAM or twice as much with double sided discs at very low media cost (as I mentioned).

Problem for you is low budget part. While you haven’t really explained what the application is (concert, meeting, ???) the requirements to cable everything together is what costs money. That what the Fiber Cable System is for. It carries SDI video, TC, genlock, audio (2 tracks), remote control, intercom and power in one cable that can easily be extended and is readily available vs. a custom made cable loom of conventional copper (digital video only can travel 100 yards on copper, that when the Fiber becomes mission critical) In addition, because of the complexity of setup, there’s no way to avoid a prep/setup day, although the rental vendor will not charge you rental, you must pay your engineering staff to do it. Plan at least 12 hours to build, setup, test and wrap a system on this size, and you’ll need the resources of a large rental vendor.

Where is your shoot, and what is it’s nature? There might be other specific recommendations. From the 24 track requirement, I can only guess it’s a concert. A tech scout is critical also, several days in advance of the build, to allow the rental vendor enough time to put everything together and make sure you have enough cable. You must determine where in the venue you’ll build the control room and accurately measure cable runs to each camera. In addition, special platforms might be required to raise the cameras ton an appropriate high, not to mention negotiation of camera positions to minimize sight loss and sold seat loss.

Budget is always an issue, but there is a point below which a professional job cannot be done. The video production is often told that they are subservient to the needs of the promoter, venue and act, so you must fight for the access and resources to do an adequate job. Another route of course is to book an OB truck, and this is sometimes the most economical route, especially in regional areas where no rental vendor has such a kit as I’ve outlined. The OB trucks will have fiber or triax cable capable for the job and because they drive up prebuilt, you trade the setup day for a long setup.shoot.wrap day.

That’s about all you’ll get for free from me or any other person capable of setting something like this up. Now it’s time to get a real bid for both a roll-in and OB truck scenario. My guess of hand is in the neighborhood of $35-40K for video gear and labor, plus the 24 track audio facility, specialty camera support and operators and grip and lighting. I know it’s scary, but you could easily spend $25 on crap video and get nothing or a post production nightmare.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Thank you Rick for making this off list email more public. You are correct that it will benefit anyone who participates in the forum.

To your unnamed correspondent:

I am very familiar and experienced in multicam shoots, having done hundreds of them in SD and HD for broadcast and other clients, mostly using my own kit.

First off there are two faulty assumptions in your plan. First is to switch the format from the clients request. Clients are the ones who determine the format, there is usually good reasons for their choices, having to do with their post infrastructure and/or delivery requirements. Second is your suggestion to use two different cameras. The unifying principal to successful multicam is to use the same cameras. This assures a more perfect camera match, both in look and connectivity.

Therefore, based on the request for PAL DVCAM, I’d recommend:

6 @ Sony PDW700’s (with SD option) This will allow shooting in HD and playout in SD, or staying in SD the whole way. Also the XDCAM Professional disc media is inexpensive, at aboyt $20/85 minutes in DVCAM and is archival in nature, so there is no need to backup, process or otherwise add workflow other than file based ingest toi their NLE.

6 @ Tripods, Dollies, Jib, Steadycams or Handheld modes as required, and appropriate wide or long lenses and focus/zoom servos as needed.

6 @ Telecast Copperhead Cine Fiber Cable Systems with Power Plus and SMPTE Hybrid cable or Tac 2 cable (for Steadycam)

1 @ Evertz 7700 Frameset with 6 @ HDSDI DC-DA’s, Trilevel Sync Generator and DA, 8×1 Audio DA’s (2), TC Geneator and DA

1 @ Panasonic 400 Switcher (set up for six HDSDI inputs, for use as Multiviewer with two 23″ eCinema, Cinetal or Sony Trimaster monitors

6 @ RMB150 or preferably RMB750 Remote CCU’s

1 @ Monitor bridge including 6×1 HDSDI Router, Leader LV5700/5750 Waveform/Vectorscope, 14″ BVMD14F5U Monitor and DSC Chroma du Monde Chart

1 @ Sound Devices 788T with 8 channel mix pot option

2 @ 17″ Panasonic Monitors, for both the video controller and the audio mixer to view Multiviewer.

1 @ RTS intercomm system with stations for director, producer, audio, video and headsets for all cameras. A SSA-324 or equivalent and a 6×1 Five pin DA will be required to feed the six Telecasts. You might consider adding an intercomm specialist for this.

As far as staffing, you’ll need a skilled EIC and Video Maintainance Technician to setup this rig the day before on a prep day at the rental vendor, then pack for travel and resetup on location.

Depending on the location of the shoot, this type of setup might need to be sourced in a larger market and traveled in.

JS

[John Sharaf]

The lenses in these type of pattern lights are not the highest quality, a;though Source Four has recently added a line of “enhanced definition” lenses as higher prices to solve the issue you describe. Of course you must carefully calculate the trhe distance of the throw, the desired size of the light pattern and then deduce the angle of the lens required.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Steve,

Yes, of course this can be done, but you must be aware that the cloth will have to be very large and seamless to the edges or else you’ll see the edges. It’s therefore nor a very practical nor elegant solution.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Because Varicam is a digital camera, it’s less susceptible to “ground hum”, but this effect could still be introduced by monitor connected to AC and/or analog audio connections. See if you can reproduce the effect with no monitor or audio connected before sending in to Panasonic.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Marc,

This is not normal. Can you tell if it’s the camera head or recorder (Visible in VF?). In any event these units need to go back to Panasonic, but make sure to send them a tape with fault on it.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Steve,

You are correct in anticipating issues with reflections in the glass, but it’s not going to be impossible to accomplish.

First off, you have to think of the glass a mirror and, just as in a game of pool, plan the bounces. As far as the lights themselves, as long as keep from aiming them at the glass/mirror you won’t see them. Most recording studios have windows with non-perpendicular glass anyway. This has to do with sound reflections.

The main concern that remains is the reflections of objects that are lit, like the people, instruments, mikes, console, etc. Here you have two choices; move the camera one way or the other, up or down to eliminate the reflection, or use the reflections of these objects, which you’d expect to see in the studio, as visual elements. This will help in creating interesting relationships and three dimensional composition.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Nate,

No need to use green screen, you’d only make the lighting more complicated and risk poor edge quality.

Based on the size of the grouping, you’ll need an appropriately sized black backing. They come in 8×8 and 12×12 solids from grip supply vendors. easy to hang with a 8′ or 12′ piece from a frame set, two stands and grip clips. Mafers are a good device to tighten on cross member and lock into c stand head.

Then light conventionally being careful to use backlight to separate subjects from backing, especially black hair. if it’s in your control to request that they don’t wear black suits that would help too, otherwise use care with fill lighting to make sure there is light on the dark suits and in the fall of from the key on the faces.

Even though the effect you desire is limbo, sometimes adding a strong light source on the black backing can help create a three. rather than two dimensional effect. A Source Four leko is good or even a small HMI which will create a blue/black effect.

I’d recommend you have a helper to setup the large cloth.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Sonja,

Normal setup for transcription copy is to have audio mixer feed the transcription recorder and if you want time code, connect TC out on camera to audio track 2.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Vince,

I think you can get a 20-30% discount off that price.

JS