[John Sharaf]

Kevin,

The only output on the Varicam is an HD-SDI spigot, so you’d need to use a “capture card” like an AJA Kona installed in a FCP system to import it. You can convert it to PRORES or recompress it to DVCPRO100 this way. As always, the usual warnings about excessive wear on the camera’s recorder apply.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Tony,

Simple formula. Video lens focal length (on 2/3″ imager like F900) X2.5 yields 35mm focal length.

For example at 30mm on video = 75mm on 35mm Film Camera.

The thing to remember is that the field of view will be the same, but the depth of fields will be less on the 35mm Film Camera lens at comparable f-stop. You could use depth of field charts to reset iris on the 35mm Camera Lens to match.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Kutlwano,

Camera-wise, the main caution would be to turn the detail off. This will give you the best and most natural edge for the key. Also be sure to turn shutter on to 180 degrees if you’re shooting at 24/25 or 30 fps, otherwise there will be too much motion blur, especially if there is action.

As far as lighting, as usual for all keys, make background screen as even as possible and place exposure under key. For example if you’re keying faces to 60 ire, make greenscreen 40 ire. This will also help keeping reflected light off screen to a minimum.

Good luck,

JS

[John Sharaf]

Brad,

Sounds like sloppy registration in your “reconditioned” camera. To be sure you’d need to shoot registration test. Simplest test is to shoot detailed subject, like the classified page of newspaper, then rewind or reload film and shoot again. This double exposure will reveal any weakness in registration.

As far as the telecine; all 24fps film to tape will include the 3:2 pulldown, because all tape formats (except 24/25p in HDCAM) record at 30 frames per second (really 29.97). Your NLE will remove the original 24 if you want to create a 24p project.

The only exception is that there are specially modified video machines which run at 24p for the purpose of playing back video to be rephotographed by a movie camera.

About “getting around” the perceived problem, there really is no way other than to determine if the camera had registration issues and if so, reshoot.

It’s somewhat ironic, now that HD video as progressed to the point it has in replacing film for many traditional film holdouts, for you to be going the other way. The many reasons for using HD instead; cheaper, no grain, instant confidence, simpler and faster workflow, no jitter, etc., beg the question, why?

JS

[John Sharaf]

Bradley,

There are only 30 frames per second in video, but there are 60 fields. When you shoot 60p on the Varicam you can play it back for slowmotion or create 30 frames of 2 fields each. The difference from 60i is that the two fields are temporally different and in fact tend to show a smoother motion than the two half frames in interlace.

JS

[John Sharaf]

The main advantage to bring in the footage at its native 24p is to save storage space. 24 is only 40% of 60, so you can imagine how much space you save. In the end you output to either 24 for film out or 60i for broadcast where the 3:2 pulldown is included.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Rick,

You are correct in favoring a softbox or lite panel (scrim) vs. bouncing light in most situations as it’s a much better way to control the illumination and minimize the “spill” light into places you don’t want it.

I’ll often bounce light to enhance the “ambient” lighting in day interiors or for fill when the key is very strong (like the sun coming through a window).

JS

[John Sharaf]

Rick,

Is this a trick question? I don’t think any filter or gel can create such moods.

I think that what you put in the frame can enhance what you’re looking for, although confidence can really best be enhanced by the attitude of the speaker, same with professionalism. Education and innovation perhaps could be complemented by the appropriate set and background objects.

Lighting (including the effect of filters and gels) really is limited to moods like romance, time of day, historical periods (before electricity, etc.), scariness, atmospheric conditions, physical location (in a cave, on an asteroid), etc.

The creation of such illusions is really a combination of many things.

JS

[John Sharaf]

Justin,

I’ve had similar issues with Panasonic service upon return, namely that other problems present. Not to make excuses, but they are understaffed and overworked. I’m sure they’ll repair it at no charge and pay for the shipping.

Good luck,

JS

[John Sharaf]

Bryon,

There are several advantages to recording to “files” rather than tape; first off you’re able to preserve the full horizontal resolution (no down rez to fit on tape). In addition you can get a full 10 bit color depth.

There is more than one way to do this too; like you suggest, you can use the Panasonic P2 Mobile and record to P2 cards from ant camera that outputs an HD-SDI signal, or you can record straight to Final Cut Pro (FCP) using one of it’s high quality codec’s like ProRes. Because you say you’re in a studio, I’d think the latter would be the best workflow for you in that it’s cheaper and eliminates the separate digitizing process. Many visual effects shoots do this to preserve the highest quality for compositing.

It’s a good idea to roll the tape in the camera as well for a permanent protection/archive copy.

JS