Jonathan Ziegler
Forum Replies Created
-
Thanks for the advice, I will put them on my list of people to see. This list is getting bigger by the hour. Good thing I’ll be there for a couple days. Thanks again!
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
Rich, try the ones here:
https://stores.ebay.com/KAWAMALL-PHOTO?_rdc=1
They’re cheap, but they work fine for me. I like the price so much, I just buy one for each lens so I don’t have to switch adapters -it’s already attached.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
Take the clip you want to retime and make adjustments in motion union optical flow retime, then looks like a selective focus plugin or effect in FCP or motion and the retime is super easy in FCP after motion is done with it.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
The kit lens is a really generic 18-55mm lens. It also has the built-in image stabilization. It has some limitations for video: no zooming without stopping up/down, limited f-stop range, and the APS-C sensor makes for limited wide-angle – turns 18mm into almost 30mm.
The older Sigma 28-70 were good, but I’m hoping the newer ones will have better autofocus (I find Sigma lenses “hunt” too much for focus after some use). I gave up on autofocus with DSLR video a while ago, tho.
My best lens (for video) is an old Vivitar Series 1 35-85mm f2.8 (Nikon mount converted to EOS). Consider some relatively inexpensive primes, too – a 35, 50, 85, 105, and 135 are good ones – 50mm f1.4 or f1.8 are readily available in many mounts which can be easily adapted to canon (I like Nikon glass adapted to EF mount). Good 24mm and 35mm are hard to come by (and lower focal lengths like 16mm), but getting wide is important. The way you shoot will largely drive which lenses you get. I don’t actually zoom very much so I have primes, BUT I still have a number of zoom lenses for photo work and focal lengths I can’t get with primes (for example, I love my Sigma 70-300mm macro so I can get in TIGHT ;).
For info, check out https://nofilmschool.com/dslr/lenses-primes-brands/
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
I have an SDHC card reader there. It’s faster than USB and I don’t need a separate device. 🙂 Also good for network connectivity, wifi, esata add-on, additional firewire, etc. Thunderbolt just came out and there are hardly any devices for it. The vast majority of my setup is Firewire, FW-800, and tons of USB. Even if I buy a new mac with Thunderbird, it’ll be a while before there’s tons of hardware for it and I’m heavily invested in it – I’ll still be using FW/FW-800 for a while.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
A good book to check out is the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines. Updated for years, this book covers graphic design, but the principles still apply.
Many of the points you reference have been handled by disciplines that have seen the same types of changes and found ways to overcome them. In a way, they’re a little ahead of the curve because these changes hit them first.
I know video isn’t the same as graphic design, but we are all visually creative professionals in one way or another and can learn a lot from those disciplines that have already been through it so we can get through our own unique challenges.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
I downloaded it and I’ve gone over the site, but it still looks pretty harmless with the exception that it can totally screw up your camera. Supposedly, bad things are rare and usually happen when you don’t get the correct updates. Make sure you have version 1.0.9 of the firmware, too. Remove the battery and card from the camera AFTER EACH USE and keep a separate card for ML than other cards. Get the software they recommend for your SD card(s) (I use MacBoot).
Going back was as simple as the directions on the site say they are (format the card in the camera). The risk is basically that it kills your warranty if something goes wrong and you will need to pay to fix or buy a new one.
If you’re not sure, check the wiki site for Magic Lantern and read the issue tracking area.
My personal warning: this is a hack. The site is hacker-friendly. Many of these folks are coders and hackers first and filmmakers or videographers or even photographers second. If you are not real comfy with terms like “boot sector,” not real good with technical terms, or wouldn’t know a bit from a byte (okay, I’m getting dramatic here), consider NOT working with ML and wait for a camera that will do what you want. I mention this because many years back, I was a computer guy and I wrote lots of code, but got really bored with code and decided I wanted to work with machines not code them. I have a background in code and I’m comfy swapping out bootable SD cards and such.
That said, until I have some time to really test it’s capabilities, I’m not comfortable using Magic Lantern for any professional use, BUT you gotta start someplace.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
DSLRs have some unique challenges when shooting green screen, but have some advantages over video.
1- DSLRs use a compressed format – keep you ISO low, keep your light bright. We found fluorescents particularly useful, but you need a lot of them. Light the hell out of the green screen. It should be bright enough to shoot by itself at ISO 100, shutter between 1/60 and 1/125, with an f-stop around 5.6 – I don’t recommend higher (found it better to limit DOF to keep the green screen out of focus unless you are tracking points, but that’s another story). You will light your subject separately and will need another set of lights to do it.
2. A narrow DOF is your friend and foe. If your shooting at an f2.8, you get lots of light, but also fuzzy edges. Now you have to hope you have the software to handle pulling the matte.
3. Green gets everywhere. It reflects into the shadows, appears in the highlights, wraps around the subject. You get the idea. Since it sound like you only have the one side, this may not be an issue, but be looking for it.
4. Did I mention you need lots of light? I like fourescents because they provide even light on the green screen, then you need to light your subject separately. I like daylight balanced cfls and daylight balanced tubes. The tubes are great for the screen mounted above and pointed down and towards the green screen and then use cfls and/or tubes to light your subject. Did I mention they should be balanced? I like daylight balanced.
5. Covert. Transcode. The native file format can be dodgy. Prepare to trancode to an editing format like prores 422 for apple or cineform for PC – I think, I’m not a PC person anymore.
All that said, it is possible to use a dslr to shoot green screen. Is it as easy to do as a regular (non dslr) camera? Yes and no and it depends on what you have and know already. Plenty of people are doing it, but I suggest using a film workflow rather than a video workflow. You mentioned being a photographer and wanting an easy key – the suggestions above will help, but practice will make perfect.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
We have used both a portable audio device (like the h4n) and direct recording to a laptop using protools or cubase or some sort of pro audio software. Now, in both instances, we also had experienced audio professionals running the equipment. In both instances, we got great sound (the film is in post right now – finleywade.tv). When it was me running audio (not an audio professional, but a guy with a good ear), I found it simpler to run an audio device as the laptop option required someone to hold a boom and someone to run the laptop (2 ppl). I usually run camera, tho, too. Long story short: it depends on what you know and what you’re comfortable with as both options will work. I just ordered a new h4n so I intend to keep using the portable device option, but I think the audio was better with a seasoned audio pro running the audio in any case.
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293 -
OMG! She’s keeping 50% of the contract? Yowza! I’m in the wrong business!
She shouldn’t have left a contract out. That’s a huge no-no from a client confidentiality standpoint.
Agree to a commission from the contractor of no more than 10% specifically for business received from one of her former clients for no more than 1 year. It’s still free money for her and you are (likely) under no contractual obligation to do so anyway. Do this if you intend to do business with this person again. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure you won’t be doing business with her again anyway.
TALK TO A LAWYER! I’m a huge proponent of getting legal advice on most business things. You may find there is a lot involved you don’t know about and nobody on the board can give you legal advice (only well-intentioned legal-ish advice to which we have no legal obligation). Call around for a contract or business lawyer with a solid intellectual property and/or entertainment background. Many will give you a free 1-hour consultation for a specific issue and then will be able to quote you for any work they may have to do. Entertainment and IP lawyers aren’t cheap, but spending a few hundred bucks to save you thousands in the long run is money well-spent. Many will also be able to generate generic contracts you can use again and again that protect your interests. I assure you PBS has its own lawyers that represent their interests nicely.
If you don’t want to talk to an attorney or can’t afford one, check this out: https://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/standard-agreement – the AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for artists. This will not cover video specifically, but it will cover many forms of creative expression. It’s not a clip and paste doc, but it has a number of suggestions for the types of things creatives should be including in their own contracts. They will recommend you seek legal advice (anyone who offers any sort of legal document will make this recommendation to mitigate liability) and I still will, too. AIGA has been fighting for artist rights for decades and are a well-respected group.
Other legal resources for entertainment law:
https://www.lawlawlandblog.com/
https://marklitwak.blogspot.com/
https://www.filmindependent.org/content/legal-ease-entertainment-law-blog-young-filmmakers-0Cheers! Remember: slander and libel are illegal! 😉
Jonathan Ziegler
https://www.electrictiger.com/
520-360-8293