[Richard Crowley]

“I usually delete only when I’m really sure I won’t need the project file again.”

If you can determine that definitively, you could probably make more money as a psychic than as a video producer. 🙂

The project file (and other production “meta-data”) is so small (compared to the raw video files), that there is no good reason not to archive them. I always preserve ALL the production files, the raw video, audio, stills, titles, etc. AND the project file (edit-list, etc.) I NEVER know when I will need to make a revision to a project.

[Richard Crowley]

What happens if you copy all the files off the DVD and put them into a hard drive directory? I do this all the time and Clip Browser reads the just fine.

Seems easy enough to create a laboratory experiment to shoot < 4.5G of video on an SxS, then try reading it four ways: 1) Direct off the SxS card (to establish the viability of the original and to see what it is supposed to work like. 2) Copy the entire SxS file structure to a hard drive and see if you can still read the contents with the Clip Browser. 3) Copy the entire SxS file structure to a DATA DVD disk. Try reading it back with the Clip Browser. 4) Copy the file structure from the DVD data disk to the hard drive and see if Clip Browser reads it. There is no fundamental reason why Clip Browser shouldn't be able to read any of these combinations.

[Richard Crowley]

We have no clue what you mean by “archive SxS card contents to a dual layer DVD”. You will need to explain in detail how you do this, else we are only shooting in the dark.

I regularly copy the contents of media from my EX1 (both SxS cards,and SDHC cards) by simply dragging and dropping the entire file structure to a hard drive.

No copy/backup/archive system should be considered “production-worthy” until you prove that you can reliably recover the data. I guess you learned that lesson the hard way.

[Richard Crowley]

I would experiment to see whether the problem is coming from the microphone picking up the interference, or whether the body pack transmitter is the sensitive part. I would also experiment to see how far away the mic and/or body pack has to be away from the burner to operate reliably. I would also experiment to see if the problem was worse if multiple burners are energized.

There may be no good solution to the problem besides going back to a more traditional cook top (or maybe adding a boom mic operator to the crew.) The data from the suggested experiments could be effective in making a case to the producer for whatever looks like the best solution.

[Richard Crowley]

The rule may be LEGAL and not production. There are rules probably across most of the western world about labeling “reenactment” or “paid endorser” or “actor simulation” whatever. But the client should know (or it would be in their best interest to discover) whether there are any legal requirements about that where the spots will be broadcast.

What does an actor look like when dressed as an actor? :-))

[Richard Crowley]

A similar thing happened on my DSR-300 camera lens connector (power went dead). There is a microscopic (size of a grain of rice) surface-mount fuse on the PC board behind that connector. The fuse probably cost only a few cents. But it probably costs $100s to replace it 🙁

Replacing an SMD component is difficult enough, but opening and closing the camcorder case to get to it is even worse. Even with years of experience working on things like that, I would think twice about tackling it myself.

[Richard Crowley]

So what happens if you use ONE NXCAM and the Z1? Not clear whether your problem is with the (unidentified) switcher, or with the camera. Do the differential diagnosis experiments to narrow down the problem to switcher or camera. You are the only one who can do that since you have the equipment in your hands. We can only guess at this distance.

[Richard Crowley]

One common technique is to “gate” or “duck” the ambient (audience) between words (or syllables) of the announcer track. This can be done in hardware while you are recording. Or it can be done in software, probably much easier.

You didn’t mention what software you are using for editing? Do you have any audio functions like that?

[Richard Crowley]

I gotta agree with Mr. Fishback here. Unless the celebrity is a gear-head tech nerd type, asking them to have any responsibility for the technical aspects of recording speech is just asking for disaster and hard feelings.

The only way I can see this working is if you go to their place and do all the physical arrangements, paying particular attention to acoustics of the space. And then if you could take remote control of the computer and run the recoding app for them. Assuming also that you had some additional (back-channel) way of hearing the performance and talking back to them.

[Richard Crowley]

What shotgun mic are you asking about? Does the shotgun mic require phantom power? Does your transmitter provide phantom power? (Phantom power, P48, is not the same as “plug-in power” commonly used for lav mics.

Is your shotgun mic a real line-gradient interference tube? Or is it just a long hyper-cardioid. If it is a hypercardioid then maybe it will work indoors, but true line-gradient shotgun mics typically don’t work very well indoors.

Those little tripod stands are rather flimsy for putting something like a shotgun mic on, and there is no vertical riser that you could use gaffers tape to attach the transmitter box.

Lav mics are not necessarily designed for close use. I wouldn’t just assume that a lav mic is unsuitable at longer distances. Now it is possible that you may have to trim the transmitter gain hotter if the mic will be used at a longer distance. But that would be the case for any kind of mic.