Rick Wise
1
COW Coin
Forum Replies Created
-
I am having the same sync problem with footage that is imported as MP4, and then rendered as MP4.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Blain Brown’s Motion Picture and Video Lighting.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
-
On professional stages where the walls are “white” limbo, it’s common to paint them “video gray.” It photographs white.
Pure white forces you to iris down and underexpose the actors. Video gray allows you to have an even bath of light (if that’s the look you want) with proper exposure for walls and people.
Daylight adds a problem. If you cannot block off the daylight, you will have to add at least 1/2 CTB to your tungsten lights — or light entirely with daylight units.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
Todd, the two problems with these smoke machines are: it is difficult to match densities and health.
Densities: it is very difficult to keep the same concentration hanging in the air over several takes. Further, when you move the camera close you have to increase the density or the next shot will look like there’s less smoke/fog. Visual continuity becomes extremely tricky, and you are left remembering what the previous shot looked like. With video, there’s a possibility of playback and matching that way — very time consuming and invites many kibitzers, especially producers and the like. Even more time spent.
Health: I don’t buy “safe.” I always wore a gas mask, which was awkward. I also insisted the production provide them for the crew.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
You might want to buy the text book I’m using for my digital Cine 1 students, Video Shooter, 2nd Edition, by Barry Braverman. Chapter 6, “Tweaking your story’s image.” is all about ways to adjust and control the look of your camera, including matrix, chroma, knee, master ped, gain, filters, etc.
You would play with these only when NOT on a paying gig…. until you learn what they can do. As always, a little goes a long way, less is more, etc…..
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
My experience of sitting in on many, many transfers from film to tape of my footage is that the most useful chart of all is a correctly exposed gray card. If the card is shot correctly, the colorist can neutralize everything correctly. After that s/he rolls into the scene and starts tweaking contrast etc.
“Shot correctly” means placing the card in what you have determined to be “white” light. For instance, if you want the effect of late sunlight streaming in with its orange cast, you would NOT put the card in the sunlight. Instead you’d light it with an HMI or some other “daylight” unit. If by mistake you placed the card in the sunlight, the colorist would pull out all the warmth.
But talk to the colorists you work with, the people who will adjust the color, contrast, etc. of your footage. Ask them.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
May I suggest a short video teaser?
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
The DVXs were in my view the best of the prosumer SD cameras. They allow considerable manual control and when set correctly take fabulous pictures. I think that there are no HD cameras for under a grand that come close to the quality of those images.
The camera is still made, in form DVX100B. About $2,000. If your needs are met with terrific SD video, you might consider buying one. Otherwise you’ll need to spend at least that much for a “good” HD camera but it will not have good performance in low light. One with good performance in low light will cost you quite a bit more.
Others here may have other ideas.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
The order matters a lot. I like to start with curves, then color correction. Yes, secondary can be helpful, though it’s easy to go too far too quickly. Practice, practice, practice.
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com