[Roger Van duyn]

One thing I forgot to mention in the previous post was that the Avid Usage Tab will show both elapsed time for the current session, and total elapsed time for the project. This is handy for when you open old projects, the usage data is still there.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

I don’t have an all in one solution, but there are two tools I make use for project management and tracking. I normally edit in Avid Media Composer. In the Project Bin, there’s a usage bin that tracks the time Avid has been open for the project.

The second tool is an online program called Harvest (harvestapp.com) that I use to Design Projects, Track Time, and Invoice Clients (including submission of estimates).

Avid is great because I don’t need to remember to start the tracking (usage) function up when I’m editing. Harvest needs to be started up, but can track time for most any function, even time spend reading on the Cow should I desire.

Hope this helps.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

Hi David. On the Canon XH-A1 there is an option called DV Control. Go to the MENU / SYSTEM SETUP/ DV CONTROL and set it to on. Then exit the menu.

When it’s on there is a symbol that looks like a lightning bolt on your display.

You can read about it on page 74 of the Canon XH-A1 manual.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

Hi Mike.

Three things to check:

1. Firewire cable
2. Firewire port on XHA1s
3. Firewire port on computer.

Troubleshooting is a process of elimination. You will need to try both a different cable and a different computer to verify the firewire port on the camera is working. If it doesn’t work when you change both the cable and the computer, the port on the camera may be dead.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

I think the kind of clients that would use a service like that are already using CraigsList.

There’s a big difference between a thrifty (but fair minded) client and a grinder. With experience, I’ve been learning to distinguish the two types earlier, while they are still only prospects, not clients.

It’s better to just pass on an offer from a prospect than needing to “fire a client” later.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

I normally have the person being interviewed wear a lavalier, then have a shotgun microphone on a boom stand just out of frame.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

I have a client who supplied some footage shot on one of the newer card based Canon Vixias to go with the footage I shot with the two XH’s. That footage matched up well, under normal lighting, even though the Vixia was AVCHD and mine was HDV.

Footage was from several different dates in the same setting, so lighting was pretty consistent. I only did a little minor tweaking of the color.

Are you sure the 20X zoom in those vixias isn’t a digital zoom, instead of a real optical zooms? I’d be very surprised if it was a real 20X zoom.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

As far as I know, Canon isn’t making any that have at least a 20X zoom. Even the XF-300 and XF-305 have an 18X zoom.

You might try looking for a used XH-A1. Mine match up well with the newer Canons. I believe Canon also makes a telephoto adapter that attaches to the XA-10.

The new JVC 600 series might also work out for you, but they are quite a bit more than the XA-10.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

A small camera case with shoulder strap can work. Sound guys often carry a field mixer in a custom case with a shoulder strap.

The sound guy can probably just put the H4N in his pocket if he’s wearing a jacket, or cargo pants with big pockets.

There’s also fannie packs. Or a cameraman’s vest. Or a fisherman’s vest with big pockets.

In my limited experience, it’s not practical to try to ride the levels with the H4N. It’s too cumbersome. My field mixer has knobs. I Usually just setup/test the H4N once, then leave it alone. You only need to see the display if you’re going to change something.

Roger

[Roger Van duyn]

Also remembered that I often need to do another manual white balance with the XH-A1, and sometimes a second time even later as the light temperature changing from the sun going down during athletic events and the stadium lights taking over.

The wash from the red mat on the ref’s shirt, that’s pretty bad.

You can trick the white balance to correct by using a pale orange card instead of a white or gray card to cool off the colors. But shooting bright red floor sounds really rough.

(Conversely, you can warm up your footage by using a pale blue card for white balance).

Have you thought of just using one of the black and white presets? Fight footage might look pretty good in black and white. Just a thought.

Roger