[Steve Kownacki]

Hi Craig,
Here’s some pix when I was hiding traffic glare from the front of a retail store – https://www.flickr.com/photos/finalfocus/1532680809/in/set-72157602347054928/ – used aircraft cable, taped the plastic to it, and hoisted it up. There’s alot of tension so you need great support. On windows, gaffer tape will be just fine every foot or so. Remember to budget time to do that, a genie lift will be very helpful, but a tall ladder will do… not to mention an assistant or 3. I’ve also used that porous landscape fabric that does not completely block the light, but it WAY lighter; that you can tuck into the drop ceiling tiles and let it hang.

Sounds like you have access to the joists in the ceiling. Something where you can hang things from safely? You could build a frame out of 2x4s and drape blankets over it. Attach pulleys to the joists and use cable to hoist it just over their heads. Again lots of time and prep. Other option is to rent a few crank-up stands, put a truss across (30′ wide is not a problem), and affix your rig to that. Think of a light truss at a concert. By all means BE SAFE. That falling on someone could kill them. Just like any suspended fixture, put a safety cable on it and make sure you liability insurance is up to snuff.

If you’re not going to see the floor, put carpet everywhere, or soft furniture, whatever you can to cover hard surfaces. Put stuff behind and to the sides of the camera as their voice is projected in that direction – stopping the 1st sound reflection will be very helpful. The blankets on c-stands need to be just out of frame, the closer the better. Box them in as best you can.

Steve

[Steve Kownacki]

All in all it nets you zero. You’ll show the income then a contribution. IMO not worth the paperwork.

Steve

[Steve Kownacki]

I too use Harbor Freight for blankets and gizmos. Can you tackle this as 2 issues? Sound and light. Block the windows with a roll of landscape plastic, 20×100′ roll at Home Depot is cheap. It’s also VERY lightweight compared to duvetyne.

Then control the sound nearer your subject – packing blankets on the floor and c-arms close to the talent. Any cheap/free rug scraps work too – a few spring clamps on a c-stand and hoist ’em up. If you block the sound close by it won’t create the echo.

What are you specifically trying to shoot? If you have really wide shots, it may pay you to dub in the audio where the closely-placed sound control is removed in the wide shot.

Steve

[Steve Kownacki]

Here’s the Manfroto with a 4″ vacuum mount. You have to go outside to view the LCD to set up your shot or use the video out to external monitor. Get a 12V power inverter to run the camera on AC if you don’t want to worry about battery life.

ND is a good idea to experiment with; I’ve never done it. Obviously I use an ancient Digi8 camera for the stuff I play with. The Vixia gets great reviews. On any camera I’d make sure of total manual control for iris, WB, and focus along with an mic in jack and get a JuicedLink cheapie mixer for XLR mics. Also, you can get a cheap zoom control on ebay for $29 that works with lanc control or that new multi-pin roundish connector. You can sit in the back seat with a video monitor, headphones and the zoom control. If you drive in one direction (controlling the sunlight direction), I’d opt for a fixed iris and let the bagkground does what it does. Also see if you can mount filters on the lens, some you can’t if you want to use a wide angle.

I’m looking into a new camera and will let you know what I come up with; probably going to be in the $7-800 range. I like the one Sony that puts GPS data on the still images it takes, won’t do it on video though. Also want it to shoot to SDHC cards and not just an internal hard drive. The face tracking does work amazingly well from what I’ve heard.

The earlier comment about cleaning the window is 2-fold: if the cam is outside you want a clean window; but also clean glass on the inside will make sure the mount doesn’t come off.

Steve

[Steve Kownacki]

Nope. This is something you do out of the kindness of your heart.

However – don’t be bashful about asking for in-kind marketing and PR. Get your story on their website and newsletter. Have you logo put in a printed program; become one of their “sponsors” which usually includes lots of logo/name placement. See where else they can talk you up. When they stick it on YouTube, be sure your name is in the description.

Why not have a screening at their place? They can invite guests, have a big to-do and introduce you.

And don’t forget the value of that audience and the participants you may have interviewed. Send a DVD or a link for them to view the video.

That’s the ROI you get for freebies.

Steve

[Steve Kownacki]

Hi Marcello
This TV stuff is amazing! I have a PDP50 Smasung plasma and BR player and HDMI is amazing, along with the Ethernet connection and DLNA stuff. I play videos & pix from my Droid2 wirelessly to my TV. Spiffy!

I’ll look around this week and see if I can duplicate your issue with the optical connection. But in the meantime as I learn more about HDMI, you may pick something up here https://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024008&p_id=3872&seq=1&format=6#faq. I had no idea that HDMI can be bi-directional using the correct category of cable. Since your HT and TV are both Samsung, that may allow you to eliminate the optic cable.

Steve

[Steve Kownacki]

No comment on the flicker issue, but I suggest taking along some 3×4′ foamcore, flexfill or something to position over the talent’s head to block ceiling lights. If there’s strong overhead lighting that you can’t re-position or turn off, you may not be able to get rid of the dark eyes. The soft lights may not overpower them.

Steve

[Steve Kownacki]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/finalfocus/sets/72157625282375101/

We bought this stuff 2 years ago, so my pal Greg & I were newbies when the pix were taken. My suggestions: keep the “tripod” legs as far apart as possible for better stability. Use at least 2 straps. While a polarizer does work, don’t make any turns to avoid color shift. If you use longer rods putting the camera farther away from the vehicle, that increases the torque on the camera end SIGNIFICANTLY. If the cam is more than 12″ off the car hood, don’t expect to punch it to the floor or go 60 to 0 in 100 feet. It hasn’t happened to me, but I expect the whole rig to go bye bye. Varying success with motion stabilizers on small cams, choose smooth roads. I think there was a thread in Cinematography about cameras in cars, basically you want it mounted rock solid.

Pretty much everything you already know about setting up a shot, there’s now 2 axes of torque (I guess a 3rd if you’re flying over hilly roads) on the camera while in motion and you need to keep it in one place in relation to the vehicle.

Grinner may have some ideas, but the race industry also has some neat stuff; gooling race car mounts:
https://www.raceoptics.com/categories.php

https://www.ioportracing.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=IPRS&Category_Code=CM

https://www.lpiracing.com/Brey-Krause-Camera-Mounts-c72.htm

Steve

[Steve Kownacki]

Either size would work, depends on how much weight you want to support. They are very flexible, even in cold weather. If I mount a small cam inside the car, I use a 4″ with a stud and a manfroto universal camera mount on that; so the mount actually hangs down from the windshield and the mount sorta cradles the camera. Clean the windows well.

Outside I use 3, 6″ cups with standard grip gear and that hole-y plate called a “cheese plate” (a la swiss cheese)to mount the cam. They have a new oblong one that works well on narrow areas – this is good between roof rack decks or door jambs.

I then use regular ratchet straps and hook to whatever is available – fender, roof rack, bumper. TIGHT. Throw an extra one around the camera handle too.

Keep in mind till you do these a few times, it ain’t fast setup. Because you’re working with 6 grip knuckles in harmony. Here’s a few pix on flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/finalfocus/sets/72157625282375101/

Steve

[Steve Kownacki]

Can’t recommend a camera, but I’ve had good success with vacuum mounts made by Woods Mfg. sold at Filmtools https://www.filmtools.com/sucuvcu.html

There’s a very fine rib along the outer edge of the vacuum cup that tends to get nicks in it and then they fail. Rather than using the red and yellow hard plastic covers they come with (that’s what damages them) I use buffing bonnets from a car waxer.

Steve