I was just playing around with Vimeo’s widgets and albums today - and I wanted to share them with you all in case you weren’t aware that they existed. This is a pretty neat ways to share your video work on your blog or your site pretty quickly and elegantly. There’s also a cool OS X Dashboard app. Check the features out here.
or another style you can use for your videos or in the case below some of the channels I subscribe to on Vimeo:
One of the biggest challenges for on set production with HDDSLR’s (or really any camera for that matter) is recording sound. Unfortunately, no camera has an onboard microphone capable of recording sound that’s up to professional standards - to achieve such results you have to use an external audio device (I use a Sound Devices 744t) with a boom mic, lavalier mic, or both.
This of course means that once you get into the editing bay you have to sync all of your dailies to your recorded audio. Because HDDSLR’s do not record time code this can be tricky. I usually use my digital slate (by DENECKE) to apply a synced time code to the audio recorder. The digital slate displays a running time code that the camera can see. When I get to the editing bay, I pick a frame from the beginning of a clip where the slate is showing. Using the time code that is displayed on the slate, I assign the clip a matching time code at that frame. I can then merge this clip to the corresponding audio clip based on the time code and theoretically my audio will be synced. Sound tedious?IT IS.
However there is an elegant solution for this by Singular Software called PluralEyes. The program allows you to drop everything (video and audio) into one timeline and then simply command PluralEyes to sync everything in that timeline. The program analyzes the waveform of the audio attached to your video, as well as that of the audio you recorded separately, and syncs them together on your timeline. This is incredibly convenient, a huge time saver, and very cool.
PluralEyes is especially helpful when shooting multi-camera events (such as a concert or interview) because it lines everything up so that all you have to do in the edit is cut between your different camera setups. No more syncing your video files, or even having to set up a multi track video project, because PluralEyes does it all for you - just by pressing a button. It’s also helpful when you’re shooting in a guerilla or documentary style and there’s no time to jam time code - much less slate a shot. And of course its useful to anyone shooting on an HDDSLR given the absence of timecode…
The funny thing is: I was planning on writing about my video and photography workflow within the next few weeks (ok well months - it’s been BUSY). I can now cross that off my calendar because my buddy Chase Jarvis just did a pretty extensive video that describes his workflow - and he did it WELL.
And you know what? Our workflow is SCARILY SIMILAR - if not close to identical.
The only main difference? I back everything up to LTO Tape at the end of the process and keep two copies of those tapes - one in Los Angeles, and one in New York (kind of like Chase’s theory of making sure floods/meteors etc don’t strike the ONE location where your data is backed up. I call it Armageddon myself and joke that if CA falls into the ocean - I’ll have some data in NY…) I do also send my still masters to PhotoShelter for online storage as well.
One of my favorite sayings of all time is one by Bert Lance: “If it ain’t broke - don’t fix it!”
That comes into play here. Chase - thanks for saving me the time To everyone here - check out Chase’s video and his workflow - and understand that my workflow is nearly identical. I’ll detail some of the minor differences below after the video in case you want to get into the nitty gritty / nuances between our similar workflows.
I’m becoming more and more involved in the screenwriting process as a director myself (mostly revisions - I let the pros write the scripts!) and I own Final Draft. It’s such an industry standard piece of software that it’s fair to say that it’s pretty much a “must own” for anyone involved in the development process of a script.
I also found Stu’s suggestion of Scrivener and it’s use of note cards to be pretty fantastic. Basically it digitally mimics the way most screenwriters / directors / producers I know work. When you walk into their offices it’s not uncommon to find walls full of dozens if not hundreds notecards, photographs, reference material setup in some sort of hierarchy - so that they can visualize and analyze the building blocks of their screenplays and the progression of the characters, etc. I guess this is the digital version of that and I’m going to purchase Scrivener in a few seconds after I hit post… for now - why don’t you all go over to to the Prolost blog to here the skinny from the man himself.
The ARTEMIS app (by Chemical Wedding) is a fancy director’s viewfinder for the iPhone that answers the digital age question any director, DP, or photographer going into film might have: what lens should I use given the size of the sensor (and the resolution it is currently set to) that I am using today?
Most photographers and filmmakers know instinctually what field of view they are looking for in a lens, and can tell you exactly what lens they want on their 35mm camera. However, this process can become complicated as you begin to use a number of different cameras with different sensor sizes and their accompanying crop factors (for example, the Red One shoots a Super 35 format at 4k, but it crops into the sensor when it shoots 2k).
ARTEMIS is an elegant solution that allows you to point your iPhone in the direction you are shooting and, using the iPhone’s camera, see the exact outlines of what each standard lens will bring given the particular format and resolution setting on the camera you are using.
It works with everything from a Canon HDDSLR to a 65mm film camera - and pretty much every camera and lens in between - and at $29.99 it is pretty much a no brainer (especially when traditional viewfinders can cost hundreds). There is also a nifty iPad app that I have yet to try out that apparently allows you to tether the iPhone to the iPad.
If you are interested in this app, go to the following link on iTunes by CLICKING HERE.
In the past weeks I have written about some cool apps for the iPhone and iPad that are incredibly useful for directors, DP’s, and photographers. Of course there are a number of other tasks that must be accomplished on set outside of the technical - and unfortunately a lot of it is release paperwork. Now, thanks to HDDSLR technology, crews are becoming smaller and more efficient, and there may not be someone around to handle getting all of those pesky releases printed, signed, and filed. That’s why at $2.99, mRelease is an incredible resource.
The mRelease app (by beingMEdia) is a helpful tool that drafts releases for talent, location, props, or crew, based on a few basic bits of information about your shoot that you input yourself. You can then use the built in camera to take a picture of your subject, and have them sign the release via the touch screen. From there, the app makes a .pdf and sends it straight to your email inbox.
Having this sort of tool in your pocket as a filmmaker is incredibly helpful and can make your shoot more efficient - but having this tool as a photographer can be a life saver.
If you are interested in this app, go to the following link on iTunes by CLICKING HERE.
I’m excited to finally see iPad apps come out that take full advantage of the device’s size and functionality relative to the smaller iPhone/iTouch.
I can’t wait for the day where we will be able to use an iPad to interact with our HDDSLR cameras - let alone alone use one as a wireless reference monitor. What excites me even more is the potential to do some color correction or pre-visualization on location, fine tuning the look of an image live on set. Countless hours of adjusting light and color balance could be saved if they could be done on the fly with a computer. (What I’m saying here is: a lot of a film’s look today is created in the grading/color timing/color correcton suite… a lot more than most of us know. Back in the day most of the film’s look depended much more on film stock selection, lighting, filters and gels… now it’s often done more easily and cheaply with a mouse in post… Either way a DP/Gaffer STILL need to know what they’re doing and how to light of course - but giving them the ability to see how things will look after a certain post-processing look is applied - while STILL ON SET - is a huge benefit.)
Can you imagine plugging your iPad into your 5D MK II, RED, Genesis, or Alexa and doing this someday? It would be wild! But we will probably have to wait a little while for such things.
For now let’s take the first babystep in that direction.
The DSLR Slate App (by Chris Bayol) is a digital slatespecifically designed for use with HDDSLR productions and works with iPads and the iPhone/iTouch. The app operates as a traditional slate, providing you with all the standard information (see picture above), but it also goes a step further and provides information tailored to HDDSLR production, allowing you to log shutter speed, ISO, aperture, lens, and many other details (which can come in handy while shooting tests). All of this additional information is stored by the app, and then displayed for the camera in quick bursts so that each page of information is captured for only a few frames. This makes slating on set efficient, and ensures that you have all the information you need in post-production.
The pCAM (by David Eubanks) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch is likely one of the most comprehensive and useful tools for anyone working with film and video cameras - whether you are the DP, VFX Supervisor, or anyone in between, pCAM is a must.
Basically this app does all the math that we all would love to be able to do on the fly - but who amongst us carries a scientific calculator - or wants to? This tool eliminates your need to know and understand complex mathematical formulas and/or your need to carry around a cinematographer’s manuals, focus charts, etc.
What do I mean? Have you ever wondered what aperture you should set your lens to in order to get the correct depth of field so that everyone is in focus in your shot (or just two rows out of four?) Have you wondered how much more depth of field you could get by choosing one lens down (i.e. choosing a 24mm instead of a 28mm)? Do you know and fully understand the term “hyperfocal” and how to apply it? Basically you don’t need to, just use pCAM - It will do everything for you.
So if you don’t have a 1st A.C. on speed dial, or at your hip at all times, this app will not only provide solutions to the standard photographic calculations (such as depth of field, field of view, and exposure), but also to more advanced ones (such as timelapse, mired shifts, and underwater distance).
A good example of how to use this - using the “Depth of Field” panel - I was able to answer a friend’s question just now. The question was: is it true that if you shoot at f 5.6 on a 5D MKII - that you would need to shoot at f 2.8 to get a similar shallow depth of field with the same lens equivalent on a 7D?
I went ahead and calculated that a 5D MKII w/ a 32mm lens at f 5.6 yields a similar depth of field to a 7D with a 20mm at f 2.8 +1/3 (with the 1.6x crop factor of the 7D the 20mm effectively gives you the field of view of a 32mm lens (1.6 X 20mm = 32mm)) Therefore it’s almost true - a Canon 5D MKII at f 5.6 on a 32mm yields a comparable depth of field to a 7D at f 2.8 + 1/3 (or f 3.5)
pCAM is incredibly useful (and a huge stress relief) for any DP, photographer, or crew member that has to work on small to large productions and can’t afford to guess - and for only $29.99, it’s a bargain.
If you are interested in this app, go to the following link on iTunes by CLICKING HERE.
This is the first of many upcoming posts on some of my favorite iPhone apps (hopefully every Friday) - something I’ve wanted to do for awhile.I have found that there are some terrific tools out there on the iPhone and iPad for both filmmakers and photographers, and I want to share some of the ones that I use frequently.
SUN SEEKER (by ozPDA) is likely one of those “go to” apps that just about every photographer, DP, director, and/or location scout should have.Like many other apps it can tell you where the sun will rise and set today, tomorrow, or at anytime in the future - and it can do so in a number of ways.
Perhaps the coolest implementation of this app is what they call the 3D View (which is in effect an augmented realitymode).This function uses your iPhone 3GS, its built in GPS system, and camera to allow you to physically point the phone in any direction and see the sun’s path drawn and overlaid on top of your camera image (see picture).In other words, you can be inside a building, pick up your phone, launch it into 3D View, and instantly be able to tell at what time the sun will cross the path of the window in front of you - even though you have no physical view of the sky. It will also tell you of course exactly where the sun will be, by drawing the sun’s path hour by hour and laying it over your iPhone camera’s live video image. Not only is this useful indoors of course, or when you need to figure out where the sun will be in 5 hours and how to prepare for it - it can also be a life saver if you’re scouting at night, or on an overcast day… I find this incredibly useful, and quite accurate - not to mention amazing.
You can pretty much forget the special software, compasses, and other tools – this $2.99 app replaces them all in a millisecond and one-ups them.And if that’s not enough, it offers two other views: an overhead map view connected to Google Maps that will show you the angle of the sun from overhead - anywhere in the world, at any time of the year - and of course a details page, which shows you sunrise and sunset times, elevation angles, etc.
If you are interested in this app, go to the following link on iTunes by CLICKING HERE.
One of the most important accessories that you can purchase to help you get better results with the video from your Canon 5D MKII is an external LCD monitor (a video assist monitor.)
The Canon 5D MKII was designed as a still camera first, therefore when you shoot video you will often find that the placement of the LCD screen, not to mention the ergonomics of the camera body itself are not ideally suited to shooting video. Being able to hold the camera below your eye-line (or any angle for that matter) become quite important when shooting video vs stills.
I’ve had a chance to play with a variety of monitors out there - and for now Marshall Electronics’ V-LCD70P-HDMI is the clear standout both for the quality of the image it displays, as well as all of the extra features it offers. This is a 7″ lightweight monitor that comes in at just over a pound, and offers an 800X480 resolution image. I was able to work with a prototype of this monitor in January for 3 weeks of the Jamie O’Brien shoot and it was simply fantastic. I should also mention that I am also testing out Ikan’s V5600 5.6″ TFT LCD Monitor and will write about that at some point as well - it’s small size may be very attractive to some. (I’ve yet to put it through it’s paces, but I plan to do so in the upcoming weeks.) (more…)
To everyone here - check out Chase’s video and his workflow - and understand that my workflow is nearly identical. I’ll detail some of the minor differences below after the video in case you want to get into the nitty gritty / nuances between our similar workflows.
Recent Comments