Hello All,
This forum seems to have a tone that I hope will be useful for me as a newbie.
Briefly, who I am: A former DP on a few feature films in LA, shot celebrity interviews of big names, including a US president, commercials and music videos. Mostly on film, 16mm and 35mm, and some beta cam stuff. Also was a NYC fashion still photographer.

I am a bit behind the curve digitally and computer wise and trying to come up to speed, so some of my questions may seem obvious to you, but not to me. I have been shooting with a JVC DV500 for awhile and just got a HV30, which I am taking to El Salvador next week to shoot some footage for an organic coffee plantation, for short Youtube postings of the operation and marketing.

Will probably edit it on iMovie on my return, and will have to learn that as well, though I have supervised tons of editing sessions, but this will be my first time pushing the buttons myself. Intent is probably to spend a good amount of time in El Salvador after my two week trip, so I will be a one man band.

If anyone is nearby, would love to go over some questions I have about the camera before I leave, so pls give a shout.

Thanks, and cheers,
Stuart

Hi Stuart,

I'm down from you in Novato. I shoot with an HV20 (earlier version of the HV30) as well as with an XH A1 and XL H1A. The HV20/30 is a great little camera and does superb job given the right lighting. There are tricks to control some of the nasty noise introduced when you let the camera run wilde with gain.

If you want to shoot me an email or just post them on here there are tons of knowledgeable people on this forum and usually you'll get an answer to your questions.

Good to have another North Bay shooter.

Garrett

Hey Garett,
Thanks for the welcome. Just got back from the Apple One on One session and could not import my camera footage to my new computer, Macbook Pro, and could not import it to their computers either.

Used a new 400 to 800 firewire, used one of theirs, tried to import to Final Cut Pro, and Express with no success. Might be the port. It is a new 'refurbished' HV30, and don't think I will have time to send it for repairs and get it back by my departure on Thurs.
So, there are two considerations: one, the camera is not set up correctly or something in the camera itself.
If the camera, then, I want to at least make sure it will record properly and I can shoot during my trip and address the import problem when I get back.
Are you around for me to stop by and have you look at the camera to make sure it is set up correctly please? And to make sure, the import problem is not pilot error.

If you have a little time, possibly we could try your camera on my computer and/or make sure I am recording correctly and my tapes will be ok shooting during my trip, then solve the import problem later.

I am in the City Friday, coming back in the afternoon, could meet on my way back or anytime over the weekend if you could spare a few minutes.

My direct email is stuart@vineyardvideo.com, cell 707 799-1927
Many thanks,
Stuart

Hey Stuart,

welcome to DVI! I'm down in Sonoma, and a good friend of mine (who I actually met through this forum) producer/sound tech Brian Lukrich is just North of you in Healdsburg.

I have been shooting primarily still wedding photography for the past 5 years and recently began to concentrate more on production work, vowing to stay away from wedding videography all together of course! Brian Lukrich and I are currently working with a small team to produce some internal training videos for Nokia, as well as an aviation-related documentary that has been in production since October of last year.

If you're ever in the neighborhood or if you'd like to collaborate on a project sometime, feel free to shoot me an email at: info[at]meeksdigitalstudios[dot]com

Me (left) and some of our documentary team earlier this year
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3549/3319791322_6511682612_b.jpg

Producer Brian Lukrich on set in King City for one of our documentary shoots a couple of months ago
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3629/3422645473_69586249d8.jpg

Thanks for the hello. Am in El Salvador at the moment, returning later this week and will get in touch,
cheers,
Stuart

Hi Stuart,

Hope everything worked out with the camera.

Garrett