Need some help deciding what to do. Or, shall I say, what to get.

I used a Pany GS250 and some assorted equipment to document my race weekends last summer. I posted my race reports on-line, plus put together a DVD at the end of the season. They were well received and I have been asked, by the race series promoters, to shoot and put together next seasons “official” DVD.
They offered to pay me the same as last season’s professional.

So, where would my limited funds best be used to improve my set up?
I’m thinking $750 to $1250, maybe $1500. (Pending approval from Mrs. CFO)

Here’s what I have now, (I know most of you are pros, so be kind):
The GS250 with a Sony mic on top, an XLR-PRO audio adapter, headphones, decent wide-angle lens, extra batteries and I have an AT Pro 88W wireless lav system on order.
Also a good Manfrotto tripod with fluid head, a monopod and some halogen work lights.
So, am I missing something, (aside from talent)? Should I upgrade something?
Is it time for a decent used pro camera for two-camera work?

I’m good on the editing side; I have two, dual monitor set ups, one for editing and one for rendering/authoring. I own Sony Vegas.

This is a just hobby for me, I have a day job and at 50 years of age, I’m not looking to start a new career, but I would like to do a good, professional job for them. If it goes well, I would be willing to try some other event work or even a DVC, just for fun.

Sorry for the ridiculously long post.

Bob T.

To me, it would partly depend on the type of races - if it's drag racing, you might not need as long a lens as you would with a closed road-racing course (like Lime Rock Connecticut, or Briar Motorsport park in New Hampshire, for example)

If these are night races, I can't imagine trying to add enough extra light to even be noticeable without having your own megawatt generator truck, and if they're daytime you shouldn't need ANY extra light.

A second camera can help (with or without a second operator) if you set the second one up as a static, wide shot from a different angle (depends on security though, there are scumbags around who would just pick up your camera and tripod and walk/run away)

One possible way to help answer this is to ask yourself what you WISHED you could have done with the previous project, and then find out what gear it would have required to do that.

Congrats, BTW, on landing the gig... Steve

You know what, if they are happy and you aren't having any real problems, why up-grade at all. Go ahead with what you are doing and if you run across something you can't do without, then get that. You will save a lot of money in the long run.

Mike

I agree with Mike. I would probably wait until after the first year to look back and see what I thought could've been improved.

Thanks for the replies guys...

Steve....its Motorcycle drag racing, always during the daylight.

Mike and Justin....your right. They did like my previous effort...so I should be OK.

I guess I'm nervous about this first job and wanting to make sure I've got my bases covered.
Plus I have to change my format from, "How did my weekend go" thing I was doing to interviews with the winners and such like that.

Or maybe I was just looking for an excuse to tell the wife I need to buy another camera...haha.

Here's a couple of the weekend reports I did last year.
Not as good as most of the stuff I see on this site, but OK I guess, considering I had zip experiance before I started this.

http://www.baatfam.com/2WS3_4completeB.wmv
http://www.baatfam.com/2WS5_6ComRev1.wmv

Thanks again,
Bob

Or maybe I was just looking for an excuse to tell the wife I need to buy another camera...haha.


Bob

Ya, we can relate to that, but like I said, just get the stuff you find you really need. Otherwise you'll get into the buy more and more that breaks us and gets us into trouble.

Mike

Your footage looks fine, maybe a bit more color manipulation but I think the best thing is another camera as Steve suggested. It would make the races more dynamic having more than one angle to work with.

Your footage looks fine, maybe a bit more color manipulation...

Could you tell me a little more?
When it comes to color correction, I'm a complete novice....so any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob T.

Could you tell me a little more?
When it comes to color correction, I'm a complete novice....so any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob T.


On my monitor at least it looks as if you could do some adjustments to the brightness, contrast and gamma. This will give a richer look to your footage.
And I didn't refer to correction (correction is comepletely different) but manipulation in making the colors a bit more saturated.

On my monitor at least it looks as if you could do some adjustments to the brightness, contrast and gamma. This will give a richer look to your footage.
OK....I'll trust you on that....

And I didn't refer to correction (correction is comepletely different) but manipulation in making the colors a bit more saturated.
And that shows you just how much I don't know...

Thanks...I'll do some research, grab a clip and try some tweaking...

Bob T.

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Post was duplicated below during edit when login timed out.

Being an ears sort of person, (short-sighted, which doesn't make me the best cameraman). ---

I would also endeavour to get the best sound I can, good stereo if possible or a second audio track to mix over in case your camera original gets mutilated or simply to add richness to the original.

Bounce doppler from another rearward facing mike is a nice effect if not over-used. This should always be recorded to a separate channel or another recorder because although you can add salt to the stew, you cannot get it back out.

You can replicate this a lttle by copying a duplicate track to the timeline, unlinking it and slipping this back a few frames on the timelne at lower level but it is not as nice and sounds a little fakey to the purists.

Some revheads are reputed sometimes to be variously moved to slobbering, drooling and juiceing up, merely at the sound of something mechanically wondrous being tortured to the very edge of its being. Others can be driven to tearfulness at a catastrophic mechanical failure

Others "Yaahaaa", "Loozah" and "Turkey" at the sound of destructive mismanagement. Where possible, you want to capture the human reaction as well as the minute aural detail of the flying pieces as the engine puts a leg out of bed in that signature death-rattle.

Even better if you can capture the subtle differences in note which prelude the event that only an enthusiast can discern.

All this of course is bordering on the obsessive. Your clients might well be easily pleased with simply having an enduring record.

For interviews and "featured machine of the week" type spots, your sound needs to be really crisp and mike very close to your interviewee to reduce the background ambience.

The hearing of your clients is likely to be impaired in the mid to high range and their money is more likely to have been spent on bright, shiny, suicidally fast machines than on good audio for their televisions.

A directional (shotgun) mike versus body mike might be best as it is difficult to record intelligable dialogue against engines being tuned up. I doubt it will be economically or practically viable for you to interview the owners in their own homes or workshops where the sound environment can be controlled.

I've allways been heavy on the audio side. it may be a bit bias but I would invest in some good used mics. you could use them for the shoot and later, if you didnt feel you had any more use for them, you could always turn around and resell.

buying used and reselling goes for for any equipment you might want to get. you get all your money back (not like throwing it away if you rent)

just my 2 cents. feel free to disreguard.. because I have been told I'm an idiot before haha

I didn't look at your footage, but you might want to pick up a polarizer to darken the sky a bit (depending on your orientation relative to the sun angle). I've found it can make it a little easier to maintain nice contrast in my outdoor shots.

-Terence

Hi Bob,

Checked your vids, seems you have a bit of trouble tracking and zooming those cycles down the track.

Do you use the Cam"s viewfinder or the side Monitor ??

Do you use the Tri-Pod's stock control handle ??

What do you use to control the Zooming ??

If you're using the OEM items, then I've got some suggestions. Let us know.

Harold

@Bob Hart....You sir, have quit a way with words. But I think I got your drift....
And as for some quite time for interviews, the track we race at does have a morning and evening noise curfew, so there are times when it's quite.

@David Cummings...Yes, your right. I have been searching and reading about mic options. Just not sure yet.

@Terence Murphy....Good tip, I will definately try it.

Thanks all,
Bob T.

Hi Bob,

Checked your vids, seems you have a bit of trouble tracking and zooming those cycles down the track.
Yes...its not to bad when I'm near the start line, but the further down the track you go, the faster they come by.

Do you use the Cam"s viewfinder or the side Monitor ??
I've tried both...I get a better pan using the side monitor. It is a small camera and the viewfinder doesn't work very well with my glasses.

Do you use the Tri-Pod's stock control handle ??
When I use the tripod, yes. But sometimes I use my monopod...better for walking around, but not so good for pans.

What do you use to control the Zooming ??
All I have is the zoom button on the top of the cam, and its not in a very good place....
I have a cable and wiring diagram to make a remote zoom....just haven't done it yet. I think that may help.

If you're using the OEM items, then I've got some suggestions. Let us know.

Harold

I'll take all the help I can get...

Bob T.

Hi Bob,

Suggestions.

1) Make up a "Cam to Head mount" that can allow the Cam to adjust vertically 180% in relation to the Head. Works great, so the control handle can stay where you need it.

2) Make up an "Telescopic (2' to 4') Single or Dual control handle(s)" setup, to allow you to sit at least part of the time during the shoot. I've made these and most always sit. If you stand, you can put Cam at up to 9' to 10', if you can put T-Pod on a riser of some sort.

3) Get and use an "off Cam remote controller" for the Zooming function.
Cheap: is Sony wired remote handle from one of their TriPods, or setting up the Cam's Infrared Remote to Cam via a fiberoptic cable. I use both of these, and made up the second one. Expensive: is any of the other wired remotes made by a number of vendors.

4) Use an "off Cam LCD monitor (of 5" to 15")" instead of the Cam's side unit or viewfinder. Much easier to watch a larger monitor, than trying to keep your eye on the viewfinder or a Cam's side monitor, especially while panning side to side (especially up to 180%). I've also made up Monitor Hoods so you can see them in the sun light. I seldom use the Cam's viewfinder or side monitor after Cam set-up. The bigger screens are so much better for those of us visually challenged.

I use these 4 items 95% of the time. Makes fast motion type Videography easy. In my experience, Soccer is the most dificult, and these Mods made it rather easy to track. Cycles on a track should be easy, the cars at Drags I've done sure were.

I'm also set up to be on full battery power for at least 12 hrs, as some of the horse shows I do last that long.

Not sure how much you want, or need, to move a round; but you can set up to make the system lite and mobile by judicious use of equipment, and maybe using a Quick Release on the Cam to change from a T-Pod to a Mono-Pod as nessary. My stuff is all PreWired, so it is pretty much "plug and play".

I can send you Pics if you send me PM with your E-Mail.

Harold

Harold....email sent.

Thanks,

Bob