Custom Preset for Theatre Work

Adam Slaght · May 15th, 2008, 01:28 PM

Doug,

I have a very similiar shot coming up next week. Shooting a high school play in a theater. I will be using my new HV 30(comes in tomorrow) locked down for the wide full stage shot and my A1 for mids and pans etc.

Not too much lighting some, but not a whole lot. I am going to use panalook 2 for the preset on the A1. I plan on using the spot light mode on both to try and keep the image of the two cams close.

I have read all the live performance threads and I am looking for any other advice you could give for this type of shoot.

Thanks in advance,
Adam

Les Wilson · May 15th, 2008, 05:10 PM

It's the spring school play season. I just did Oklahoma! with the A1 and found the Spotlight mode too dark at rehearsal so I shot in manual and rode the iris. The brims on the many cowboy hats was problematic for good exposure on faces. YMMV. I had to go down to 1/30 shutter and +3db for the smokehouse scene. If you play has similar dark scenes or is not well lit, be prepared for that.

Adam Slaght · May 15th, 2008, 09:31 PM

The play is The Wizard of Oz.

The director told me the lighting was minimal. But that could be the theatre standards of minimal not video.

I get a chance to shot the final rehersal on wednedsay afternoon.I will probally try some manual work and the spot light mode to see what will work for the lighting setup.

Les Wilson · May 15th, 2008, 11:08 PM

Tape is cheap. Consider the rehearsal a rehearsal for the camera op too. Tape it and review it as you might review game film for a sport. It will make your performance at the real performance better: Anticipating entrances, exits, surprises etc. Also, you may be the hero one day when something goes wrong and someone's line is skipped or a scene is cut short (happened to me once when the CD stopped during a musical number). The rehearsal footage saved the day for the final (edited) production.

Adam Slaght · May 16th, 2008, 10:37 AM

Thanks for the tips.

The play runs for 2 nights so I plan on watching the footage from the rehearsal and first nights performance. Then if I need be, reshoot anything I need to at the final performance.

Having 3 opportunities to film should be a big help in making sure I have everything I need for the final edit.

Adam Slaght · May 22nd, 2008, 11:35 AM

Ok ,so last night I shot the dress rehearsal of a musical I am shooting live tonight. When I got the footage home I could not believe how the HV30 and A1 performed in the theatre

Had both cams set HDV 60i. I had my A1 set to Panalook 2 and spotlight mode and the HV30 locked down and set to spotlight mode. I used my Rode shotgun mic on the HV 30 for audio. I was set up 67 feet from center stage.

I was completly blown away with footage. The footage from teh 2 cams is so close its scary. Clear, crisp and with amazing detail. The only downside I could find is that Panalook 2 crushed the blacks a little bit. Not a enough to be noticed by my audience though.

Over all, I could not be happier with the 2 cams performance.

We'll see how tonights performance goes(crosses fingers)

Garrett Low · May 22nd, 2008, 12:36 PM

Hi Adam,

I use the A1 and the HV20 to do similar shoots. Mostly dances, musicals, or vocal performances. What do you mean when you say you "locked down" the HV30? is there a way to see what shutter it's shooting at? I know that the gain is held at 0 but I'm not sure how the shutter/aperture is balanced.

Also, did yo use auto WB or did you manually WB?

I usually shoot full manual with my A1 and go through the trick to set my HV20 to a set aperture and shutter while holding 0 gain. I usually use the Panalook preset and I shoot Cine Mode with the HV20. The thing I really notice is that the two cameras handle reds totally different. Makes a pain in post.

Running full manual with the A1 means that I'm constantly making adjustments due to uneven lighting. Hot spots from the spots also prove to be interesting in trying to retain details in the dark areas while not blowing out the bright areas.

Could you post some samples of the same clips from the two cameras? I'd be really interested in using the spotlight mode if it yields acceptable results so I dont' have to concentrate so much on exposure issues and I can focus a little more on framing the shots.

Thanks.

Adam Slaght · May 22nd, 2008, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett Low

Hi Adam,

I use the A1 and the HV20 to do similar shoots. Mostly dances, musicals, or vocal performances. What do you mean when you say you "locked down" the HV30? is there a way to see what shutter it's shooting at? I know that the gain is held at 0 but I'm not sure how the shutter/aperture is balanced.

Also, did yo use auto WB or did you manually WB?

I usually shoot full manual with my A1 and go through the trick to set my HV20 to a set aperture and shutter while holding 0 gain. I usually use the Panalook preset and I shoot Cine Mode with the HV20. The thing I really notice is that the two cameras handle reds totally different. Makes a pain in post.

Running full manual with the A1 means that I'm constantly making adjustments due to uneven lighting. Hot spots from the spots also prove to be interesting in trying to retain details in the dark areas while not blowing out the bright areas.

Could you post some samples of the same clips from the two cameras? I'd be really interested in using the spotlight mode if it yields acceptable results so I dont' have to concentrate so much on exposure issues and I can focus a little more on framing the shots.

Thanks.

By locked down I meant that the HV30 was on a tripod stationary with no movement for the wide shot of the entire stage. I used my A1 for pans and mids.

As for white balance, the the 30 was auto and A1 at was actually at the indoor setting.

I had the zebras at 90% and they only lit up a few times. And it was not on anyting important(trim of the barn and a fence post is all).

Im not sure about the reds. The main backdrop was a big red barn and it looked very close in color when I campared the shots.

I will post some screen shots when I start editing tonights shot, this weekend.

May 15th, 2008, 01:28 PM	#16
Adam Slaght Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 60	Doug, I have a very similiar shot coming up next week. Shooting a high school play in a theater. I will be using my new HV 30(comes in tomorrow) locked down for the wide full stage shot and my A1 for mids and pans etc. Not too much lighting some, but not a whole lot. I am going to use panalook 2 for the preset on the A1. I plan on using the spot light mode on both to try and keep the image of the two cams close. I have read all the live performance threads and I am looking for any other advice you could give for this type of shoot. Thanks in advance, Adam

May 15th, 2008, 05:10 PM	#17
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	It's the spring school play season. I just did Oklahoma! with the A1 and found the Spotlight mode too dark at rehearsal so I shot in manual and rode the iris. The brims on the many cowboy hats was problematic for good exposure on faces. YMMV. I had to go down to 1/30 shutter and +3db for the smokehouse scene. If you play has similar dark scenes or is not well lit, be prepared for that.

May 15th, 2008, 09:31 PM	#18
Adam Slaght Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 60	The play is The Wizard of Oz. The director told me the lighting was minimal. But that could be the theatre standards of minimal not video. I get a chance to shot the final rehersal on wednedsay afternoon.I will probally try some manual work and the spot light mode to see what will work for the lighting setup.

May 15th, 2008, 11:08 PM	#19
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Tape is cheap. Consider the rehearsal a rehearsal for the camera op too. Tape it and review it as you might review game film for a sport. It will make your performance at the real performance better: Anticipating entrances, exits, surprises etc. Also, you may be the hero one day when something goes wrong and someone's line is skipped or a scene is cut short (happened to me once when the CD stopped during a musical number). The rehearsal footage saved the day for the final (edited) production.

May 16th, 2008, 10:37 AM	#20
Adam Slaght Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 60	Thanks for the tips. The play runs for 2 nights so I plan on watching the footage from the rehearsal and first nights performance. Then if I need be, reshoot anything I need to at the final performance. Having 3 opportunities to film should be a big help in making sure I have everything I need for the final edit.

May 22nd, 2008, 11:35 AM	#21
Adam Slaght Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 60	Ok ,so last night I shot the dress rehearsal of a musical I am shooting live tonight. When I got the footage home I could not believe how the HV30 and A1 performed in the theatre Had both cams set HDV 60i. I had my A1 set to Panalook 2 and spotlight mode and the HV30 locked down and set to spotlight mode. I used my Rode shotgun mic on the HV 30 for audio. I was set up 67 feet from center stage. I was completly blown away with footage. The footage from teh 2 cams is so close its scary. Clear, crisp and with amazing detail. The only downside I could find is that Panalook 2 crushed the blacks a little bit. Not a enough to be noticed by my audience though. Over all, I could not be happier with the 2 cams performance. We'll see how tonights performance goes(crosses fingers)

May 22nd, 2008, 12:36 PM	#22
Garrett Low Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Novato, CA Posts: 1,774	Hi Adam, I use the A1 and the HV20 to do similar shoots. Mostly dances, musicals, or vocal performances. What do you mean when you say you "locked down" the HV30? is there a way to see what shutter it's shooting at? I know that the gain is held at 0 but I'm not sure how the shutter/aperture is balanced. Also, did yo use auto WB or did you manually WB? I usually shoot full manual with my A1 and go through the trick to set my HV20 to a set aperture and shutter while holding 0 gain. I usually use the Panalook preset and I shoot Cine Mode with the HV20. The thing I really notice is that the two cameras handle reds totally different. Makes a pain in post. Running full manual with the A1 means that I'm constantly making adjustments due to uneven lighting. Hot spots from the spots also prove to be interesting in trying to retain details in the dark areas while not blowing out the bright areas. Could you post some samples of the same clips from the two cameras? I'd be really interested in using the spotlight mode if it yields acceptable results so I dont' have to concentrate so much on exposure issues and I can focus a little more on framing the shots. Thanks.