First big test/ sit-down indoor interview

[Charles Penn]

I've made my share of mistakes since I got the XL2 ... easy mode, running auto in front of bright window, altering the ND, thinking it was the iris! Yes, I'm fessing up. But I'm beginning to get to know this thing. I do have so much more to learn!

My first interview, in a series of documentary-style one-on-one interviews, is coming in a few. I'm shooting everything 24p, 16:9, in manual, primarily using a Rifa 44 soft light and a tota light (if I need lights at all). don't have a third lighting source.

I don't have a clue what the interview setting is going to be like as it is a five-hour drive north and I haven't been in the interviewee's office before.

Having noted that, how would you approach the interview? What mode would you shoot in? Would you, with little command of the camera settings, even attempt to go manual? If you opted for manual, what settings would you use for shutter speed and iris?

I'm all by myself. The man is a world-class scholar. My mind is going to be so focused on the content of the interview. I won't (don't) have a monitor, will be running camera, monitoring audio, changing shots (MCU, CU, face with top of head cut off), you get the picture. I need a comfort level that affords me the best chance of getting compelling content on tape and I don't want to risk losing world-class content trying to do more than my skill set can deliver at this stage of my XL2 development.

Any input? Thanks.

Chuck

[Chris Bottrell]

The only tips i can offer is first most important white ballance! i am a lover of the AV mode set the iris to the best setting using the zebra function to set the exposure, if it is well lit then turn of the gain i never use auto it gives a grainy picture. Swich the lens to manual focus the last thing you want is the camera trying to focus on the bird that has just landed on the window sill! and use the exposure lock so the shutter speed remains the same. If you are using a tripod the turn the image stabaliser OFF you will regret it if you dont. I would shoot in 30I or 50 in the U.K mode with the custom preset as standard or you can tweek it a bit if you like. why not try one of the custom presets on this forum? hope this helps.