Listing of what you used in DVC2?

[Sean McHenry]

I was wondering if you other folks that entered DVC2 might like to post what gear you used in a thread? I am particularly interested in what editing software everyone used. If anyone is interested in some help or ideas on what to do in the way of making things better, I'm sure we would all be glad to help each other, especially in the realm of audio and editing.

My short "Secrets" used the following:

Sony PDX10 Camera
Bogen 3211BN tripod, 501 head and Dolly
GlideCam 200 Crane
Azden 100LT UHF wireless
Century Optics .65 HR WA lens adapter
Sony Pro DVCam tape
Sony DSR-11 Deck
Cinetactics MatteBlox soft matte box
Tiffen Circular Polarizer
Avid Xpress Pro 4.5
SoundForge 7
Behringer Mixer, B1 Mic, 2031A Powered monitors
Home built AMD based PC with 1GB RAM, Sony DVD burner
M-Audio USB Mobile Pre(amp) moving sound in and out of the PC

If you post what you used in your short, we will have all that info in this one thread.

Thanks,
Sean

[Jeff Sayre]

For my "Gardens of Tomorrow" short, I used:

Sony HVR-Z1U
Sony PHDVM-63DM DVCAM master digital tapes
Wimberly head on my tripod
Tiffen filters
Sennheiser ME-66 shotgun mic with K6 powering module
Sennheiser MZS 20-1 shock mount pistol grip with cheap ole broom pole to create boom mic (gaffers tape to secure pistol grip to pole)

Sennheiser HD 25 SP headphones
Canare starquad XLRs
Botero 10' x 12' chroma-key green muslin
Photek background support system for muslin
Impact 1250w 3-light system
Smith-Victor FH1 universal filter holders
Dual 2.0 G5 PowerMac
Final Cut Studio: Final Cut Pro 5.0, Motion 2.0, Soundtrack Pro 1.0, Compressor 2.0, QuickTime Pro 7--all used in post
Bryce 5.5 for CGI work
Photoshop CS 1
5 pounds of blueberries (absolutely essential)

[Michael Gibbons]

I have added some comments about a couple of things i learned along the way. hopefully that's okay :)

I (mis)used the following.

Bogen 301 legs, Manfrotto 701RC2 head.

Sony pdx10- a great camera. The lack of numbered exposure settings is a hassle. Next time I will keep a detailed camera log, and lighting plan so I can duplicate my shots during reshoot.

PDX10 stock mic on a boom handcrafted from an old broom pole. The shock mount was constructed of the finest twine, re-enforced with a premium quality black bread tie.
25 feet of xlr cable.
(The low sound qulaity was not due to this set up; it was more related to me dropping the ball in post. Last night i figured out how to move the imovie project into FCP and after playing with the audio found it to be just fine, once the levels were adjusted.)

home depot work lights, we used the set's low cieling for bounce and small halogens for foot lights. We need at least one more light.

(once again, my ineptitude in post worked against us. The compression scheme I used for the movie seems to have darkened the picture and muddied up the contrast. The image on this end, while not perfect, is actually pretty good.)

We also made extensive use of bright yellow tape to mark the floor.


For post I used imovie HD. Let me just say that this is a fine product for entry level enthusiests who want to cut home video. It is absolutely not suited to anything else. I will most likely never open it again.

This was only my second short, and my first project ever with the pdx10. I learned quite a bit, and, now after the humilating debacle that was "The Cask Of Malta" I am motivated to learn more.

disclamer: I have never ever read "The Davinci Code" or any book by Dan Brown.

[Sean McHenry]

Let me also say that I think all the entries have great potential. Like mine, they just need a bit of refinement. I am doing a few things to make mine into something I don't mind watching and showing others. I would further encourage the rest of the entrants that aren't tired of the whole thing yet to refine their pieces and show us what they can do with time on their side.

My flaw as a human is I am very technical. I see flaws in quality from a long way off. I have a list as long as my arm of stuff I want to or already have fixed in my own piece. From color correction to audio mixes and that one errant edit point that shows the begining of a zoom at the end of the first bicycle shot (corrected in the final version). I secretly suspect that cost me "best cinematography".

I think everyone had some good stuff to work with, it just needs refinment, like mine.

If you do refine or reshoot your projects, please let us know where to find them.

Thanks all,

Sean McHenry

[Jeff Sayre]

I agree with you completely, Sean. I am working on refining mine and will be posting a refined version later today or tomorrow.

I probably will not refine the VFX (since that can take too many hours of rendering) but instead I'm focusing on color correction, audio, and a couple of bad transitions.

[Stephen van Vuuren]

We used a very simple set of gear to make "Lost Souls"

DVX100a (using custom settings for shooting blown-out window - low gamma, low detail).
AT Shotgun
Bogen Tripod
Lots of shoes props
Two saw horses and board to allow actress to lift herself up
Day scenes lit with natural light only
Night scenes lit with car headlamps

The UFO abuction scene was the complicated VFX - you may not realize it but it's 3 takes edited seamlessly together with the UFO beam added using Trapcode's Lux in After Effects and the car headlights timed to "sell" the effect.

[Dylan Couper]

Hey, why don't you guys total up what all your gear cost, and next time, we'll divide your scores based on your total production budget including geat. Highest score/gear ratio wins. :)

I shot Secret Confessions Of A DVinfo Moderator with:
a 1 chip Canon ZR40 $400
1 clip on incandescent light with a 60w bulb $15
1 sheet of diffusion paper $1
a Manfrotto 190 tripod with ball head $150
and one lightdisc reflector $110
1 bottle of 15 year old whiskey $45
ice free
$720 total value of gear and budget. I think that is less than your tripod Sean. :)

[Stephen van Vuuren]

[QUOTE=$720 total value of gear and budget. I think that is less than your tripod Sean. :)[/QUOTE]

Nice try. I noticed you "forgot" to add in your NLE, computer, deck, speakers etc. :)

[Dylan Couper]

Originally Posted by Stephen van Vuuren

Nice try. I noticed you "forgot" to add in your NLE, computer, deck, speakers etc. :)

I guess I can't convince you I cut it directly from my camera to a $30 WalMart VHS player, huh? :)

[Stephen van Vuuren]

You mean you did not edit in camera?

:)

[Dylan Couper]

Next time... :)

[Sean McHenry]

Hey, it's not too late to get out the razor blades and splicing tape and edit the real way. People used to edit video with razor blades, wait, that was audio tape...

Yeah, on the cost/performance rating, you have to remember, I was working for a broadcast equipment reseller when I bought all this stuff, at cost. I paid almost 25% less than you guys might think I did. Luckily, I bought almost everything I could think of just before leaving for my present gig as Engineer.

I think I'll refine the final version a bit more and post an intermediate on the web site tonight.

Sean.

[Cory Cone]

For my short "Cleaners" I used:

Canon Optura XI
Canon Wide-Converter WD-H46
Cheap Tripod
Homemade Car Cam Arm
Sony Vegas 6

That's about it...

[Sean McHenry]

Cheap tripods are great for static shots. If you aren't panning or tilting, cheap is plenty good enough. If you are moving it about, loosen the locks as much as possiblye and try to balance the camera so it sits flat on it's own. If it's out of balance, it makes it harder to get a smooth movement.

I liked it. I liked them all. I still think the Shoe piece was pretty good. Simple in design but had good writing and good style.

Sean

[Dylan Couper]

I'm going to see if I can find one of those old Fisher Price video cameras that recorded on audio cassette. That'll teach all of you!!!