Warbirds Over Wanaka - Video/ Sound etc
 

Not sure if this the place to post this, but here goes anyway.......

I'm currently trying to get my production company (THEHDV.Co) accredited with the organisers of WOW to "do" an HD documentary of the event.

www.warbirdsoverwanaka.co.nz

It was only having made first contact that the full enormity of the task really sunk in.

100,000 people, nearly 100 aircraft, three straight days.

Being a "one man and his dog" (sans dog) operation, I'm outgunned from the off. Then a thought struck - if I can't scrounge a dozen videographers/ sound people etc from the ranks of DVinfo, I ain't trying.

OK, so the deal is this. I need extra cameras (HD), supports, sound gear, you name it PLUS people who know how to use it. Anyone with a spare OB truck would be most welcome as well (hey, John McCully, what you doing over Easter?). For the purposes of this production, everyone works under the HDV.Co banner, the resultant video is pooled (somehow) and everybody "owns" a piece of the final production.

I can provide transport to/ from Wanaka, accomodation in Wanaka (up to a point, and if this gets really out of hand I'm going to have to resort to tents pitched in the back yard - I jest not!), full access to all areas of the Warbirds site (under THEHDV.Co accred).

YOU provide yourself & gear at a location where I can collect you (Dunedin would be good), living expenses and air fares to/ from Dunedin.

You will need to sign a disclaimer with the organisers to the effect that having a plane land on you is just your bad luck on the day.

As we're in PAL land I'm currently planning on shooting in 50i, which is a bit of a bugger for you NTSC bods, unless anyone knows a way to seamlessly mix 50/ 60i (I don't). Another issue if you're tempted from the States is to ensure all electrics will work on 240Volts / 50Hz.

Don't rush out and get you're visas/ plane tickets just yet - but I do need to know numbers ASAP so that I can update the WOW organisers with our bigger turn out.

I do need to stress that this isn't a freeby few days out so you can play at videographer - I really want people who know what they're doing and can "bring home the bacon", on the other hand, if you've never shot "pro" in your life but think you could, with a bit of help, give it some thought. The more cameras we can throw at this thing, the better it will be.


Wanaka has, I believe, a permanent population of only 3,500, so you can imagine what happens when 100,000 punters descend on it - chaos. If you're a Kiwi and have access to a camper van, then it'll save you from a tent.

There's probably a couple of thousand things I haven't thought of yet, so any suggestions gratefully received.


CS

Warbirds Over Wanaka gear.....
 

What I'm bringing to the party:

Cameras:

Canon XH A1, Canon HV20, Nikon D80 DSLR

Support:

Vinten FibreTech sticks, Manfrotto 520 sticks, Manfrotto 528XB sticks, Manfrotto Monopod, Vinten Vision 3 head, Manfrotto 503 head. Hague J12 jib, Hague camera car mount system.

Sound:

Sennheiser 64, 66, 67 mics. Sennheiser EW100 G2 system with Lav, second receiver, Zoom H4 digital recorder, Rycote everything for the mics. Boom pole, 2 mic stands, heaps of assorted mic holders, cables and stuff.

Other:

Nikon 1200S LRF (Laser rangefinder).

What's needed:

Shed loads more!


CS

No One?
 

Not a singular solitary one?

Staggered doesn't even describe it.


CS

Chris Hi,

I may just be interested, I am based in Wellington I do a fair amount of work for the RNZAF Museum and have a few contacts in the aviation game.

I have a staff of two, a sound engineer and general helper.

I have a JVC GYHD101, firestore, tripod, mics etc. I may even be able to get another camera.

Sam

This sounds brilliant...pity I'm (usually) on the other side of the globe. Good luck Chris and what a great idea!

I'd show up with my Z1 if it wasn't such an expensive ticket from Florida :)

Carl

Hi Chris...
I'm in Whangarei - have an XHA1.
I would be interested in more details as to what you will expect over the 3 days etc and what plans you have for the doco.
I'd consider myself semi-pro and looking for opportunities to expand on my craft.

Cheers,
Dennis.

Right now I'm planning on being in Mexico but that's not cast in bronze, yet. Great project; if I'm around I am interested. PM on the way.

Thanks guys........
 

Sounds like we might just be able to make this work, tho' some more bods would sure be usefull.

Sam, Dennis - great, I really hope you guys can make it.

Plans for the shoot?

Well, I've asked the WOW oganisers for a detailed layout of the site (with a geographical locator so we can figure out where the sun's going to be for each hour of the day), what's going to be where, where we can and can't go, and a shed load of other stuff I thought pertinent from the off.

I've also asked for relevant air to air & ground to air frequencies we can monitor/ record for additional soundtrack I/P. I reckoned I'd get a direct audio feed from the commentators box, and a feed from my scanner and feed the pair into the Zoom H4 (that alone will require a dedicated-ish operator to ensure both feeds are OK and we don't run out of memory cards).

I'm also looking into a "beg/ borrow/ steal/ hire" arrangement for a couple of "lifts" (cherry pickers) that are both suitably quiet and smooth to use as elevated camera platforms - those and the Hague jib will get rid of that "ants eye view" problem.

As for "what to shoot", the list so far is:

Relevant interviews (think I'll need to source some lights and an interview location) Pilots/ organisers/ enthusiasts etc

Multiple shots of all parked aircraft (lots of jib/ cherry picker work there) - oh, I do also have the Hague dolly/ rail system for traverse shots which might come in handy here! Cockpit close ups, the whole box of dice.

At least two diferent (full time) camera locations monitoring anything & everything taking off/ landing/ doing fly by's/ stunts, more if they are available - hey, who wants the "just off centre" job at the head/ end of the runway? (I'll supply the hard hat). Might need a third cherry picker (a BIG one) to get some "look down" shots of low flying craft (my wallets starting to get edgy!).

The list lengthens every time I think about it.

My biggest concern is just what to do with all the tapes? We're going to be literaly buried alive in them. So far I haven't been able to come up with anything better than each camera op takes his own tapes and uses the shooting camera to download, should minimise dropout/ transcription problems. How we then assemble all data in one place is a nightmare I haven't felt able to face. Suggestions?

So far by my simple arithmetic, I'm up to seven (7) camera crews and climbing.

Joy.

All suggestions on the whole project welcome.

Keep those entries rolling in boys and girls.


CS


PS. My missus thinks I'm completely deranged.

A couple of things....I missed.
 

John,

for all the right reasons I hope your Mexico trip falls through, that OB Bus of yours would have come in sooo usefull.


Sam,

Do you think the RNZAF Museum would like a piece of this? Don't know how, what or in what capacity, but at this stage I'll take all the help/ support/ pull I can get. May even give me some more traction with the WOW organisers.

All,

Have been informed that the biggest problem (apart from actually getting this thing to fly at all) is going to be DUST! It's going to be the end of what is shaping up to be a long, hot, dry summer and the valley floor that Wanaka airfield is built on is 200 metres deep of good 'ol terminal morain from historic glaciers, ergo, water on the surface goes straight though and vanishes.

Bottom line, the airfield (or rather, the surrounding "grass" covering) is going to be a dust storm in the making in even the slightest breeze.

Joy.


CS

Oh, and another thing............
 

Seeing as how this is, sort of, my baby (so to speak) forget the bit earlier about "living expenses" for the duration.

A "frank and open exchange of views" with the missus has resulted in my decision to say "it's on me, guys" with ONE small proviso.........

I absolutely, categorically, definately will not pick up anyone's bar tab (even my own if I can help it, and that can be one mother of a tab!).

So, it's on me from the moment you arrive till the end of the shoot (sob).

If anyone wants to stay on in Wanaka after the shoot, hire a car and do a bit of sight seeing, we can probably sort that as well (accomodation wise anyway - heck, we own the house!).

Now if that doesn't suck in a few more hopefulls, nothing will.


CS

And another...........
 

Anyone want to hold their hand up to actually edit this monster?

I wouldn't even dare.

Hmm, could be a bit of a problem.


CS

Chris Hi,

I am with my client tomorrow in CHCH(tues) so will sound them out to see if there is any cross-over. I think some of the Museum board members are connected in some way, so I will find out and get back to you.

S

I might be able to help with your post-process.

I'm not a shooter, and I'm in the antipode camp (Chicago), but I've done some long-distance (from Western Oz) post-video work before-- we hired one of those FTP hosting web-sites ("yousendit.com" is one, there seem to be many others) and up/downloaded everything back & forth. Might cost a few hundred bucks to score one of those with unlimited bandwidth, but probably worth it, as it sounds like you're expecting terrabytes of data...unless you happen to have that much hard drive space available.

lot of luck,
andy

Sent you an email.

Hot off the presses........
 

Just now managed to track down the individual concerned @ WOW and have a good chat.

The BAD news is he believes that they either have already or will be in the next day or so, signing an exclusive video contract with another production company (name and location not known).

The GOOD news is that he has no idea what they are planning to shoot with, had no idea what HD actually was, and doesn't know if the exclusive deal is SD/ HD or both.

Quite why this guy didn't know these details was not explained.

There is, apparently "a meeting" taking place on Thursday of this week where the issue of SD/ HD will be raised - which gives me some measure of hope we might be able to "piggy back" in with this other company.

I do stress "some".

More news as and when.


CS

PS. No mail Philip - must have got lost.

Sorry - not sure where it went. I have an NTSC/PAL XH-A1. I probably won't be able to afford to fly there from Chicago, though, so I may not be able to take part in this - I didn't realize at first that we'd be paying that out of pocket.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know I might be available if you get desperate and need to import an extra hand... (-:

Phil

Thanks Philip.........
 

Good to know.

We'll see how things pan out, I can't do anything more till I find out just what this "exclusive" deal is all about.

I can tell you I'm going to be a pretty sick parrot if I discover they're a SD mob doing the "same 'ol, same 'ol" when they could have gone HD.

Haven't given up yet.

More "as and when".


CS

If your serious about getting us there I'd definitely be interested. I`m another one whose about 25 hours flight away (I know since my gf lives in Taiwan). My gear

Canon XH-A1
Firestore FS-C
Sennheiser ME-66 with pole
Sennheiser G2 Lav
Glidecam 2000
Bogen 503 HDV headed tripod

The sand is one major concern would have to think about that a lot. I do fall in the category however of 'have not shot pro but want to be shown how since I'm a quick learner'. I just got my editing Mac and awaiting software so I really don;t have much edited yet thats current to show you. But I am interested if you are serious about getting us there.

*oops Just re-read and we have to pay airfare. No can do. I can't even afford to go see my girlfriend who would take priority if i did have the money, unless we met in NZ hah. Or if you happen to get a budget where you can fly people in, let me know.

Am not a traveller or intending particpant, but am an aero enthusiast. Just a suggestion, besides the on ground stuff and getting humans in the shot from time-to-time, practice your ground-to-air skills beforehand. It is something you lose unless you use it.

Try to get at least one old fashioned Miller Fluid head, the biggest and ugliest wooden legged one you can find. When using this, back off all the friction controls and exercise the head in full excursions a few days beforehand and again on the day. Store it with friction controls backed off.

In absence of heavy aircraft traffic, find a place with lots of seabirds and people. The seabird get moved around by the people. The birds can be as unpredictable as aircraft performing aerobatics and are good to practice on.

On the day, try to set some of your cameras up for the aerobatics well, back from the performance area so that you don not have to elevate more than about 45 degrees. Set your sticks high so that for a groundlevel view, you are just on your tiptoes to the viewfinder.

Learn to use your left eye to "boresight" the camera to "aquire" your aircraft and to "re-aquire" it when it changes direction and flies out of your shot. It is near impossible to aquire via the LCD screen but easier to follow on the LCD once you have aquired the aircraft.

It is sometimes helpful to harmonise the camera viewfinder with a simple ring sight for aquiriing or to harmonise it with another wide-view camera on the same tripod head.

For the JVC GY-HD101, if you can get a Les Bosher adaptor for SLR lenses, NIkon or Canon, doesn't matter you can use this to mount some long SLR lenses. I use a Sigma 50mm-500mm for my ground-to-airs on a Sony Z1 via an adaptor but that is another story.

You need a zoom. Aquiring and holding with telephoto primes whilst not impossible is extremely difficult.

A bit of my stuff is on YouTube at "DARANGULAFILM". Look for "35 versus 300" and "Tiger Balm" or "The Tiger is 75".

Old towels are helpful to keep a bit of the dust off your cameras and for a quick sunshade.

For the aeros, one camera on medium wide, track the plane only as much as you need to for keeping it on the shot and let the plane do the moving as much as possible, especially if it is laying smoke. Keep some ground reference in the shot. From the same viewpoint also have a long view close up on the aeros. The compositional rule of "Nose-room" applies in aeros. It is also helpful in dealing with sudden directional changes as you have room left in the frame for catch-up.

Enjoy.

Shooting aircraft
 

Great advice! Thanks Bob. Wish I'd seen some words of wisdom like this post before I took my cam to Duxford Flying Legends airshow here in the UK this last summer!

I sure learnt the hard way that shooting low and fast flying aircraft well during displays is no mean feat. My errors were only partially recoverable in post - some of the most challenging stuff I've ever done (and some of the most rewarding in the very few shots where I got it absolutely right!)

Thanks, Nathan & Bob............
 

had writen quite a legthy response to both of you, but Google/ the Internet ate it.

Nathan - rest assured, if budget appears, so will the post on DVinfo.

Bob - thanks for the input. All well taken and digested, and, believe you me, I am not, in any way, underestimating the sheer scale of attempting this project.

I will, however, make a point of printing off your post and making sure all participating parties have it well in advance, should it come to that.

Thanks again.


CS

Chris.

I neglected to mention that for the long camera my adaptor is an AGUS35, sort of poor man's MINI35. This enables 1/3" cams to see through 35mm stills lenses as if the cam is a 35mm movie camera. The field-of-view for the 50mm - 500mm lens is closer to 35mm motion picture sized frame.

I have used it with groundglass in and groundglass removed. There isn't a great deal of difference. With groundglass in you lose a bit of light but no vignette. With groundglass removed (aerial image) you have to zoom all the way in to avoid the native vignette of the SLR lens on front.

With the Z1Ps, working it this way results in identical overlapping field-of-view from about 45-54mm zoom-in on the wide cam (which is not modified in any way) and 50mm to about 65mm on the Sigma on front of the adaptor.

For the same aperture, the unmodded cam needs ND2, when the modded cam needs ND1.

For "Tiger Balm" the groundglass was removed. For "35 versus 300", the groundglass remained in place.

When using an adaptor like this, there is a lot of added glass and contrast is not as good, especially when shooting against the bright sky.

Most of the wide stuff of aircraft in flight I end up not using when the cameras are twinned onto the fluid head tripod. It just provides a backup if I lose the aircraft out of the long shot. I use both cameras together when operating alone.

In my local area, I find lighting conditions for clear skies vary quite a lot. Murray Field over here is near a large lake and the ocean and there are a lot of sandy paddocks dotted with small winter lakes and swamps.

The lighting off the sky is quite harsh on the eyes, planes difficult to spot and to see in the viewfinders, eyepiece and LCD. Only about 10km away is Serpentine. It is a little furthur inland and there is a mix of light to medium scrubland and sandy paddocks.

The light return from the sky is nowhere near as harsh. If you get a chance to scope out Wanaka before the event, try to do so. Sun behind camera is ideal but ground reflection in the sky return can sometimes be kinder when shooting across the sun.

UV can be expected to be high so don't forget the sunscreen and hat. A UV filter on the camera may be helpful also. I wear a baseball cap with a full hat jammed over it and pull the hat off when messing with the camera.

Don't forget to get people in the shot. In wide shots, aircraft are just like blowflies and about half as interesting to an undedicated audience unless you include the people who are flying them or watching them from time to time.

Take the trouble to get good sound. You'll need good wind muffs. I have never known an airfield yet which did not have a wind problem for sound recording. A full shaggy over a zeppelin style mike shield will be desirable.

Use the radio receiver or scanner. Patched into the audio it adds immediacy to the image but take it to one channel only, don't mix it across the other ambience channel.

The local control frequency will give you better information than the commentory for setting up and anticipating the arrival of aircraft into the performance box from holding areas.

Thanks Bob.....
 

You're truly scary!

You've covered quite a few of the things I had been worrying to death over the last few days.

I'm pretty familiar with Wanaka (we own a "Bach" there) so the weather conditions aren't exactly a mystery (well, any more than NZ's weather isn't a mystery to anyone).

My best hope (this, of course, assuming we get a toe in the door and get there) is that we have a clear day, with lots and lots of "white and fluffies". Keeps the contrast down to what HD can better handle and gives a good backdrop to everything.

Heaps of ideas about audio (which, in my e - mail to the organisers, I've probably handed to the "other mob" on a plate!), and yes, I have Rycote everythings for every mic I own (and I do indeed mean the full monty!).

I don't use any other lenses on my A1 and I don't think anyone else whose hand has gone up does either, so guess we'll be shooting "au natural" for what it's worth.

I was, having read your post earlier today, reminded of that classic story about Cecil B. De Mille, on the making of one of his epics (name long forgotten). It's possibly gone into legend as true even if not, but a salutory lesson nevertheless.

Seems he was shooting a scene involving thousands of extras, horses, destruction, mayhem and just about everything you can imagine. Camera's everywhere so he didn't miss a thing (damn, wish I coud remember where I read this story).

He calls :"Roll 'em" (or similar) and watches the carnage unfold.

The scene goes on for like 10 minutes (long enough, anyway).

He calls "Cut" and his assistants ring round the camera's to see how they went.

"Sorry, CB, film broke"

"Sorry, CB, lost focus"

"Ready when you are, CB"

"Sorry CB, tower fell over"

You get the idea. Details made up (as I can't remember the details) but, apparently, not one good take amongst the lot!

I keep re- running this sceanrio whenever I consider what we might be doing at WOW.

Let's get there first.

Thanks a heap for your input Bob. Sure you don't want to come over and enjoy the fun (if it actually happens)?

Hey, you can have the ADP spot if you like (heck, maybe even DP if the winds blowing in the right direction).

I'm not proud. Just determined.


CS

Scary? Scary? I give you scary - just kidding.

There's two scenarios when exclusivity is given to another shooter or company of them.

You either get to gloat over the shots they missed that you got and the inadequate and superficial coverage overall.

Or you get to be comprehensively humbled by their good work and the terribly high bar they have set for your future efforts.

If there are formation or streamed pair take-offs of several aircraft at once, a fourty-five degree oblique view of the runway, is initially attractive when the aircraft turn on from the taxiway and assemble.

As they begin their take-off run it becomes fairly useless. They spread out to a safe (a relative term in this setting) separation at the same time as they are getting closer to you and larger in your finder.

The nicely framed group of aircraft stretches out and you become forced to pick a favourite, track that until the group shrinks in distance and becomes framable again. Your slow pan of an obliquely approaching subject suddenly evolves into a fast pan as the aircraft fly past at increasing speed.

The usual temptation is to widen the panned shot and frame two planes to get some sense of the formation. But the composition of the shot always looks crap. I have never got it to work for me yet.

One saving grace of continuing to follow close on two passing aircraft is that often as the aircraft reach the two-thirty position in their tangential path relative to your panning camera position, there is a crossover or a close grouping of two aircraft in the shot. You may also pick up a crossover of other distant higher aircraft in the circuit turning into the downwind leg.

Formations look best from overhead or beneath. Your best shots of them will be in steep turns when your view is of the upper surfaces. Side-on, they are too skinny and spread too wide to be visually attractive on low res TV.

My personal preferance is to frame any side-on views of takeoffs wide with a separate camera, get humans in the frame and let the aircraft do the work and fly out of the frame. If you only have the one camera for the oblique to side-on view, be close for the initial roll then snap back to the wide view, pan ahead then hold for the lift-off. Cut to another view of them disappearing into the sunset.

Clouds? Yes. Three-eighths cloud is the gold standard for me. Enough blue for the nature look, a range of aircraft colours stand out nicely, the light is purest.

Clear sky is absolutely the most boring when tracking an aircraft in flight. There is this fixed object floating about in your frame getting smaller or larger and turning about like a moth on a pin. You'll need more of your wide shots which include ground reference to cut to frequently in this instance.

With cloud in background, the sense of perspective and motion reference is there even if the camera moves are a bit shaky. With a long lens, previously boring side-on views become compelling because the illusion of speed is massively increased. Five-eighths is okay sort-of but more becomes ugly. Bright light complete overcast is an absolute curse.

A nice effect but often overdone is to use a fast shutter to strobe the props. 1/250th sec does it nicely. If you have a formation overflight, a higher shutter speed will make the constantly changing power settings evident as pilots work the throttles to maintain position on the lead aircraft.

A cliche establishing shot is to pick up a smoke trail and follow it to the aircraft which is making it, still a nice touch. You won't necessarily have to go about this deliberately. Chances are you will do it in desperation efforts playing catch-up.

With smaller engines with fewer cylinders, the higher shutter speed also yields an interesting strobe effect on the smoke output, but again, don't overdo it. 1/150th of a second is better. A little propeller blur remains.

If you can get hold of a JVC HD100 and an alternative longer zoom lens for it, go for it. 250mm will be about as long as you can go with any hope of controlling it without practice.

Unless you can get at least one camera in close and personal either by position or long lens, your flight footage will end up being fairly boring and repetitive.

Try to set up one camera at a taxyway where an aircraft has to turn. You get some nice crossovers with a locked off cam and long lens when one aircraft turns across the view of another or more following. Sit off a bit so you have to use zoom to shorten the persepctive and accentuate the lateral motion of the crossover.

Strobe your props for some of these shots. Also try for the close-ups of the pilots interacting with onlookers as sometimes they will do with a wave or a smoke-up as they taxi by.

If you are lucky enough to get a display by Jurgis Kairys, you will be thoroughly amazed.

In conclusion, don't forget the humans. My tagline for my little series which may or may not get made is "the lifestyles of airplanes and the people who inhabit them".

As for getting to Wanaka. I wish - but that is about as far as it goes for the time being. I have some ancestry to track in NZ. So another day perhaps.

More good info...
 

Thanks Bob.


CS

Hey Chris,

I just picked up on this thread and if you get your budget, I'd be up for this. I have an HD100A, plus all the other junk that you would expect to go with it. Stock lens, so maybe you could work to get a lens for it for that weekend. I'm more than qualified to cover any area that you want.

Let us know how the meeting goes with the company. I have a ton of frequent flyer miles just waiting for a trip like this.

Ben Lynn

Thanks Ben............
 

Good to know. I expect to find out Monday/ Tuesday next week just what, exactly, is going on with this.

I am only moderately hopefull, as I think I threw the HD monkey wrench into the works a bit too late to stop them in their tracks, but, then again................there is, as far as I can tell, only one other real "crew" shooting HD video in NZ at the current time (as opposed to SD video or film) and I do not know if they have the neccesary to take on a project this big on their own (as I don't).

The problem for anybody is the "3 days and it's over". There's no action replays, second takes, nothing - if it ain't in the can first time it ain't getting there. Throwing a dozen SD systems at it is relatively straightforward, if expensive, throwing the same number of HD units in a small market like NZ is a bit of an ask.

We shall see.

More as and when.


CS

Hmm, does Canon XH A1 lens have the legs for this?
 

Taking particular note of some of the comments Bob has posted on this subject, I've just had a case of the jitters that the A1 may not be the right tool for this particular job.

As you might have gathered, this is all a bit out of my comfort zone (experience wise - all previous flying objects having been birds) and a few very quick and not particularly scientific tests this arvo having confirmed my suspicions that even something as relatively large as a single seater aircraft @ 600 - 700 metres isn't going to be more than a speck in the sky to an A1 at full zoom.

Just thought I'd throw this out there for comments and suggestions. Canon doesn't even do a tele adapter for the A1 either. Bugger.


CS

Ooh, the news just keeps getting better...............
 

Just had an e - mail from the General Manager of the WOW event to confirm they have, indeed, signed with a Queenstown based production company to do the lot - and, [kick in teeth] they're apparently shooting in HD. Bugger.

I haven't given up.

I can't believe any Queenstown based company is going to be able to stump up the necessary to pull off the works for a 3 day event without outside help.

I will be on to them in a flash as soon as I find out just who they are (I've asked, not yet received a reply).

More as and when.


Bugger.


CS

Which raises an interesting question.....
 

to which, hopefully, someone can give me a pretty good answer.

As you may be able to imagine, the South Island of NZ is not exactly awash with "top end" HD video gear, CineAlta et al.

I have no idea what, exactly, this production company is shooting with, even tho' I'm told it's "HD".

The question is this:

How does HDV stack up against the "top end" HD stuff and would/ does intercutting give rise to "issues" that would make it's use (HDV) in this endeavour a non starter?

I've never seen anything better than HDV, so am not in a position to make any judgement whatsoever. The "snob" factor aside (mines worth 20 times yours, so is 20 times better) how noticeable is the difference, really?

I need some serious ammo if I'm going to go head to head with these guys and do a deal, but don't want to get shot down in flames in the first dog fight over said "snob value".

If there is, on the other hand, a serious issue with the different quality, I'd rather not look a complete idiot right from the off.

All comments, opinion and facts most definately welcome.


CS

A Queenstown connection
 

Hello Chris

A friend gave me a DVD titled Shadowland produced by Murihiku Films and I understand this was shot with a F950 using a company called Aeroptics based in Queenstown. Not my thing but on a big screen I imagine it might be quite cool. My guess is that's your competition. I'll bet they don't come cheap!

Hope that helps.

Cheers

John

Hi John...............
 

bugger, I thought I'd answered this and dived back in to find my system had lost that as well, seems I have a fairly serious issue with something.

Thanks for that piece of info, shall check it out and see what comes of it.


CS

PS. That EX 1 you were asking me about the other day? Seems the shipment that's just landed in Oz has some pretty serious issues with the lens. Glad I wasn't the first on that particular bandwagon.

Me too. I ordered one on Thursday. Seems they are way behind on delivery here. Seems none have yet arrived. I imagine the earliest I shall see the goods is later January.

And yes, given the gear that Aeroptics have and their track record in the area I would say you might be up against serious competition there. How would you like to shoot an air show out of a fast fully loaded helicopter piloted by a top HeliJock out of the fast and wild Queenstown. If Aeroptics are not the competition give them a call and see if they would like to work with you on a profit sharing basis.

Chris.

Sounds like you are outgunned. However, as a personal preference, I think I can aquire and track easier with a rear finder style cam than the side-finder style which your competitors will be using. However it is all about practice too. They are probably quite good with the gear they are using by now.

Another little useful trick you can do after aquiring, for the PD150 or Z1, if you cannot get switched to the LCD in time, is to hold the rear finder cup to your eye and allow it to tilt upward as you elevate the camera.

When the PD150 finder gets worn and sloppy, a decent clamp on the rubber with the eyebrow and cheekbone and it follows.

If these guys are using sidefinders only, not rear mounted OB monitors on the back and they do the job properly, they are going to be stiff and sore by day's end.

You get into all sorts of contortions trying to stay eyed up to the finder and walking around the tripod without pulling the whole thing over or kicking a leg and bumping the shot. The side finders also elevate but operating side-on to the tripod is still a bit tricky.

Dennis Woods Brevis35 flip model, with the CF screen removed enitrely could be a contender for convenient aerial image work with a long lens for your camera. He actually has a CF screen tailor made for long lenses so that might be viable in any event.

One last - if you are inclined towards being afflicted by allergy, you may be up against the dust from broken downtrodden grass after end of Day 1. 20 minutes after taking Polaramines, I am pretty much useless on the close follows and have to sit off a bit. Telfast or Zirtex doesn't slow you down as much. This dust and stuff also get on and in your camera. Cover up as much as you can.

I sent you an email, but one word of advice - forget the H4. its NOT time stable and will drift. get a laptop and a multi input analog FW audio interface. you should also look at several scanners each covering one of the frequencies in use. one won't work very well. could also look for a Deva recorder.

Hi all..............
 

Well, sad to relate, this particular gig is a bust.

I've been shut out well and truly and the winners don't even want to know squat (this seems to be the biggest secret in NZ as to whom the winners actually are - absolutely no one in the know will say squat, not sure what the heck is going on there).

My heartfelt thanks to all of you who responded, your support was indeed terrific and I feel sure that had I been a bit quicker on my feet with this it might just have been a goer (tho', in hindsight, swinging this on the basis of "The Dirty Dozen meets The Magnificant Seven" could have been a bit of a hard sell!).

My shattered ego and I will limp off into the gathering gloom and plan our revenge. I'm going up anyway with all the gear and I'll be damned if those guys get all the best shots (and by whatsit will it cost 'em if I get one they don't!). Said only half in jest, if I did, of course they could have it for a, er, small consideration.

Again, my thanks to you all, guys and guyesses. Hopefully next time I'll pull it off.


CS

For what its worth and it may be a little too late now to arrange, you might try to get a media accreditation to get access to some closed areas.

The other player's exclusivity deal may of course ban you out of any such areas but it may be worth a try.

If you can approach your local public access channel, assuming you have one in NZ, ask them to annoint you as their official videographer, you might get half a chance if their piece of paper is impressive.

The footage you shoot this time round would not be an earner unless it was absolutely outstanding and unique in which case everyone including the offical player may want a piece of your action.

Unfortunately, such footage is often associated with disaster and I have some severe misgivings about profiting from such.

My personal policy with aviators is to state before I shoot any footage at an event, that if I observe the development of any "playing up for the camera" or inappropriate risk taking, I will turn the camera around off the shot and walk away from it and have done so. You may miss the money shot but your integrity will remain intact.

Good luck and enjoy.

Re Wanaka
 

Hey dont worry about it Chris,

While Wanaka is a nice venue and yes they have some nice aircraft, Omaka and even Wings over Wairarapa and growing and are just as much fun especially with the Peter Jackson Collection of aircraft participating....

cheers
Sam

For all you wonderfull people...........
 

who responded so enthusiastically, wholeheartedly and considerately to this thread, this is my bottom line on the actual event.

Lessons learnt, ego given distinct reality check, hmm, maybe air shows ain't my thing.

This is the summary:

http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=117949


CS