Two camera setup? at DVinfo.net

April 13th, 2005, 07:15 PM

Anyone use a cheap camcorder to supplement their main camcorder for a reverse shot or whatnot? How did it look? Anyone do that for an interview scene? Was there a timecode issue? I use an XL2 and FCP. Thanks in advance.

Jimmy McKenzie · April 13th, 2005, 07:35 PM

For interviews, you can do this with one camera. Record the content from start to finish and when you have a natural break, pause the interview and re-frame to 2 t's or ECU haircut. Then back to head and shoulders. You should be able to have multiple setups with all the content only recorded once. Then edit with dip to black or overlay b material: location shots etc. The second cam in desaturated mode or different frame rate is cool but a bit dated. And when the budget doesn't allow for a second 3 chip camera, all your shots will be of equal quality. I just did a bunch like this tonight ... the second cam stayed home because I had run and gun stuff to do along with the talking heads ... simply no time to setup both...

April 15th, 2005, 02:20 PM

Right on. Yeah, I've been watching too much 60 Minutes. I didn't think on my own that there are other ways of cutting it together than just back and forth - interviewer question, interviewee answer. So, shoot the subject answering the questions and intercut other stuff to back it up. One thing - what does "re-frame to 2 t's" mean? 2 tight shots? I do know what ECU means. Really helpful post. Thanks.

Jimmy McKenzie · April 15th, 2005, 07:18 PM

Mr. Papert was so kind as to explain the nomenclature a while ago and this one stuck. When you want to see all the boobs you need to frame for two tits. When it's just the cleavage and not the entire boobs, that's tight 2 t's. I suppose the term is gender non-specific, but you get the idea.

Thanks for your kind response ... I really enjoy posting here.

K. Forman · April 15th, 2005, 08:15 PM

Scott- I guess it all depends on what you are shooting. I've seen several shows using an edgy look. They desaturate B roll, making it black and white, add heavy grain, etc. They then show it P.I.P. with the A roll footage. That Ghost Hunters show on Sci Fi did this a lot. Doing it this way, the worse the second cam is, the better the effect would be.

April 13th, 2005, 07:15 PM	#1
Guest Posts: n/a	Two camera setup? Anyone use a cheap camcorder to supplement their main camcorder for a reverse shot or whatnot? How did it look? Anyone do that for an interview scene? Was there a timecode issue? I use an XL2 and FCP. Thanks in advance.

April 15th, 2005, 08:15 PM	#5
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	Scott- I guess it all depends on what you are shooting. I've seen several shows using an edgy look. They desaturate B roll, making it black and white, add heavy grain, etc. They then show it P.I.P. with the A roll footage. That Ghost Hunters show on Sci Fi did this a lot. Doing it this way, the worse the second cam is, the better the effect would be. __________________ www.SmokeWagonLeather.us

April 13th, 2005, 07:35 PM	#2
Jimmy McKenzie Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Waterloo Ontario Posts: 721	For interviews, you can do this with one camera. Record the content from start to finish and when you have a natural break, pause the interview and re-frame to 2 t's or ECU haircut. Then back to head and shoulders. You should be able to have multiple setups with all the content only recorded once. Then edit with dip to black or overlay b material: location shots etc. The second cam in desaturated mode or different frame rate is cool but a bit dated. And when the budget doesn't allow for a second 3 chip camera, all your shots will be of equal quality. I just did a bunch like this tonight ... the second cam stayed home because I had run and gun stuff to do along with the talking heads ... simply no time to setup both...

April 15th, 2005, 02:20 PM	#3
Guest Posts: n/a	Right on. Yeah, I've been watching too much 60 Minutes. I didn't think on my own that there are other ways of cutting it together than just back and forth - interviewer question, interviewee answer. So, shoot the subject answering the questions and intercut other stuff to back it up. One thing - what does "re-frame to 2 t's" mean? 2 tight shots? I do know what ECU means. Really helpful post. Thanks.

April 15th, 2005, 07:18 PM	#4
Jimmy McKenzie Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Waterloo Ontario Posts: 721	Mr. Papert was so kind as to explain the nomenclature a while ago and this one stuck. When you want to see all the boobs you need to frame for two tits. When it's just the cleavage and not the entire boobs, that's tight 2 t's. I suppose the term is gender non-specific, but you get the idea. Thanks for your kind response ... I really enjoy posting here.