Mixing 24p with 60i: a creative approach or just distracting?

[A. Stone]

Hello!

Tomorrow I embark on my first big documentary project, which will involve 10 days in the remote high country of the Sierra Nevada (California) shooting a first descent kayak expedition. I Have the Sony Z-1 and will shoot everything in High-Def. I like the look of the “Cineframe” (pseudo) 24p mode while interviewing a stationary subject, but don’t think the camera does a very good job when the subject is in motion (in either 24 or 30 pseudo-p mode). My question: would it be too incongruous or “unprofessional” to shoot my interviews in the pseudo-24p mode, and everything else in 60i? I know mixing the two can work to good effect in drama when trying to bring the audience into the gritty reality realm, but in a documentary is it too distracting? Any advice, ideas, raw criticisms, or guidance would be most welcome…

Cheers!

Andrew

[Stephen van Vuuren]

Shoot all 60i and do 24p in post. From what I've seen, better 24p looks can be done in post than Cineframe psuedo 24p.

Per aethetics, 60i registers with most people as "real, happening now" and 24p as "narrative" but that's a generalization. Many other factors (style, subject, tone, editing, sound, audience etc. also affect this.

My advice is to be very sure of exactly what look you want before you start shooting - if you are unsure, watch a lot of docs and shoot plenty of tests. Play in post.

[A. Stone]

Thanks! I think I'll stick with 60i for everything and tweek as needed/desired in post..

Cheers!

Andrew

[Heath McKnight]

Be careful with CineFrame 24--too much motion can make it look rotten! Check out this article by Jon Fordham about the FX1 and CF24:

http://www.hdvinfo.net/articles/sonyhdrfx1/fordham7.php

heath