Anyone else from Michigan?

[Eric Zad]

New to this board and the xl1, just upgraded from the gl1; hope the $$ was worth it..

Currently we're shooting outdoors/fly fishing video for both tv episodes and full length interactive dvds..

Anyone out there filming underwater? Looking for some info/help to capture some footage...

e

[K. Forman]

Try a periscope. You can get the footage without spending several hundred more for a housing. Just a thought.
Keith

[Rob Lohman]

There are underwater housings for both the camera's (GL1 and
XL1) which allow you to actually dive with your camera, they are
a bit expensive though (the smaller the cheaper. So the GL1
housing will be cheaper than the XL1's). Periscope might not be
such a bad idea if the camera is not going to go very deep. You'll
probably have to build something yourself though. I've never
seen any advertised.

[Jeff Donald]

Century used to makes periscopes http://www.centuryoptics.com/ but I'm not sure if they still do. They recently changed their site and not everything is shown. Down load their pdf price sheet and look for a periscope. they also have an 800 number.

Jeff

[Eric Zad]

dam... hit century optics looking for a periscope..$22,000- I'm guessing there's another one that I'm missing that's not so pricey!

e

[Jason Gatti]

Just wondering if there is anyone else on this board from Michigan? If so where about's? Any other's like me, just starting out one camera 1 PC, home studio? Interested in working together on any project's? Let me know Storm3667@aol.com

[Hans Nyberg]

I have a home based business doing film-to-video transfers, editing etc. My plans are to get more involved in the production end of things.

I've been shooting some roller-hockey with pretty good results. I like to mountain bike and I used to do some cross-country ski racing, so I''ll see what I can do with those sports too.

I've also been approached by a Japanese businessman, here in Novi, about shooting him and some of his friends from Japan riding their Harleys on Route 66 from Chicago to CA. It'll probably never happen but it sure would be cool if it did.

If you're in the SE part of the state maybe we could work on something together. hans[at]tenmilemedia.com.

By the way, I use a Canon GL-2 and a Sony TRV330, and I edit with Vegas 4.0.

[Alfred Tomaszewski]

this is a little late coming, but i dont really check out this part of the board too often. I have a video production campany here in michigan. There are four of us with 2 vx2000s, vx1000, and gl1. All four of us edit on macs with FCP. We are always looking for more work.

[Hans Nyberg]

Hi Alfred, I've got two sons about the same age as you guys (20 and 17 years old).

Since you're into music check out my younger son's webpage -

www.punkpress.com

[Stephen Sawchuk]

Greetings,

As you'll see from my impressive post count of 1, this is my entrance.

I'm 18, from southeastern Michigan, and have yet to determine which film-related profession interests me. I've always enjoyed taking over my parents' less than powerful camcorders throughout my existance, but I could only "play" with them for so long.

So now, I'll be purchasing either a GL2, VX2000, or VX2100 in the next few days. Your assumption that I have no experience is an accurate one, however these machines offer the power that I'm after. And after viewing samples of what they produce, you can say that I couldn't stand settling for less.

I'm currently working on applying for the "Motion Picture Institute of Michigan" - www.mpifilm.com. Probably nothing too special, but it covers all the bases. There's been times when I hear a song and think "That song would be great if there were a scene with a car driving down the road in the rain," leading me to believe I'm best suited for a career in audio-to-motion picture matching. Then I'll see a movie and think "That's the most impressive work I've ever seen - I need to do that." And I've been rewriting Friends/Seinfeld episodes since I was 13, so there's also been times when I think I'm best fit for something along those lines.

So who knows. But thank you for reading all this. I know you gained nothing from it, but I am glad you made it this far.

Unless you skipped the meat of the message and are just reading my thank you. Heck, thanks for that too.

Great community! Always keeping an eye on "DV For The Masses." By the by, this first/last name basis is very welcoming and warm =)

[Rob Lohman]

Welcome aboard Steve! Good to have you with us. I wish you
the best on your camera purchase and happy shooting!

[John Harmon]

Well, where to begin?

I'm a wedding DJ turned videographer, although I still DJ weddings as well. I do most of my work through a well-known company in SE Mich that offers DJ's, video, photography, and even live bands. I had been a DJ for a long time, and one day last year I mentioned to the boss that I liked to edit video as a hobby. He then gave me raw tapes from a wedding that had long since been delivered and asked me to make a demo out of them. I did, he liked what he saw, and the rest is history...

I really had no equipment to speak of, just an old JVC DV consumer camera and a Best Buy tripod. I used, believe it or not, Pinnacle Studio 8 for my editing (and still do - despite the bugginess, it does give great results and it's easy to use). I've since gotten it somewhat together, and now use the following gear:

-A Sony VX1000. This actually belongs to my company, and they just had it completely overhauled, so it works very well. I intend to get my own in the near future, and like many of us, I'm torn between the GL2 and the VX2100. I've read many complaints about the reliability of the tape transport in the Canon, so I'm leaning more toward the Sony.

-My backup and capturing cam is a Panasonic PV-GS120 (3CCD). This little gem (and the GS150) may be the best value in consumer DV cams today. You get excellent video and a lot of features for $500. I have used it for a wedding shoot when the Sony was in the shop, and the results generated no complaints.

-For audio, I bought a Fostex MR-8 multitrack digital recorder. This little workhorse was the best $300 I ever spent. You can record two sources simultaneously onto separate tracks (mix 'em down at home!) and overdub if you wish (the MR-8 is really intended for musicians). It records onto Compact Flash cards, the same ones used in digital cameras, and can work on 6 AA batteries. A 512MB card will give you over three hours recording time in Extended mode (22 KHz, mono, which is all you really need for voice recording), and you can buy them at Wal-Mart.

At the reception, I jack it into the DJ board (since I know all our DJ's, it's not a problem, and even DJ's from other companies don't give me a hard time). This is vital for the intros, toasts, etc. I sync the board audio with the camcorder audio using the "get it in the ballpark and move it around until the echo disappears" method. You really need the camcorder audio - just using a straight board feed makes it sound dull and lifeless. To set levels, I burned an audio CD with a 0 dB 1000 Hz test tone. I have the DJ turn off the amps (VERY IMPORTANT!), play the CD, and redline the board. Adjust the level so the VU's read 0 dB, and you're all set.

-I have two UHF cordless mic systems: a Shure "Presenter" lavalier, which I use on the groom, and an Audio-Technica handheld I ganked from my DJ system and use mainly for interviews. (A lot of my DJ equipment is now pulling double duty.) When doing the ceremony, I simply jack the Shure receiver into the MR-8, place the whole thing somewhere unobtrusive, and let 'er fly. No, I can't monitor the thing while I'm behind the camera, but I have tested the range of the transmitter, I always install a fresh battery, and it hasn't let me down yet (knock on wood). The only time I've bothered to use the chruch's sound system was one where they actually placed a 1/4" jack in the back, connected to the master out, specifically for videographers. A nice touch. Recorded the lavalier on track 1 and the church board feed on track 2, mixed it down at home with the camcorder audio.

Question: Is there such a thing as a 12v rechargeable battery pack that can power these wireless receivers through the AC adaptor jack? Yeah, I know I can roll my own, but if there's such a thing, put me down for two.

-I also do photo montages, and I have Imagematics StillMotion Creator, video pro version. This allows you to pan & zoom around the still like they do in, say, A & E's "Biography" and make AVI files out of them. Yes, I charge extra if clients want this effect.

-Other software I use: Virtual Dub (good for changing file formats, among many other things), Video Toolbox (allows you to reverse video and mirror any half of the image), and DVD2AVI (does exactly what the name implies). All three of these are freeware - just download and enjoy. Also, I use GoldWave, the old version 4.26, if the audio needs any work. Don't get version 5 - I just plain don't like it.

That's it for now. I have a rare Saturday off, so I'm using it to catch up on my editing (I'm writing this as a video is rendering). I'm looking forward to learning from y'all, and maybe I can actually pass along a tip or two. Maybe I'll post a sample or two later.

[Rob Lohman]

Hello John and welcome aboard (H)DVInfo.net! Good to have you with us. Thanks
for your lengthy introduction. Sorry for my late welcome!

[Brandon Tubek]

Hi,

I'm from farmington hills michigan where i co-own a production company. Timber Ridge Productions. We use an AG-DVX100a and Sony Vegas 6.0. Our company is a huge fan of D. Spotted Eagle!

Anyone else in the michigan/ohio area?

[Matt Trubac]

Welcome to the forums.

I'm in Lansing. Attending Lansing Community College, studying Film. I mostly shoot weddings, own 2 DVX-100a's, and edit on an Apple dual 2.7G5 with FCP5, DVD SP4, Motion, and ST Pro (Final Cut Studio).

Matt Trubac