filming in the rain, tips? at DVinfo.net

John Kron · June 5th, 2006, 09:55 AM

I wanted to know if anyone has basic tips for fiming in the rain. the shots are intended to capture the rain envirment within a forest, a field, upon a lake. etc.
I want the rain to be part of the overall capture , both sight and sound. but I do not want the camera to get wet or do not want to hear the rain hitting an umbrella or seeing run off in front of the lens area.

also any tips you got for improving a wind muff , please share. my windtech doesnt do good enough and am in process of fabricating a supplemental fuzzie wrap to use on windier locals.

thanks for any advice ya got

Mark Bournes · June 5th, 2006, 11:02 AM

Shoot form a covered location to keep the rain off the camera and lens and use a wireless in the "elements" to get the sound you want while recording.
For example, put the wireless under a tree branch to help shield it form the rain and still get the sound of the forest. Just bag the transmiiter in some rain gear to keep it dry and you should accomplish your goal.

Mark

John Kron · June 5th, 2006, 11:08 AM

wired mic? If I had a 10 foot cord I guess I could the same principle with a wired mic? just run it out away from the camera cover? I think I have to get an extension plug wire anyway to eliminnate the camera motor noise that I am picking up when recording the ambient sounds .

Meryem Ersoz · June 5th, 2006, 12:13 PM

one thing about shooting nature (versus human speech/dialogue, where the mouth in motion has to match cleanly) is that it is very easy to record to a secondary sound source and synch it to the image. so you could use something like a $200 minidisc to record ambient sound and not put your camera's electricals at risk. or your expensive mic set-ups.

Cole McDonald · June 5th, 2006, 01:10 PM

wrap the camera in a plastic bag, gaff tape the bag to the lens hood and cover it with an umbrella (PA's are good for this). Backlight the rain to make it show up better in frame. Hang a towel inside the plastic bag for wiping your hands before you handle the camera.

Steve Siegel · June 5th, 2006, 04:43 PM

I had a lousy experience recently shooting in the rain with a Canon 75-300 zoom on the XL-2. Everything was adequately covered with plastic, but condensation got into the lens. (It isn't airtight). It took two days to evaporate the moisture off the inside elements. During that time, the lens was useless. I don't know a solution to that other than to use a "tighter" lens on rainy days.

John Kron · June 5th, 2006, 05:05 PM

I have had moisture problems with process boards in the past and found that a hair dryer applied will help them evaporate more quickly but itwould have to be on low. I will try that on my camera if needs be, but with caution.

Andy Graham · June 6th, 2006, 03:43 AM

Make sure all your flight cases or equipment bags are waterproof or your gear will be soaking before you even get there.

Andy.

John Kron · June 6th, 2006, 09:42 AM

thanks everyone for all the nice tips. nothin like experience.

just hiked over a mile through the woods to film a stream, and it was bone dry when I got there. only action I got was a turtle getting a drink from a puddle , and I had to bean him with a rock to get him to move.. the volume of the stream doubled, after I took a leak.

many stream beds are dried up now in missouri.

June 5th, 2006, 09:55 AM	#1
John Kron New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: usa Posts: 23	filming in the rain, tips? I wanted to know if anyone has basic tips for fiming in the rain. the shots are intended to capture the rain envirment within a forest, a field, upon a lake. etc. I want the rain to be part of the overall capture , both sight and sound. but I do not want the camera to get wet or do not want to hear the rain hitting an umbrella or seeing run off in front of the lens area. also any tips you got for improving a wind muff , please share. my windtech doesnt do good enough and am in process of fabricating a supplemental fuzzie wrap to use on windier locals. thanks for any advice ya got

June 5th, 2006, 11:08 AM	#3
John Kron New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: usa Posts: 23	I guess I could do the same thing with a wired mic? If I had a 10 foot cord I guess I could the same principle with a wired mic? just run it out away from the camera cover? I think I have to get an extension plug wire anyway to eliminnate the camera motor noise that I am picking up when recording the ambient sounds .

June 5th, 2006, 01:10 PM	#5
Cole McDonald Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sauk Rapids, MN, USA Posts: 1,675	wrap the camera in a plastic bag, gaff tape the bag to the lens hood and cover it with an umbrella (PA's are good for this). Backlight the rain to make it show up better in frame. Hang a towel inside the plastic bag for wiping your hands before you handle the camera. __________________ Web Youtube Facebook

June 5th, 2006, 05:05 PM	#7
John Kron New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: usa Posts: 23	thanks for the warning I have had moisture problems with process boards in the past and found that a hair dryer applied will help them evaporate more quickly but itwould have to be on low. I will try that on my camera if needs be, but with caution.

June 6th, 2006, 03:43 AM	#8
Andy Graham Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lanark,Scotland Posts: 736	Make sure all your flight cases or equipment bags are waterproof or your gear will be soaking before you even get there. Andy. __________________ Actor: "where would that light be coming from?" DP: "same place as the music" -Andrew Lesnie-

June 5th, 2006, 11:02 AM	#2
Mark Bournes Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jupiter, FL Posts: 565	Shoot form a covered location to keep the rain off the camera and lens and use a wireless in the "elements" to get the sound you want while recording. For example, put the wireless under a tree branch to help shield it form the rain and still get the sound of the forest. Just bag the transmiiter in some rain gear to keep it dry and you should accomplish your goal. Mark

June 5th, 2006, 12:13 PM	#4
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3,015	one thing about shooting nature (versus human speech/dialogue, where the mouth in motion has to match cleanly) is that it is very easy to record to a secondary sound source and synch it to the image. so you could use something like a $200 minidisc to record ambient sound and not put your camera's electricals at risk. or your expensive mic set-ups.

June 5th, 2006, 04:43 PM	#6
Steve Siegel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Posts: 840	I had a lousy experience recently shooting in the rain with a Canon 75-300 zoom on the XL-2. Everything was adequately covered with plastic, but condensation got into the lens. (It isn't airtight). It took two days to evaporate the moisture off the inside elements. During that time, the lens was useless. I don't know a solution to that other than to use a "tighter" lens on rainy days.

June 6th, 2006, 09:42 AM	#9
John Kron New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: usa Posts: 23	thanks for the tips thanks everyone for all the nice tips. nothin like experience. just hiked over a mile through the woods to film a stream, and it was bone dry when I got there. only action I got was a turtle getting a drink from a puddle , and I had to bean him with a rock to get him to move.. the volume of the stream doubled, after I took a leak. many stream beds are dried up now in missouri.