Multi Camera Strategy at DVinfo.net

Christopher Cruz · October 6th, 2005, 02:31 PM

Hi All. I have a FX1 and a HC1 to use for a wedding this coming weekend. Any ideas or suggestion on how to make the best use of the two cameras? Should the FX1 be the primary 'catch all action camera' with the HC1 used for a follow cam/close ups/ artistic shots...or vice versa? Both Cameras will be actively manned. Thanks for your help!

Mike Phan · October 8th, 2005, 05:46 AM

This is just my suggestion for i'm not a pro like everyone else =P I would use the FX1 for the primary shots, and the HC1 would capture another angle. Make sure very important that you don't overlap, meaning you don't end up shooting each other, makes the video very tacky! Have fun.

Bob Costa · October 8th, 2005, 11:52 AM

OTOH, that HC1 might make for some nice moving shots, since it is so small and easy to handle. I say be adaptable and creative. Its new equipment for you, so experiment when you can.

Peter Jefferson · October 9th, 2005, 07:17 AM

hmm..
well to be honest, i would say that you have teh potential to get some really incredible work with the tools you have..

first and formost, if both cams are being manned, put the HC1 on a tripod. Its stabiliser and colour grading is nowhere near as good as the FX1. Not to say its a bad cam, its not, but the reason i say put it on a pod is coz, well, to be frank, its an inferior camera and you really dont want to use too much footage from it (unless your happy with colour grading and corection in post... which is why im an advocate for twin cameras, but of course, cost doesnt make it easy for those starting out

okies, well for tripoded shots, depending on the ceremony faith, id suggest place it on the GROOMS SIDE... focus/zoom it on the readers lectern, or better yet, get a wide shot of the readers lectern and the raised alter (if thre is one) if its manned, get ur operator to focus on the readers and the minister.

As for teh FX1, use that for closeups, cutaways and the vows. Dueing the vows, position yourself in the aisle. Its the best vantage point and ur guaranteed that the minister wont block ur view... (ive done weddings where weve had 2 cams on pods up front, one on each side.. and during the vows, he has stood directly in front of the cam opposite the speaker.. Ie, when groom says his vows, hed stand n front of the cam on the brides side, which is shooting the groom... lucky for me i had a 3rd cam in the aisle..

but yeah, during readings is the best time for cutaways and closeups of the couple, also its a good opportunity to get the wide shots of teh couple n their surroundings.

theres no right or wrong way of doing it, but its best to see work with shots that u feel that u can edit with..

Peter Jefferson · October 9th, 2005, 07:26 AM

one thing i forgot to mention..

i tend to disagree with bob on this one (in a nice way of course).. yeah the hc1 is smaller and can help with moving shots, but to be honest with u, from my experience, the heavier teh camera, the more stable the shot.. also the stabilser and DOF on the HC1 isnt as refined as the FX1...

this is jsut from my own experience with these cameras, some peopel might disagree with me, but i persoanlly feel that the FX1, is better suited for crane like shots due to its weight offering a lil more stability and leveling..

Roger Mason · October 9th, 2005, 11:15 AM

If it is an outdoor wedding, I would suggest using the HC1 as the primary hand held camera to capture the closeups, and put the FX1 on a tripod somewhere behind to capture the wide angle shots. As camcorderinfo points out in its review of the HC1, it is actually a better camera in bright sunlight because the FX1 tends to oversaturate colors, as was my exprience with it on a bright California day. I envy your equipment, you have a very professional setup and no matter what you do it will be great.

Christopher Cruz · October 10th, 2005, 09:41 AM

Hey thanks guys for all of your suggestions. A couple of them I dident get to read until after the event was over. I had the manned HC1 on a tri-pod which was first on the back left of the ceremony area. I handled the FX1 which was on the far right of the groom's side. It looks like we got good footage of the Groom coming in from the left side and the bride coming in from the right side. As they would come down the aisle, I had situated myself towards the middle and got nice shots of them walking in.

During the ceremony, the HC1 on the tripod was situated at the far back of the ceremony in the center of the aisle. There was luckily a batch of empty chairs by the aisle on the grooms side first-three rows. My guess is that it was the spot that was in the sun and groom's side wanted to take as much of the shade real estate as they could.

The bride and groom informed me they wanted to face each other during a majority of the ceremony so that their guests could see them and not just their backs. So as to not be obtrusive, the FX1 took low angle shots, close ups, an unblocked and clear view of their Unity Candle, and pouring of Sand. Not sure how the low angle shots will turn out but in the past clients have said they like how it makes them look tall and magnificent. One thing I noticed was that there were a small group of gnats flying around that got in the way of the picture once in a while.

Thanks for your guys' suggestions!

October 6th, 2005, 02:31 PM	#1
Christopher Cruz Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 45	Multi Camera Strategy Hi All. I have a FX1 and a HC1 to use for a wedding this coming weekend. Any ideas or suggestion on how to make the best use of the two cameras? Should the FX1 be the primary 'catch all action camera' with the HC1 used for a follow cam/close ups/ artistic shots...or vice versa? Both Cameras will be actively manned. Thanks for your help!

October 8th, 2005, 11:52 AM	#3
Bob Costa Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Venice, FL Posts: 850	OTOH, that HC1 might make for some nice moving shots, since it is so small and easy to handle. I say be adaptable and creative. Its new equipment for you, so experiment when you can. __________________ You are either growing or dying.

October 10th, 2005, 09:41 AM	#7
Christopher Cruz Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 45	thanks guys Hey thanks guys for all of your suggestions. A couple of them I dident get to read until after the event was over. I had the manned HC1 on a tri-pod which was first on the back left of the ceremony area. I handled the FX1 which was on the far right of the groom's side. It looks like we got good footage of the Groom coming in from the left side and the bride coming in from the right side. As they would come down the aisle, I had situated myself towards the middle and got nice shots of them walking in. During the ceremony, the HC1 on the tripod was situated at the far back of the ceremony in the center of the aisle. There was luckily a batch of empty chairs by the aisle on the grooms side first-three rows. My guess is that it was the spot that was in the sun and groom's side wanted to take as much of the shade real estate as they could. The bride and groom informed me they wanted to face each other during a majority of the ceremony so that their guests could see them and not just their backs. So as to not be obtrusive, the FX1 took low angle shots, close ups, an unblocked and clear view of their Unity Candle, and pouring of Sand. Not sure how the low angle shots will turn out but in the past clients have said they like how it makes them look tall and magnificent. One thing I noticed was that there were a small group of gnats flying around that got in the way of the picture once in a while. Thanks for your guys' suggestions!

October 8th, 2005, 05:46 AM	#2
Mike Phan Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Elk Grove, CA Posts: 93	This is just my suggestion for i'm not a pro like everyone else =P I would use the FX1 for the primary shots, and the HC1 would capture another angle. Make sure very important that you don't overlap, meaning you don't end up shooting each other, makes the video very tacky! Have fun.

October 9th, 2005, 07:17 AM	#4
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	hmm.. well to be honest, i would say that you have teh potential to get some really incredible work with the tools you have.. first and formost, if both cams are being manned, put the HC1 on a tripod. Its stabiliser and colour grading is nowhere near as good as the FX1. Not to say its a bad cam, its not, but the reason i say put it on a pod is coz, well, to be frank, its an inferior camera and you really dont want to use too much footage from it (unless your happy with colour grading and corection in post... which is why im an advocate for twin cameras, but of course, cost doesnt make it easy for those starting out okies, well for tripoded shots, depending on the ceremony faith, id suggest place it on the GROOMS SIDE... focus/zoom it on the readers lectern, or better yet, get a wide shot of the readers lectern and the raised alter (if thre is one) if its manned, get ur operator to focus on the readers and the minister. As for teh FX1, use that for closeups, cutaways and the vows. Dueing the vows, position yourself in the aisle. Its the best vantage point and ur guaranteed that the minister wont block ur view... (ive done weddings where weve had 2 cams on pods up front, one on each side.. and during the vows, he has stood directly in front of the cam opposite the speaker.. Ie, when groom says his vows, hed stand n front of the cam on the brides side, which is shooting the groom... lucky for me i had a 3rd cam in the aisle.. but yeah, during readings is the best time for cutaways and closeups of the couple, also its a good opportunity to get the wide shots of teh couple n their surroundings. theres no right or wrong way of doing it, but its best to see work with shots that u feel that u can edit with..

October 9th, 2005, 07:26 AM	#5
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	one thing i forgot to mention.. i tend to disagree with bob on this one (in a nice way of course).. yeah the hc1 is smaller and can help with moving shots, but to be honest with u, from my experience, the heavier teh camera, the more stable the shot.. also the stabilser and DOF on the HC1 isnt as refined as the FX1... this is jsut from my own experience with these cameras, some peopel might disagree with me, but i persoanlly feel that the FX1, is better suited for crane like shots due to its weight offering a lil more stability and leveling..

October 9th, 2005, 11:15 AM	#6
Roger Mason Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Location: Houston Posts: 28	If it is an outdoor wedding, I would suggest using the HC1 as the primary hand held camera to capture the closeups, and put the FX1 on a tripod somewhere behind to capture the wide angle shots. As camcorderinfo points out in its review of the HC1, it is actually a better camera in bright sunlight because the FX1 tends to oversaturate colors, as was my exprience with it on a bright California day. I envy your equipment, you have a very professional setup and no matter what you do it will be great.