Wedding B-roll footage?? at DVinfo.net

Vishad Dewan · May 16th, 2007, 02:43 PM

Okay, the title for this thread is really bizzare, but bear with me.

I've got a Canon XL2 I'm going to be using for a couple of wedding shoots. The problem I have is that I'd love to get an over-the-shoulder shot from the pastor's perspective, but the only other camera I have is a Sony Handycam from three years ago. I just KNOW the results are going to be drastically different from my XL2 and the Sony.

Does anyone know how can, perhaps, enhance the Sony footage to look more like what I'll capture with the XL2 set at 4:3 aspect ratio, 60i? The colors are going to be pretty different on the Sony, that's for sure.

Can anyone suggest what I could do with this B-roll footage? Could it still be useful?

Tim Harjo · May 16th, 2007, 03:45 PM

I'm using 2 XL2's. One time (not for a wedding) I incoperated a samsung camera with my other XL2 cams.

I use Final Cut Studio. Using final cut pro, there is the 3 way color corrector. You won't get perfect, but I believe using this, you can match up the colors as close as possible.

Andy Harding · May 16th, 2007, 04:04 PM

Yup run the XL 2 of 60i at 4.3 and don't beat yourself up over the colour, in any half decent editor you should get it something like, and don't forget there not looking at the picture there looking at the subject.

I had an director worried about some SFX work a while back as all he kept seeing was the effect as he knew what he was looking at the whole SFX was 5 seconds long CGI characters (digital doubles based on real talent) going up a minature stair case.
I kept telling him them will not see it it will be fine but he kept flapping until we sat the crew down on the shoot one day and showed them the shot for the first time no one could see it all they saw was the talent going up a stair case for 3 seconds (we cut the shot down a bit in the edit). they don't know what they are looking for and don't see it.

The watchers of the final output of your wedding Video/DVD will be seeing the B & G and other people on the day NOT the colour difference unless it's really poor that is an not corrected at all.

Vishad Dewan · May 16th, 2007, 04:21 PM

Thank you for the tips. Yeah, you're right about the subjects. Heck, most wedding videos are so horribly done they won't even care if the colors are a little off for the vows. I think I'll try setting the white balance munually on both cameras using my Vortex WarmCards; hopefully I'll get close reproduction on both and won't have to mess around with color correction in FCP.

Thanks again for the help!

Dave Blackhurst · May 16th, 2007, 11:50 PM

Hi Vishad -
Perhaps cut to B&W or sepia tone effect in post? color matching not a big issue then <wink>! And the B&W is very popular for close shots of bride/individual subjects. Probably wouldn't look great on a wide shot, but...

DB>)

Vishad Dewan · May 17th, 2007, 12:16 AM

I thought about doing that, Dave, but I don't think it will work out too well. I'd rather leave everything in color during the vows, and then do the Pleasantville Effect when the couple take their first dance. Then again, it wouldn't cost me anything to try your tip. Maybe it will work out.

Thanks for the help, Dave.

May 16th, 2007, 02:43 PM	#1
Vishad Dewan Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Yuba City, Ca Posts: 126	Wedding B-roll footage?? Okay, the title for this thread is really bizzare, but bear with me. I've got a Canon XL2 I'm going to be using for a couple of wedding shoots. The problem I have is that I'd love to get an over-the-shoulder shot from the pastor's perspective, but the only other camera I have is a Sony Handycam from three years ago. I just KNOW the results are going to be drastically different from my XL2 and the Sony. Does anyone know how can, perhaps, enhance the Sony footage to look more like what I'll capture with the XL2 set at 4:3 aspect ratio, 60i? The colors are going to be pretty different on the Sony, that's for sure. Can anyone suggest what I could do with this B-roll footage? Could it still be useful?

May 16th, 2007, 03:45 PM	#2
Tim Harjo Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 195	I'm using 2 XL2's. One time (not for a wedding) I incoperated a samsung camera with my other XL2 cams. I use Final Cut Studio. Using final cut pro, there is the 3 way color corrector. You won't get perfect, but I believe using this, you can match up the colors as close as possible.

May 16th, 2007, 04:04 PM	#3
Andy Harding Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 82	Yup run the XL 2 of 60i at 4.3 and don't beat yourself up over the colour, in any half decent editor you should get it something like, and don't forget there not looking at the picture there looking at the subject. I had an director worried about some SFX work a while back as all he kept seeing was the effect as he knew what he was looking at the whole SFX was 5 seconds long CGI characters (digital doubles based on real talent) going up a minature stair case. I kept telling him them will not see it it will be fine but he kept flapping until we sat the crew down on the shoot one day and showed them the shot for the first time no one could see it all they saw was the talent going up a stair case for 3 seconds (we cut the shot down a bit in the edit). they don't know what they are looking for and don't see it. The watchers of the final output of your wedding Video/DVD will be seeing the B & G and other people on the day NOT the colour difference unless it's really poor that is an not corrected at all.

May 16th, 2007, 04:21 PM	#4
Vishad Dewan Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Yuba City, Ca Posts: 126	Thank you for the tips. Yeah, you're right about the subjects. Heck, most wedding videos are so horribly done they won't even care if the colors are a little off for the vows. I think I'll try setting the white balance munually on both cameras using my Vortex WarmCards; hopefully I'll get close reproduction on both and won't have to mess around with color correction in FCP. Thanks again for the help!

May 16th, 2007, 11:50 PM	#5
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Hi Vishad - Perhaps cut to B&W or sepia tone effect in post? color matching not a big issue then <wink>! And the B&W is very popular for close shots of bride/individual subjects. Probably wouldn't look great on a wide shot, but... DB>)

May 17th, 2007, 12:16 AM	#6
Vishad Dewan Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Yuba City, Ca Posts: 126	I thought about doing that, Dave, but I don't think it will work out too well. I'd rather leave everything in color during the vows, and then do the Pleasantville Effect when the couple take their first dance. Then again, it wouldn't cost me anything to try your tip. Maybe it will work out. Thanks for the help, Dave.