Monday, May 10, 2010

FILMMAKING: THE DLSR 5D/7D - FAD/FUNCTION/REALITY

The Storyboard process moves on day by day - night by night. During this process - we are looking at
one large puzzle piece of the film we are shooting this summer - the camera. 


It looks like we may be using the new possible camera fad - the 5d or the 7d. I say fad b/c maybe it is












just that  - or maybe it isn't. It's still a very new "filming a movie" tool. Very new... and while I'm the first one who loves cutting edge filmmaking - learning during/on an actual shoot how a camera works or does not works - is not what I want me or the DP to be worrying about - instead - I want me and the DP to be focused on getting the very best shots that help tell the very best story. 


SO with that stated - here is a lot of information that we are looking at about the cameras - so far - since we are filming in such tight locations - with very low light - this camera seems to have many pluses for our filming situation - TIGHT locations - and I am talking TIGHT - we're talking 3 feet by 3 feet at times.  On the negative - possibly -  sound seems to be a BIG problem with the camera - I have yet to see ANYONE address the sound record from the camera - I've heard it's mono - AND -  not good at all via the external hook up. 


I'm searching to see if someone has tried to make it work. Why not just record externally you ask - well - we are shooting some very large scenes in such tight locations - a boom mic may very well not fit - with the camera man and the actor - but - we will  see.


THIS POST WILL BE UPDATED A LOT - BE SURE TO CHECK BACK OFTEN:


UPDATE!!!
Use your laptop as a monitor!





MONITORS: via 5DFILMMAKING.COM


MIC IT UP: via JUICEDLINK

&

ONE of the BEST VIDS on the DSLR Cameras out there via ZACUTO: PART 1 of 3 PARTS

Zacuto Great Camera Shootout 2010: It's all About Latitude from Zacuto USA on Vimeo.

Advice/opinions - feel free to comment - we'll listen. 


Got a question - feel free to list in the comment section - we'll try and find the answer.


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1: ONE OF THE VERY BEST SITES ABOUT 5D/7D: HURLBURT VISUALS (WEBSITE)
http://ow.ly/1IYng


2: A GRAND SITE: CANON 5D TIPS (WEBSITE)                                           
http://ow.ly/1IPDY


3: TONS OF 5D/7D SHOT MOVIES HERE: The best DSLR flix on the net - DSLR FLIX (VIDEOS)
http://ow.ly/1IPFW


4: CANON FILMMAKERS (WEBSITE/VIDEOS)
http://ow.ly/1IPHJ


5: CANON EOS 550D vs. 7D vs. 5Dmkii (VIDEO)
http://ow.ly/1IPMa


6: DSLR Tactical Shooter ZACUTO (VIDEO)
http://ow.ly/1IYAj


7: GREAT CAMERA SHOOTOUT via ZACUTO (VIDEO)
http://ow.ly/1IYBq


8: CANON 7D FEATURE FILM shot entirely with the 7D: THE NEW REPUBLIC: (VIDEO/WEBSITE)
http://ow.ly/1IYE1 & http://ow.ly/1IYFb


9: @PhilipBloom WRITES ABOUT SHOOTING ON A BIG MOVIE SET WITH DSLRs FOR LUCASFILMS:
http://ow.ly/1KvF2


Feel free to post links to articles and websites for more DSLR information in the comment section ;-)


Meanwhile - it's going to be very interesting to see if we use the DSLR format - or not on the movie...


UPDATE!!




I'm Jus' sayin;
OKLAHOMA WARD

12 comments:

  1. @dannylaceyfilm on Twitter has talked with me and stated some great info on the camera 5D: It's a fab camera, just make sure you have plenty of GREAT lenses, including primes, to play with AND 5 locations, 5 different setups in 12 hours of filming for a one track music video shoot, small crew using Canon 5D + extra kit. We did well AND Here's one from the living room scene, a 300w light casting the light from the TV lol... http://twitpic.com/1mekai AND Some of the kit I managed to get my hands on for the shoot... http://twitpic.com/1mek00 AND The absolutely amazing warehouse location and track and dolly set up... http://twitpic.com/1mekfm AND Aching loads after yesterdays music video shoot,. Converting the H.264 files to ProRes 422 before starting the editing

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  2. @RichB_RED on Twitter wrote: Hi Rich, was using 2x zoom lenses 24-70, 16-35 @2.8. Would have liked to have had more lenses (especially a few primes)

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  3. @GarethPaulCox on TWITTER wrote: Our shoot, a couple 500's, two 170's, five 5D's, and one 7D. Good times...we had 30 32gb P2 cards and 20 CF's. http://twitpic.com/1mhpuk

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  4. Another topic we are looking at is - how well does the image hold up on a large theater screen? We will be researching and posting information as we get it here ;-)

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  5. Here's and article talking about shooting FLAT vs NOT Shooting flat for color correction in post: The definitive destination for Micro Movie Production. http://ow.ly/1J503

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  6. Here is a response to the shooting FLAT scenario http://ow.ly/1J57v

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  7. Received numerous E-mails asking if we can activate the links in the comment s- we are looking into it - for now - copy and paste ;-)

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  8. Seems that some good information out there about sound fix is coming around: here is some of what I have found: AGC = Auto Gain Control. It boost the "volume" of the mic when incoming mic sounds are low. This adds noise. The shuffle plays a constant sound into one channel of the camera (the splitter makes this possible). This keeps the AGC from kicking in on BOTH channels. The other channel (for your mic) is not boosted, so there is no added noise from the AGC.

    ReplyDelete
  9. VIA The HANDY DSLR RIG: You should've added the fact that using a viewfinder isn't possible...
    5DFilmSchool @mctipi You're right, although that limitation didn't even occur to me, as I don't use a viewfinder. Indeed, part of what makes this rig so cool is that it removes the need for a viewfinder. By being able to position an LCD monitor (which you can buy for the same price as a viewfinder) at any angle, you can maneuver the camera in ways that aren't possible with your eye glued to an eyecup. For a simple example: shots from floor-level.

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  10. IF YOU NEED TO BE MOBILE FOR YOUR SHOOT - THIS SOUND IS THE BEST!! juicedLink CX231 Audio Mixer and Preamplifier with Phantom Power
    Sometimes, you're running and gunning, and don't have the luxury of a separate field mixer. But, if you still want good audio, you need a separate preamp. The juicedlink fits the bill. It has superb, quiet amplification, mounts directly to the bottom of your camera, and provides phantom power.

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  11. Audio-Technica AT897 - Short Condenser Shotgun Microphone
    Ask two audio operators which microphone you should use, and you'll get three different opinions. There are countless microphones, each incrementally better suited to one application than another. However, to simplify the "what should I buy" problem, allow me to suggest the venerable AT897. This microphone is well-suited to DSLR filmmaking for several reasons:
    1) It has a good, clean sound without excessive bass or treble.
    2) As a shotgun microphone, it is very directional - meaning that it is designed to pick up whatever sound it's pointing at, and largely ignore everything else.
    3) It can be powered either by a field mixer/preamp or by a simple AA battery. This is a big advantage for times when you don't have phantom power available, or if you're working with a lower-end mixer that generates noisy phantom power.
    4) The microphone is physically small enough to mount on top of a DSLR for run-and-gun shoots without getting in the way, or being visible by the lens.

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  12. AND this was just e-mailed to me ;-) Manhattan LCD HD089B 8.9" HD Field Monitor
    It's very possible to focus without an external monitor, but the more complex your shot, the more difficult it is. A field monitor is an invaluable aid to maintaning focus throughout a moving shot. This is the best value in an HD-resolution HDMI monitor I've seen.

    ReplyDelete