Very special event

A warm welcome to all. Here we talk about films, which people put onto YouTube or Vimeo and embed here. The idea is to allow useful, friendly discussion.
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FredD
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:29 pm
Location: The New Forest, Hampshire.

Re: Very special event

Post by FredD »

Hi John

I use 18% (reflectance) Grey/White Card from Calumet :

http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/eng/produ ... 7/109-199a

As you see it is Grey one side and White the other.
You can use a sheet of A4 White paper or card. (which is cheaper than the above !)

Google "Grey card for checking White Balance and exposure", and you will find some more 'in depth' explanations, instructions and theory !

Place the card so that it will be reflecting the light that is going to be falling on the subject of your shot, and then zoom in on it so it fills the frame.
Take your measurment/adjust your white balance (see your camera manual for specific instructions on how to make this manual adjustment with your particular camera).

No, the ND filters are for restricting the amount of light reaching the camera sensor, thet don't affect white balance.

During this process your camera is measuring the temperature of the light that is being reflected from the card, in degrees Kelvin. In the 'old days' of film we used to have two separate meters for measuring light. An Exposure meter, to measure the amount of reflected or incedent light, and a Colour Temperature meter, to measure the temperature of the reflected light.
The readings we got from these two meters would guide us to the correct 'f stop' setting for the lens, and the level of 'red' or 'blue' filtration required to achieve the correct colour balance for the particular film stock we were using. It is a lot easier and faster these days to achieve well lit, balanced and exposed content !

Regards,
Fred D
"Films are never released, they escape !" Ben Burtt
john ingham
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Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Very special event

Post by john ingham »

Thanks Fred,
that was interesting, I guess your also right about todays camera's, so much easier than the old days,
just ordered the grey card..there was one site that i googled and they did a great explanation with before and after shots..Wow!!! what a difference

the RODE Blimp has arrived, Tim metioned that he would have like to see the difference when the mic was actually being used with voice against the wind (fan) ile sit down and do a small vid (better make sure i check the white balance 1st though :lol: )

once again. thanks guys

john
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
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FredD
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Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:29 pm
Location: The New Forest, Hampshire.

Re: Very special event

Post by FredD »

John,

Congrats on the 'blimp' purchase. You won't regret it ! :)
I look forward to seeing that 'perfectly' colour balanced and exposed test video, and hearing NO Exmouth wind
(or fan noise :wink: ) on the sound track. :D

It is great to see it all coming together ! I have a feeling that the 'Wales outdoor experience' movie is going to be GOOD, and that you will be able to impress and influence other local authorities with it !

Kind regards,
Fred D
"Films are never released, they escape !" Ben Burtt
john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Very special event

Post by john ingham »

just looking into insurance now, i need to cover all the gear plus have some public liability ..you never know these days.. any good reccomendations
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
col lamb
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:51 pm
Location: Preston, Lancashire

Re: Very special event

Post by col lamb »

John

Am I right is assuming that you are still getting to grips with your camcorder?

Prior to the event do have a good few hours getting used to the settings and where everything is so you can make adjustments easily and quickly

I have the Panasonic 151 and love it.

You have a great setup with the Rode mike and Blimp, it will make a difference, I have just the same setup and it works well. Remember to set up the audio in manual mode and use a full set of headphones to monitor.

A shooting plan is a good idea to go with a basic script.

It is also I good idea to shoot about 2x or 3x the closeups (mid and ultra) that you think you require. What you think you require is frequently nowhere near enough.

Make a list of kit: - camcorder, mikes, leads, CHARGED batteries, cases, tripod, lens cleaning cloths, lens brush, monopod, spare SD cards (formatted in your camcorder), kit waterproofing, clothing, spare clothes, baseball hat, sunscreen, shoes, socks, towels etc and check off the items as you assemble them the night before and again when you load up the car.

TIP a baseball hat with its large peak makes a good sunshade for the LCD panel/viewfinder

Finally......I suggest that you stick to the task of videoing the event and not to get involved in any other aspect of the activities during the day.........you have enough on your plate.
Col Lamb
Preston, Lancashire.
FCPX, Edius6.02, and Premiere CS 5.5 user.
Find me on Facebook, Colin Lamb
john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Very special event

Post by john ingham »

Hi Col
ive just been messing with the audio, and what a difference you can get by switching off the AUTO (I know Fred will love reading that :lol: ) Wow !!! what a difference, just popped the blimp outside the front door, been very gusty down here and was amazed how much the blimp knocks down the wind (good shout Fred ) , also been messing around with the phantom switch ... learning all the time...i have said that the filming will come 1st this year instead of me paddling..but i can see me pinching a quick half hour paddle :lol:

ile work on the test video a bit later..maybe tomorrow when I venture up to the fields

i always do a check list... 1 for all the kayaking gear, 1 for the camera gear, and not forgetting the camping gear

and still manage to forget something :lol:

just need to check the conection as i noticed a small crackle
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Very special event

Post by john ingham »

just found that the conection on the blimp handle was creating a crackle, ive by-passed it now with the extension lead going straight to the mic... now works perfect,

whilst messing around last night with the audio, I was amazed at the different sounds I got with just twiddling a few knobs, one minute my voice was sounding full and bassy the next tinny & how do i say this..no depth, at one stage it almost sounded like an Echo, but I quickly worked out the camcorder s fixed mic was also on :lol:

A few weeks ago I had this crazy idea, that i would buy this camera and point and shoot and create the perfect film :lol: :lol: :lol: the best thing ive ever done was to join this site, you guys have in the nicest way given me a reality check :lol: and I'm loving every minute of learning ,

A massive thankyou to you all who have taken the time to get me started on the right road :wink:
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Very special event

Post by john ingham »

the blimp test

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6NuwqpLxTA[/youtube]
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
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FredD
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Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:29 pm
Location: The New Forest, Hampshire.

Re: Very special event

Post by FredD »

What can I say John ! :)

You have cracked any potential wind issues ! :D
Not bad colour balance either ! 8)

Warmest regards
Fred D
"Films are never released, they escape !" Ben Burtt
john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Very special event

Post by john ingham »

More than happy Fred, the blimp was a good shout :wink:
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Very special event

Post by john ingham »

:( it was a No-goer ,,the rain just poured down , so the camera stayed in the bag..
we still had a great time even though numbers were low, the rain kept many young groups away...
I thought about using the waterproof cover.. but this wasn't just a normal down pour..agh well, some you win some you loose ...we are making plans for another shoot

thaks for al, your help lads

john
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
tom hardwick
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Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 9:59 am

Re: Very special event

Post by tom hardwick »

To be technically correct you should indeed do a manual white balance adjustment whenever you feel the colour of the light has changed. But if this is taken to extremes you'll be 'dialing out' the reds of a sunset or losing the blue cold of the frosty morning. Auto WB will be trying to 'correct' in the same way of course.

A proper Kodak grey card is what you really should use for WB settings (it can be anything from pure white to jet black of course, so long as there's no hint of colour). And that's what our eyes aren't very good at doing, judging whiteness - we don't see the blue-whitening added to white shirts and A4 sheets of paper, but the camera will.

Your built-in ND filters won't affect the white balance settings at all, that's why they're called neutral. Ah, but I've used cheap NDs in my time and they do prove that you get what you pay for. They were't neutral at all, and gave my footage a nasty mauve cast.

tom.
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Dave Watterson
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Location: Bath, England
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Re: Very special event

Post by Dave Watterson »

SH ... Darn it!
John - lots of us had been keeping our fingers crossed for you at the weekend and looked forward to your report on the shoot. We have all been flooding (oops!) you with ideas knowing that there was too much for anyone to take on board (oops again!) on their first major shoot. But we hoped it would go well ...

But you cannot beat the weather ... good luck next time.

Dave
john ingham
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Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Very special event

Post by john ingham »

i'm just messing around with what footage i did take..more before the event than of the event :(
Trust me dave, the advice on here is fantastic and long may that last, this is a major learning curve for me and still very early days..

On the actual day , the weather changed so quick..the clouds were flying past if as it was a time lapse :lol:
but when the rain fell..it fell hard, I am gutted because the children didn't give a dam about the weather :lol: they were having a great time ...just couldn't risk the camera getting wet, if i could have got the van down to the waters edge or even a space to park the van that would have given me the shots i wanted ..i would have taken them

the two people who i wanted to interview were soaked to the skin and looked like two drowed rats :lol:

the venue was such a stunning place...let me see what i can scrape together even if to show how good the place looks
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
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