MULTIPLE camera shoot advice.

[Justin Lovell]

hey hey,

i have 3 cameras to choose from a SANKYO xl620, NIZO s800 and a canon 1014xls.

what is the best means of getting the same exposure on all cameras, should they all match up fairly similarly regarding image quality with their glass elements?

i've shot some tests with the sankyo and the canon on exposure (shot one cartridge and kept swapping cameras at different f-stops) and they seem to be fairly close (after viewing the processed film) when locking the auto exposure reading.

If anyone has come across any problems doing this or has any advice, i'd gladly like to hear it.

best,

jusetan

[ericMartinJarvies]

so long as you use a spot meter/handheld light meter, and accurately set your lens' f-stop as per the rated asa/iso of the film being used, you should be ok. but if you are all across the board with regards to this, then you will certainly notice the differances. what you will notice aside from the exposure variables, is the differance in resolution and registration of each camera. perhaps shutter openings vary, actual film speeds vary, or the varying film speeds are varying(speeding up and slowing down, while running at a faster or slower frame rate compared to the other cameras, in general).

i would first determine what camera/lens gives you the best image, then i would use this camera coverage shots. i would use your least best camera for master shots/establishing shots, and then the middle camera for handheld coverage shots, or 180 rule two person shots.

for example, if you have two people talking with one another, and you have one camera over the shoulder of one actor, and the other camera over the shoulder of the other actor, make sure to keep the SAME camera over the SAME actor's shoulder, and do NOT swap them during takes/scenes. this way you can save time setting up your cameras, so that you merely need to move in one camera over the shoulder, and move out the other camera that would be over the shoulder of the other actor in the background.

using multiple cameras at the same time is no easy feat. this means multiple camera operators, wherein the camera operators and the actors have to orchastrate who is going to be where and when(and why), while staying out of the frame of the other cameras. again, if you are actually going to be doing something like this, then make sure to use the SAME camera for the SAME pov ... do NOT swap cameras!!!!

actor 1 - camera 1
actor 2 - camera 2
actor 3 - camera 3 for example

or

actor 1 - camera 1
actor 2 - camera 2
establishing/master shot - camera 3

or

etc.

people will forgive algorythms, as they serve as a pulse or a beat ... so if camera 1 has a certain look as a result of a soft focus lens, jittery film, and camera 2 has a sharp high res lens with rock steady images, and camera 3 has ok/average of the two, the use camera 3 for master/establishing shots, camera 2 for coverage shots, and camera one for handheld, flashback, etc. shots. again, the choices are many, and so long as you pick and stick with one beat/pulse with regards to each camera and their obvious differances, then when the footage is cut together, it will be forgiving, because each will have it's own point of view(pov), which could be conveyed as it's own eyes/vision/outlook on the matter.

try to use a tripod when ever possible!!! do NOT zoom if at all possible, instead push your camera forward(dolly or the like). master/establishing shots are best on a tripod, wherein you let the action/subjects/actors do the moving and explaining(remember, film is a visual tale/telling of a story), only long enough to ESTABLISH where they are, what they are doing, why they are doing, etc.(5 seconds, cut or fade to?)

do NOT blend handheld with tripod shots, which is to say, if you have a scene with both tripod and handheld shots, make sure the POV/camera being used for each/either, is maintained and only that camera uses that practice ... do not swap between the two wherein camera 1 is on a tripod for one scene, and the camera number 2 is handheld for another scene, and for another scene camera number 1 is now handheld ... this is a NO NO!!! it does not work, and the audience will refuse it immediatly upon seeing/recognizing/understanding it.

rythm ... establish a beat, and pulse.

180 rule. when shooting master shots(actors / objects/etc all in frame), and then cutting to coverage shots(over the shoulder of actor 1/camera 1, over the shoulder of actor 2, camera 2 for example), make sure to stay on this side of the actors(this side being between the master shot camera position, and where the actor is in relation to that master shot camera location). if the master shot shows an actor on the left and an actor on the right, and then you want to cut to coverage on actor one talking to actor two, you should shoot over the right should of actor 1 so the camera is looking at actor 2. and over the left shoulder of actor 2 if looking towards actor 1. do NOT cross that line and go onto the OTHER side of the actor(meaning, if loking at the actors through the lens of the coverage camera with actor 1 on the left and actor 2 on the right, you do not want to have a coverage shot where the camera is on the far side of the actors ... the coverage camera(s) must always maintain a position between the master shot camera and the actors. otherwise when viewing the film, wherein you are looking at the master shot, and then it cuts to a coverage shot, you will get confused as to where people are at, as the camera has no way of providing the viewer the correct visual perspective, so certain rules must apply in order to maintain logic in the eyes of the viewer as it relates to what is being viewed on screen.

also, try to pick a position for each camera. if camera 2, over the shoulder of actor one is 6 feet off the ground, pointed downwards towards the actor in the background, because actor's shoulder in front of camera 2 is taller then actor in front of camera 3, then you will want camera 3 to be 5 feet off the ground pointed slightly upwards.

yada yada yada ... and naturally, this is only my opinion, based on what i've learned thus far, and certainly there are many others who have learned and expereinced more then i, but perhaps there is some/one good piece of info or advise

eric

[Justin Lovell]

thanks for the tips.

a very concise response.

have been struggling with wheter to shoot handheld, or to shoot sticks or to rent a steadicam rig (and modify my own spy cam into the viewfinder with an LCD)...

but i think i'll stick it all to handheld except for my master shots. would look a lot cleaner/slicker to be on sticks, but i think it'll fit the feel of my film to be handheld. (its a 70's style starsky &hutch meets kung-fu flic kinda deal.) one long stuntman chase scene.

thanks!

jusetan

[Justin Lovell]

what about going from a 220 deg shutter to a 150 degree shutter camera? or a 150 to a 75?

how will that mess me up? i imagine a 75 degree shutter would produce a much sharper image (which could always be softened up in AE post if i so decide).

assuming the NIZO s800's shutter is normally 150, and half that is 75.

any comments?

jusetan

[ericMartinJarvies]

what about going from a 220 deg shutter to a 150 degree shutter camera? or a 150 to a 75?

how will that mess me up? i imagine a 75 degree shutter would produce a much sharper image (which could always be softened up in AE post if i so decide).

assuming the NIZO s800's shutter is normally 150, and half that is 75.

any comments?

jusetan

tests. do some film/lighting/metering teests so that you are sure. use all 3 cameras, setup your lighting as you would when you will actually film the scene(s)/sequence, and establish your working parameters. tis best to figure that out prior to filming, instead of after ;)

remember, like type images can be obtained from various shutter speeds/lens f-stop, contengent upon/notwithstanding lighting. test. perform tests and establish benchmarks/safe parameters

[Rick Palidwor]

what about going from a 220 deg shutter to a 150 degree shutter camera? or a 150 to a 75?

how will that mess me up? i imagine a 75 degree shutter would produce a much sharper image (which could always be softened up in AE post if i so decide).

assuming the NIZO s800's shutter is normally 150, and half that is 75.

any comments?

jusetan

Whatever angle you choose I would try to match that in all my cameras as close as possible. The different exposure time could be very visible (even if overall exposure is the same), especially if the scene contains a lot of action.

Rick