Scene File settings - fast action out doors?

[Sam Davies]

Hi all,

I'm in pre-production for a DH mountain biking film, and as part of that I'm starting to look at some decent scene files for the shoots.

Keep in mind the end use will be mainly SD DVD, but the film will almost certainly be shown on at least one full-size theatre screen (in an HD version), and the SD DVD will also be shown on several big screens at events and such. I am shooting 720p 25pn.

I have a great low noise setting for low light/night time shoots, but I am looking to improve on my interview and general shooting settings.

The interviews with be with minimal if any specific lighting unfortunately - so I'm trying to get a setting that will bring out the skin tones and be generally flattering for the person on-camera.

My setting so far for interviews:

Operation type: Film Cam
Frame Rate: 25
Syncro scan: 350.0
Detail level: -5
V detail level: -2
Detail coring: 0
Chroma level: +1
Chroma Phase: 0
Colour temp: -1
Master Ped: 0
A. Iris level: 0
NEWS gamma: off
Gamma: HD Norm
Knee: Auto
Martix: Cine-like
Skin Tone DTL: ON

My thoughts are that I will raise the master ped, maybe use a better KNEE setting (Low?) and possibly flatten the colour temp and use my warm cards for white balance instead. Super keen to hear thoughts/advice/general rules on this.


The more general purpose setting is for outdoor, fast-paced shooting of actual riding. Lighting will vary from very bright sun with almost no shade to think-consistant shade to inconsistent shadows. Colours will vary from lush greens and dark browns to really bland colourless locations. So, I guess it has to be fairly versatile. Might be better to do 3 different settings, one for dark, one for medium, and one for bright?

Here's the current testing setting.

Operation type: Film Cam
Frame Rate: 25
Syncro scan: 350.0
Detail level: +3
V detail level: +3
Detail coring: +5
Chroma level: +1
Chroma Phase: 0
Colour temp: 0
Master Ped: -5
A. Iris level: 0
NEWS gamma: off
Gamma: Cinelike V
Knee: Auto
Martix: Norm1
Skin Tone DTL: OFF


My thoughts here are that KNEE could go to Mid, and maybe go higher with the detail levels. Not too sure though.


I'm only just starting to play with scene files, and so am still learning what each parameter does and how they effect each other and the image. I'd be super appreciative of any help you folks can give me, be it general rules or specific advice.

I have Barry's book and am reading it often.

Cheers,
Sam

[Sam Davies]

Hello?

anyone?

:huh:

[David Saraceno]

What looks good to you when you've experimented with each?

[J.R. Hudson]

Those settings will fluctuate with lighting conditions won't they ?

I'd pay more attention to Exposure and Focus than anything else. Staying at default F6 and exposing either for highlights or skin tones.

[alpi69]

Why Master ped at 0 for IV and at -5 for action? -5 will crush the shadows when the riders are in a forest. give me a day then I will have edited a clip I made about a MTB-singletrack. I had Master ped -4 and it was a tad dark in the woods.