mtpictures
07-08-2009, 09:36 PM
Hi everyone! I'm desperate to figure out the solution to my problem and dvxuser members are the only ones who can help!
Ok, so I am 2 weeks away from shooting a music video. The video relies on this effect I devised where the singer can walk between two sides of a split-screen despite being in different locations. In order to do this, I need to shoot Singer in location A, then later shoot Singer in location B, but in both shots the Singer must be in the exact same position at the same time.
So my initial solution was this: Shoot with the HVX-200, but instead of recording to P2, run a firewire cable to a MacbookPro running Adobe OnLocation. OnLocation (formally DVRack) allows you to record to disk, monitor video, AND (the reason I chose it) you can compare a still frame from a previous shot to the live video feed - vital to make my idea work! (Though comparison of recorded video rather than a single frame would be ideal)
The only problem in my initial tests (so far) is that OnLocation is one of the buggiest programs I have ever used (yes, I updated to 4.0.2). It crashes constantly, often leaves me with corrupted video files, and just overall is completely unreliable.
So my question: Does anybody know an alternative piece of software that will work better than OnLocation? The main function that I need is the ability to compare a previous shot with the current one we are shooting.
Or, perhaps do you have a better idea of how to do this? Technically, we could just shoot it, offload it, drop it into FCP, and see if it lines up with the other piece of video - but that will take way too long (we don't have a P2 Store either, ugh). And we'll have no idea if during rehearsals everything is lined up and timed correctly, it would just be a guess.
BONUS QUESTION: My next problem was going to be that my plan was to run like an 80ft Firewire cable from the HVX to the computer (bc the HVX will be on a Steadicam some distance away) but I've heard an HD signal can only travel so far. Apparently, one needs to daisy-chain multiple short FireWire cables with repeaters in-between. Does anybody know if this is true? Or where to buy and how much a "FireWire repeater" would cost? I've looked everywhere....
Sorry for the long question but you guys are my only hope! Please help me! Thank you so much in advance!!!!!
Ok, so I am 2 weeks away from shooting a music video. The video relies on this effect I devised where the singer can walk between two sides of a split-screen despite being in different locations. In order to do this, I need to shoot Singer in location A, then later shoot Singer in location B, but in both shots the Singer must be in the exact same position at the same time.
So my initial solution was this: Shoot with the HVX-200, but instead of recording to P2, run a firewire cable to a MacbookPro running Adobe OnLocation. OnLocation (formally DVRack) allows you to record to disk, monitor video, AND (the reason I chose it) you can compare a still frame from a previous shot to the live video feed - vital to make my idea work! (Though comparison of recorded video rather than a single frame would be ideal)
The only problem in my initial tests (so far) is that OnLocation is one of the buggiest programs I have ever used (yes, I updated to 4.0.2). It crashes constantly, often leaves me with corrupted video files, and just overall is completely unreliable.
So my question: Does anybody know an alternative piece of software that will work better than OnLocation? The main function that I need is the ability to compare a previous shot with the current one we are shooting.
Or, perhaps do you have a better idea of how to do this? Technically, we could just shoot it, offload it, drop it into FCP, and see if it lines up with the other piece of video - but that will take way too long (we don't have a P2 Store either, ugh). And we'll have no idea if during rehearsals everything is lined up and timed correctly, it would just be a guess.
BONUS QUESTION: My next problem was going to be that my plan was to run like an 80ft Firewire cable from the HVX to the computer (bc the HVX will be on a Steadicam some distance away) but I've heard an HD signal can only travel so far. Apparently, one needs to daisy-chain multiple short FireWire cables with repeaters in-between. Does anybody know if this is true? Or where to buy and how much a "FireWire repeater" would cost? I've looked everywhere....
Sorry for the long question but you guys are my only hope! Please help me! Thank you so much in advance!!!!!