Shooting the Miss Puerto Rico Pageant on 9/12/2009 Any Advice Would Help

[Luis_]

I would love to have all kinds of cranes and remote panning heads and all for this event, but it's just not going to happen that way :(
So!!!
I never did a pageant before (obviously) and because this is going on an SD DVD as 16:9

My first question is:

1- I'm planning on shooting in "Squeezed" mode on tape 480i / 29.97 with my HVX200A, and one of the camera owner/operator that I want to invite has a DVX100, My question is, will his footage match if I'm recording regular DV on tape in "squeezed" mode? The owner of this DVX is not sure if his wide select setting will match my squeezed mode.

2- Also, if anyone can chime in and tell me whether I should put the camera on "Auto Tracking White" or manually set it, or what would be best for this type of event.

3- I'm also planning to have the camera in VIDEO mode and using "Auto Focus" hope that works!

4- I want to capture warm, rich, vibrant colors, if there's anyone that can share their experience in doing nice with this that would be great.

Next week on Thursday I'm shooting a full BTS rehersal. If you would like to comment on what I should expect or what I should do, that would be great as well, and also next week I'm going to the site where the event is going to take place so that I can get a camera setup plan together.

So I guess this thread will share my whole process and experience with this as well.

So if you have any heads up info on something like this, please feel free!

Thank you!
-Luis-

[ZazaCast]

All I can say is get as many phone numbers as you can! :beer:

[Luis_]

haha!!!!!
I just saw the DVD from last years recording and I'm still trying to pick up my jaw from the living room floor!!!

[Rakesh Jacob]

All I can say is get as many phone numbers as you can! :beer:

Wow I was thinking the same thing LOL
The most beautiful women on a beautiful island all parading in front of you... BASTARD! :(

[ZazaCast]

Need Help?

[Luis_]

Wow I was thinking the same thing LOL
The most beautiful women on a beautiful island all parading in front of you... BASTARD! :(


Need Help?


LOL!!!
Don't worry I'll post some screen grabs and some footage!:grin:

[Cassius]

1- I'm not absolutely sure, having never used squeeze mode on any camera.

2- Manual, without question. Set it to the same thing on both cameras. If it's off at any point you can correct in post, but if you have it auto you won't be able to. Auto white balance while have it change not suddenly, and so often you won't be able to just throw a value on it. It would also fight any effect lighting used at the event.

3- If that's what works for you. Good luck.

4- Color grading in post helps. Use your scene settings, test them to make sure you're getting what you want (and matching the DVX). For the show itself, the lighting designers probably covered a lot of it. But most of my advice is to test.

For your rehearsal, take a lot of notes. Memory gets unreliable sometimes.

[Luis_]

1- I'm not absolutely sure, having never used squeeze mode on any camera.

2- Manual, without question. Set it to the same thing on both cameras. If it's off at any point you can correct in post, but if you have it auto you won't be able to. Auto white balance while have it change not suddenly, and so often you won't be able to just throw a value on it. It would also fight any effect lighting used at the event.

3- If that's what works for you. Good luck.

4- Color grading in post helps. Use your scene settings, test them to make sure you're getting what you want (and matching the DVX). For the show itself, the lighting designers probably covered a lot of it. But most of my advice is to test.

For your rehearsal, take a lot of notes. Memory gets unreliable sometimes.

thank you, thank you!

by the way... "squeeze" is the best recommended setting by Barry Green in the HVX Book to shoot for widescreen in SD. I'm going to dig a little more to see if the DVX shoots in "squeeze" mode.

[Rakesh Jacob]

Sorry, thinking about what you are about to shoot I forgot you had questions LOL
Yeah the DVX shoots squeezed!
Here's a video I shot a couple months back on the DVX100a in squeezed mode
http://vimeo.com/4228652
Original video is 16:9 of course but the final video is letter boxed to 2.40

[Cassius]

The original DVX100 does not have a squeeze mode.

[Rakesh Jacob]

Ahhh! That sux!

Too late to get an anamorphic lens adapter?

[Luis_]

hmmm...???

I just don't have a lot of time to experiment but it looks like I'm going to have to call this guy up and stop over with my laptop to play with his dvx and see what I come up with.

[Luis_]

ok
I'm hoping everything matches footage-wise with the other cameras on the day of, because I shot all the
rehearsal footage and bts interview questions today in squeeze! and it
was a lot of work!
I had a perfect spot outside with perfect natural but it left me before I even had a chance to blink, so I had to take
apart the 35mm adapter :(
I was just going to try and sneak that in there and do the interviews
with the adapter but oh well!.
Anyway, I found out that the dvxs do have squeeze mode but it's
more of an up-rez into 16:9 from a 4:3 oposed to the hvx where the ccds
capture full 16:9

well, we'll see what happens.
here's a few screen grabs