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View Full Version : Slating digital Footage - The Cyber-Clapper



taubkin
07-07-2006, 11:40 AM
That's what I need:

Something I can use to name the project, 3-8 letters, something pretty straightforward, I don't mind scrolling through the alphabet, just like you did when you got a best score in asteroids. You're only going to to that once a day, maybe less, anyway...

Next I want two numbers to configure, I can scroll them too:
Scene and Shot numbers.
And finally, the Take number.

So in the display, I can see something like this (PS: Loved that the camera has a TC display, so we can leave the monitor/EVF free!):

DVXUSER 002.001 01
00:00:00:00

For a project I named DVXUSER (Just a nickname, of course, not the full project name) Scene 002, Shot 001 Take 01. The time couter is at zero because I didn't run camera.

I want to have three physical buttons I can press. One to change the scene, one to change the shot, and one to confirm, a set button. I would not want to enter a menu everytime there is a scene change. Sure, for dramatic work, what's the deal... But when you're doing docs, having a quick way to keep organized is essential!

If I press the scene button once, the scene number advances one position and starts blinking, like setting up a clock. I can either press enter and leave it one scene ahead, or I can jog and scroll to the number I want. So If I'm running/guning, and see something that I want to tag quickly, I just press scene-enter and I'm in a new scene.

Same deal with shot numbers.

And take numbers automatically go up everytime I cut camera.

That leaves one problem, and that is: what if I accidentally change a scene and want to go back to take 4, instead of shooting take one again? I go to a menu, as punishment for my mistake and worthless being.

When I capture the files, it would be reasonable to expect the files are named accordingly, so For project DVXUSER, I'll find a bin with the files:

DVXUSER_002.001_01
DVXUSER_002.001_02
DVXUSER_002.001_03

And so on.

The main thing is: we have lens controls manually on the lenses. We have decided about format options, camera speed, and shutter speed. We already set our camera LUT so things look pleasant on the client's monitor. And now I'm operating camera for the shot, I want a menu-free life.

I hope I make sense, and I hope other people feel the same way, because I think slating digitally acquired material correctly is absolutely essential, and I just plainly hate menus. Having the information display outside the monitor is a great, necessary idea, so the assistant can check without disturbing the operator. Good job on that!

From my experience as an assistant. Working with Prosumer video cameras in High profile dramatic pieces, "in-set menu navigating" is one of the most terrible experiences one can suffer...

All and all... Here're some pennies...
Thanks for tuning in!

Cheers!

Jarred Land
07-07-2006, 05:55 PM
this is my favorite suggestion.. if we could get rid of damn slates damn i would be happy.

dudeguy37
07-07-2006, 08:38 PM
I second Jarred. Awesome idea Taubkin. This would...and I'm not even exagerating here, have made me pay a solid extra $500 had this feature been implemented perfectly on the DVX (of course than it wouldn't have been a tape camera, but you get the idea. Same would go for the HVX if I owned it.) I know that seem ludacris and makes me seem like a lazy editor, but when time is of the essence (like the 3 documentaries that I've had 6 hours to shoot from about 4-11pm one night and then about 6 hours later that night to edit for a delivery the next morning...long story, I can explain the situation if anyone's really that interested) skipping the step of breaking up and naming clips makes it so much easier to actually review footage and concentrate on the actual content rather than boring stuff like figuring out which scene, take, shot size and reel etc etc.
Anyway, Jim and the gang, at the very least you'll make one guy very very happy if you go ahead with this idea (and by the looks of it, two other really savvy camera guys at least)
Anyway,*just my opinoin.
Peace,

-Harry

Greg Voevodsky
07-07-2006, 08:57 PM
Great Idea. I love the idea of just listing the scene (location) once and then letting the takes do it automatically, and when we bring it into the edit system it basically has automatically logged our footage. BUT WE SHOULD CHANGE THE 3RD BUTTON TO A THUMBS UP (GOOD TAKE) OR (THUMBS DOWN - BAD TAKE) OR (NEITHER) - NOT CHANGED. PRESS THE 2ND BUTTON TWICE FOR A CONFIRM... (LIKE A MAC - DOUBLE CLICK - SIMPLER IS BETTER SOMETIMES- PC GUYS ;-) or add a 4th button for the PC guys and charge them $200 more!

taubkin
07-08-2006, 08:43 AM
Yeah, absolutely, they could work an interface where the set button also marks good takes!

lordnumberzero
07-09-2006, 09:31 AM
Taubkin

I want the clip to have 24 frames with the metadata you suggest burned in one of the corners in case the file gets renamed/confused or whatever.

govindaBLU
07-11-2006, 04:46 PM
The DFR already has this feature- It is made by the company S.Two.
David Fincher used this product with the Viper Cam and also used the Digital Clapper