white background

[Guest]

I am shooting interviews w/ an anamorphic adapter, 24p and white background (the heaven look). I got "The DVX (good) Book" and know the settings for the adapter. Just curious if anyone has any suggestions for camera gamma (I'm on normal) and other settings that work w/ white.

thnx, d

[Shaw]

What is the intent of the project? Is it cinematic? Journalistic?

[Shooter]

I did tests recently for my own understanding of my new camera and how it handled exposure, levels and detail. White BGs was part of this.

I worked through the Zebra levels 80%-105%. Subject was red apple, green apple and yellow lemon sitting on a white sweep with plenty of bg showing.

To achieve the white "heaven" feel I would expose the BG with the white on 100% zebra level then do a colour grade to lift the whites to 105% (overclipped). Use the Waveform scope. Set Blacks, set whites using the input levels controls - not brightness / contrast controls. Maybe play with gammas next.

Camera Gamma should not have too much to do with it as essentially that controls the mid levels.

[Guest]

The white background is for interviews for a tv show (clip show). I want the talent to pop w/ strong definition from the background. The framing will be mid-chest, looking left & right of camera (to producer), I'll be using a key, fill, hair and 2 lights to blow-out the seamless. I know cinema_gamma_v is very contrasty (word?), right now i shoot w/ the normal gamma, wondering if anyone has shot w/ a white back drop, found a look they liked, etc.

thnx, d

[taubkin]

I have a problem with doing this type of stuff, because all of the time the background would be overexposed in relation to the talent, and the lens fringe at the edges. I was wondering if by shooting greenscreen and keying a white bacground in post would make it "cleaner"...

[Shooter]

The DVX handles white fantastically. Trust the zebras then balance the lighting on the subject. I highly recommend DV Rack ( waveform scope) because field monitors often clamp down on high key ( bright white) and do not represent the levels well. The scope will show where everything sits.

DO NOT green screen it. Real bad idea and totally un necessary .

[Barry_Green]

Yeah, the color fringe from 4:1:1 color sampling on the greenscreen will make it much less "clean" than properly-shot white background. If you want a white background, shoot against white as Shooter says, it'll look much cleaner and more realistic than trying to greenscreen it.

[taubkin]

Okay, nevrmind it then!

[J.R. Hudson]

I just have to chime in...

I just have too.

White Backgrounds have got to be the most boring look imaginable. *I understand you want your subject(s) to 'pop' off the screen; but I think a white (or solid any solid color for that matter) lends nothing to the shot. *In fact, I think it inhibits it.

I'd consider using a red/orange material with some weight and substance to it; velvety, silky, something. * I think the more interest you can add to the visuals the better it will compliment the subject(s) being interviewed.

Check out this link:


Charles Papert did a fun one using a nice background.

http://homepage.mac.com/chupap/Film/iMovieTheater32.html

The way he lights the interview subject is what mkaes this pop. Combine with splashes of light in the background and it really creates nice depth (including the DOF). Imagine that same shot with a pure white background; uuccckkkk!

Bob Gundu did a spot with some killer backgrounds (albeit not an interview)

http://www.dvxuser.com/cgi-bin/DVX2/YaBB.pl?board=Clips;action=display;num=1097332482

Pay special attention to the backdrop and the kind of depth created.
I guess my point is; use the correct lighting set-up and combine that with interesting visuals to create that depth. *Then your subjects will pop.

IMHO *you didnt ask but I just had to chime in *:P

[Michael_Smith]

I'm not sure as others have said things will "pop" with a white background but good tecnique will help. You need to use black panels on each side of the subject. This will draw a black line around your subject which is vital in seperating the subject from the white background. P22 panels work pretty good for a single person. When you say the Heavenly look maybe you are talking about have some lens flare but if not use cutters to mask background not in your scene.

Michael Smith