HELP! Wow, am I in over my head!

H

Hyune

Member
Okay, Gang!

Here's my situation. I'm in a bit over my head. I'm shooting a vocational school this week that insists on a TWO camera shoot with the HVX. I have never shot HD with the HVX.

I'm shooting B-roll in the morning and Testimonial interviews all afternoon. There will be TWO shooters myself and my partner. This is a run and gun situation with very little time to get it all in. And therefore, very little time to stop and load footage onto hard drives.

My questions are -

What type of storage device/devices should I use for these shoots? P2 cards, Firestore, straigt to disk VIA computer?

What flavor of HD should I shoot? 720P, 1080i?

Also, I'm thinking that I will shoot B-roll in the morning with 100 GB Firestores so I don't have to stop. Then, in the afternoon for the Interviews hook one HVX to a computer and the other use P2 cards for storage. My dilema is in the P2 cards. I can't stop the interviews over and over again to load these cards. Can I load the cards while also recording straight to disk with another camera?

Any questions answered would be most appreciated.

R
 
I guess my first question - of many - would have to be, do you really need to shoot HD for this? Might be worth thinking about before you get entangled in all the other issues. Sure other people will pitch in with the other issues.
 
I've tried, tried, tried to convince the client to go SD...but they're just sold on the wonderful world of HD. So it looks like I'm stuck.
 
No luck Shooting with our dumping after you fill your P2. That is If you only have 1 4gig per HVX. You did not specify that info for us. If you have a chance to have FOUR 4gig P2 cards, You can shoot and have a 3rd (PA, AC) to dump the P2 to a laptop, so while you and your partner are Shooting, you shoot ONE P2 card, and then when that is fuil hand to your PA, AC, and have them transfer it while you fill another cards, You fill that card, and then your PA, AC hands you an new empty card. :) Rince and Repeat.

As for quality. 720p/30PN is your best bet. You get 7mins, per 4gig P2. Also I would shoot Video Mode. No need to film look :)
 
I'd say to do what you said initially. Use the 2 HVXs in the morning hooked up to firestores. Then in the afternoon have 1 hooked up to a powerbook recording directly to that computer and have the other HVX recording to P2. If you have 4 P2 cards you could go 40 minutes in 720 24p before having to offload the cards. If you have an old PC laptop you could be backing up the P2 to that PC laptop at the same time.


If the client is willing to pay for HD then go and get the cash. I'd also say to shoot 720 as the number of cards to offload and the data will be much more managable.


Good luck.
 
What amazes me is the amount of people that say "I cant stop the interview to change a card". Well guess what? People have been doing this for years with tape, where you have to pause the interview every 40 minutes to change tape, run bars and tone etc. It's not a big deal. Even if you only have 2 cards you can be downloading the first one while recording to the second. If there is a slight break before you get your first card emptied and ready to go, it gives the interviewee a chance to take a drink of water or have a cigarette or whatever. If you have 3 cards per camera you can record non-stop.
Dont sweat it!
 
Hyune, I feel your pain. The client wants the world but wants it Good, quick and cheap. Oh yeh, with no interuptions.
In the mean time we pull our hair out trying to do all 3 because we gotta keep them happy. Been there, done that, and continue doing it.

Take a deep breath, and tell your client if they NEED it in HD, you'll need to rent 2 or 4 more P2 cards at about $125.00 each or 2 more Firestores. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED to shoot this type project in HD.

Then you'll know IF he really needs it in HD.

I wish you well. Sometimes you just gotta tell the client, "Sure I can do that, but it'll cost $xxx. But I'll be glad to make it happen".
 
ozduc said:
What amazes me is the amount of people that say "I cant stop the interview to change a card". Well guess what? People have been doing this for years with tape, where you have to pause the interview every 40 minutes to change tape, run bars and tone etc. It's not a big deal. Even if you only have 2 cards you can be downloading the first one while recording to the second. If there is a slight break before you get your first card emptied and ready to go, it gives the interviewee a chance to take a drink of water or have a cigarette or whatever. If you have 3 cards per camera you can record non-stop.
Dont sweat it!
Click to expand...


very sage advice here! I also shoot no-stop with just 2 cards, p2store and then to a laptop if that gets full.
 
Hey Everyone, thanks for all the input. I was able to convince the client to go SD...THANK GOD! Everything turned out great. They client is happy! Thank you all for you input and I'll see you with my next World-ending Crisis!
 
Big mistake....
When they want an HD version next year, you are SOL....
Suck it up and be a MAN...
Real Men shoot HD with P2 cards...
 
I wouldn't say it's a big mistake.

He might have regrets later, but if he does what the client asks for and they later change their mind, then it's the client's problem, not his.
 
ozduc said:
What amazes me is the amount of people that say "I cant stop the interview to change a card".
Click to expand...

Some of us are in situation where we really can't stop to change cards, can't have a laptop there with us, it's true. Situations where "tape" would never work out, thus, the interviews have never been done. Not every project is the same as ever other project. There are documentaries that are being done now due to digital technology, that film just didn't allow to happen.

I really can NOT bring a laptop along and swap out P2 cards in my project. We're not in a studio, we have to get what we get when presented with it or lose the footage. It's a project that could not have been done with traditional film, thus, hasn't been done yet.
 
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