Director's Monitor

andoguru

andoguru

"Meat" & "Egg" Member
Hey guys,

I'm looking for some opinions on what everyone thinks is a good video monitor for a director? Not for a DP, I just need to be able to see the performance and what the camera is seeing.

The camera lcd and/or watching from behind the camera don't cut it. LCD is too small and behind the camera isn't the shot the camera is seeing.

I probably will get an HD monitor just because I usually shoot on HD. I don't need very many bells and whistles.

Does anyone have experience using an Ikan 8" monitor in regards to directing? Should I go bigger? Maybe just get a 20" computer/hdtv monitor even though it's not portable?

Any opinions are welcome.
Thanks,
Andy
 
If it's just for you, don't waste money on an HD monitor. You can get a pretty cheap SD monitor for around 2-300. Think monitors they put in cars, like on "Pimp My Ride".

The main problem you'll have is powering it.
 
Hmm

Hmm

Well I still use an HD monitor for me, I like to see everything as close to possible as how it will be when I see it in the editing room. I have a 17" HD/SD Panasonic model. But for B camera I usually just use a standard computer monitor because I don't feel like spending the money on a second HD pro monitor just for times I shoot with two cameras, which is really most of the time, haha.
 
I just use an old 21" widescreen tv. CRT - yeah! It's fine for the purpose of judging composition and light. For focus and details I just trust my DP.
 
Yeah, that's the downside :)

Seriously though, the biggest problem with production monitors, I find, is finding sufficient shade when shooting outdoors in the sun. It can be really difficult to see whats going on if theres sunlight around the screen. This goes for CRT's as well as LCD's. Sometimes I've found myself sitting with a blanket over my head and the monitor, but there must simply be a less stupid-looking solution.
 
Yeah you get a whole tent build for the director, they had some name for that I'm too tired to remember from the set of Revenge of the Sith, hmm... Wow. It's been a LONG day. Anyway, if you have the funds I guess that's what they do. I haven't had that happen much so far, I mean my last music video we had the rooftop day scenes in the sun, it was hard to see monitors, I think we put a floppy on a c-stand and it covered some of that problem, I can't remember. But the rest was inside or at night. That was probably my only shoot where I had monitors and couldn't see them well.
 
ikanv8000

ikanv8000

andoguru said:
Hey guys,

I'm looking for some opinions on what everyone thinks is a good video monitor for a director? Not for a DP, I just need to be able to see the performance and what the camera is seeing.

The camera lcd and/or watching from behind the camera don't cut it. LCD is too small and behind the camera isn't the shot the camera is seeing.

I probably will get an HD monitor just because I usually shoot on HD. I don't need very many bells and whistles.

Does anyone have experience using an Ikan 8" monitor in regards to directing? Should I go bigger? Maybe just get a 20" computer/hdtv monitor even though it's not portable?

Any opinions are welcome.
Thanks,
Andy
Click to expand...

Hey man, I use the ikan v8000, its awesome, its good to focus, and is cheap compared to the marshall, and offers bnc as well, so it gives you a true 1080i picture if needed,

use it, get the hood for it too, the only problem is my batteries are stiff to get out or put in, but it is worn in a little better now though, it feels like it is made in china cuz it is, but it does the job, yeah in the sun its hard to see, but i used the hood and it helped, i just gaf tape it to make it stick,
 
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