A Stupid Stupid Mistake

N

Nirimba

Well-known member
Perhaps it was my first senior moment. It happened when I travelled as a guest to an inlaw's wedding. I flew, so left my DVX at home as I still haven't purchased a carry on size case for it. I did take my little single CCD Pany NV-DS55, my Brownie Box Video Camera. The Wedding was outside on a headland at Swansea on the east coast of NSW Australia. AS I started taking some Interest shots for our family the Grooms Mother said 'Oh good, you brought your camera' . My response was 'Isn't that girl doing your wedding?' indicating an attractive lady with a superior camera to mine. No, We don't know who she is.
Perhaps it was the unexpected responsibility that I proceeded to lay upon myself as I filmed everything I could, trying to have eyes in the back of my head. (Don't like one camera weddings)
When I finaly got to edit I found a heap of shots where I had filmed my feet, upside down shots of everything behind me etc.
In short I was turning the camera OFF when I thought I was shooting & turning it ON when I thought I was in pause!!!
I can only think that I was so intent on framing, composition etc that I forgot to look for the little red REC, in my view finder. I can't remember ever doing this before.
All turned out OK. I always shoot heaps of footage & didn't miss any of the Ceremony. I sent some copies up to the grooms Mum & they are delighted. Have Six orders already, but I am still feeling embarresed with myself even though no one knew, untill now that is, of my Stupid Stupid mistake!!
 
everytime I film weddings I make lots of mistakes. usually having to do with the wireless mic. One time I forgot the adaptor to plug it into the camera, another time I forgot to bring fresh batteries and the ones I had with me were of course dead. Than the last one I filmed the grooms jacket brushed the button and turned off the mic right before the ceremony began.
I dont think I ever had quite the problem you had to that degree. I noticed I did it once at the last wedding but just for a quick shot I was doing at the reception. Sometimes I get caught up with framing the shot or practicing that I almost forget that I didnt actually shoot it yet.
 
it happens, on my shoot, we (camera guy?) forgot to see if the sound was turned ON, it wasn't , so, we have several minutes of the bad guy (just out of prison) coming home to hook up with all his old bad guy friends, took the footage, boiled it down to a tight little montage and stuck some rock'n sound track behind it, it works, it f/ing had to. . . sounds like you made it work, good job, i don't LOVE patches and I'm no MARINE, but . . . adapt and overcome, semper fi bro, Mike
 
Tell no one and you'll look like a genius.
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I won't be telling them, they think I am a genius, I am just that bloody cheesed off with myself! I didn't go up there prepared to shoot "The Wedding" I was only getting Family shots of my Daughters etc. but when there was no one doing it, I couldn't keep my silly nose out of things.
 
I did that once a few years ago on a 'just for fun' project with friends. Hence, instead of a 12 minute short we ended with a 90 second trailer. Oh well.

On my last production I kept a GL1 on set so that anybody who had a minute could should some behind the scenes footage. I have one tape that is 30 minutes of backwards recording like you mentioned, and then we see the camera get stowed in a crate, the lid is put on as all goes dark, and the next half hour of the tape just rolls black.

Your membership badge is in the mail. Welcome to the family!!
 
I have been shooting for a dozen years. I was shooting some corn harvest yesterday and found I did that on a shot. It was a sweet one too. Ah well.
 
You all make me feel a bit better, I guess those that have never made a mistake have missed the learning factor. OWEN, I started "CLUB RATSHITICUS" many years ago, so I suppose I need to justify my membership every now and then. Good shooting.
 
And if you use a blimp/zeppelin/furry on your mic...paint a freaking arrow on it so you don't do what someone did on a shoot: booming back and forth between two characters, and pointing the mic at the wrong one, line-by-line.
 
The heat of the moment always causes me to forget the important little things... flashing lights, increasing timecode numbers... but one time I got some HILARIOUS audio of a former boss bitching and moaning while I was shooting our feet. Classic.
 
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