ADVICE: jdanstans's first event gig

Jack Daniel Stanley

Jack Daniel Stanley

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Staff member
Hi all

first gig tomorrow (sat) night shooting a wrestling match in baton rouge
there are 5 other DVX shooters

I've never done this before -- anytips?
The gig is from like six to midnight. Is supposed to be something like UFC but in a bar.
Last time I talked to the producer they were thinking they would shoot 30p.
There will be shots from the dressing room to the ring, shots in the ring, maybe some steadicam (my glidecam 4000 + smoothshooter).

Should I wear anything particular (planning on bLack DVX shirt and jeans)? Am I really shooting for six hours? I have a monopod (flowpod) should I use that mostly (strictly as a monopod - haven't had time to practice with that yet either)? The producer knows that it is likely that I will not feel comfortable with my steadycam - he knows I just got it. I'm not charging him anything extra to bring it, hopefully someone there will feel very comfortable with it -- but anyway, just looking for general advice.

EDIT: Oh ... and I have kneepads -- should I wear those?

Thanks,
(still a newb)
Jack
 
Hi jdanstan!

The longest hand-held event I have done is 2 hours so all I can say is ..... ouch! Sounds like a cool gig though.

Yea, wear all black if possible. Do you guys have general coverage areas and distances worked out?
 
Definitely wear black, and try to time-code-synchronize the cameras all at the beginning -- it'll make the editor's life much easier.

You're going to be feeling it tomorrow if you try to hand-hold the DVX for six hours. I use the Tiffen Steady-Stick for long event shots -- it keeps the weight off my back and arms entirely (which is pathetic actually, we're talking about a little 4-lb camcorder, not exactly a vintage 25-lb shoulder-mount cam!) But still, it does start to ache if you hand-hold that thing that long.

Kneepads will come in handy, especially if you're shooting something like ringside. Keep your distance and zoom in when possible so you don't get bowled over. That'll make focus trickier though. Whenever possible you want to be wider so that focus isn't that big of an issue; but don't get hurt just to get a wider shot! Try to learn to estimate the focus distance based on the MF numbers -- memorize a few key distances, such as 5' is MFXX, 10' is MFYY, and 15' is MFZZ. That will help you make sure that you're in the right ballpark for focus no matter what. Spot-estimate the distance and you should be able to dial in a good approximation of accurate focus, and let the wide-angle nature of the lens do the rest for you.

When assigning camera positions, try to get the lightest workload possible, because you're the first-timer. Try to get the job of shooting the backstage interviews. Ring coverage would probably be the hardest job and should go to the most-experienced shooters there.
 
Barry_Green said:
-- memorize a few key distances, such as 5' is MFXX, 10' is MFYY, and 15' is MFZZ. That will help you make sure that you're in the right ballpark for focus no matter what. Spot-estimate the distance and you should be able to dial in a good approximation of accurate focus, and let the wide-angle nature of the lens do the rest for you.
Click to expand...
well I don't have to memorize -- I long ago made a 5X7 laminated note card that I keep in my back pocket that has MF settings by distance for the anamorphic and Normal on the back and MF anamorphic to regular MF conversion chart on the front along with the Exposure MF and Zoom Settings chart -- zeroxed from your book of course! :thumbsup:

Barry_Green said:
When assigning camera positions, try to get the lightest workload possible, because you're the first-timer. Try to get the job of shooting the backstage interviews. Ring coverage would probably be the hardest job and should go to the most-experienced shooters there.
Click to expand...

Yes -- fortunately I have told the guy that I'm not likely to be comfortable with the glidecam and smoothshooter yet -- haven't even been able to balance it yet. Also he just hired me via Craig's list based on Shed, so he has no basis to think that I've ever done this before so I'm gonna be pretty upfront about the newbie thing.

I think I'm gonna use my flowpod, though just as a mono pod, with the gimble locked so no flying as I haven't been able to learn that yet either.

If he wants smooth shots from the dressing room to the ring then I can use my fig rig for those shots only - it won't be floating smooth like glidecam, but it will be very smooth -- otherwise, anyone who has experience with the glidecam smoothshooter is welcome to it for this shoot.

Thanks Barry and all.

Jack
 
Wear a vest or something that has pockets so you can carry various accesories and have them easily within reach. Don't forget to have a water bottle. Six hours? You might even want a snack, clif bars or some other power snack.

Knee pads work but don't get mistaken for a wrestler and get taken out! :cheesy:
 
jdanstan said:
well I don't have to memorize -- I long ago made a 5X7 laminated note card that I keep in my back pocket that has MF settings by distance for the anamorphic and Normal on the back and MF anamorphic to regular MF conversion chart on the front along with the Exposure MF and Zoom Settings chart -- zeroxed from your book of course! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I may be too late with my advice to be effective, but you won't have time to reach in your back pocket, pull out your focus chart, find the setting you're looking for, make the adjustment, put card back in pocket, then resume shooting. I mean, it would be faster to just zoom in, set it and zoom out.

So, do as Barry suggests. :thumbsup:
 
Cool Jack! How did it go? I'm curious too... Glad to see you're out there keeping busy.

John (Lyons-Den), Whats up bud? You doing anything these days?
 
Jdanstan Pic ringside

Jdanstan Pic ringside

Barry_Green said:
...When assigning camera positions, try to get the lightest workload possible, because you're the first-timer. Try to get the job of shooting the backstage interviews. Ring coverage would probably be the hardest job and should go to the most-experienced shooters there.
Click to expand...
LOL!
ME_ATFIGHT.gif

Terry_Lasater said:
I may be too late with my advice to be effective, but you won't have time to reach in your back pocket, pull out your focus chart, find the setting you're looking for, make the adjustment, put card back in pocket, then resume shooting. I mean, it would be faster to just zoom in, set it and zoom out.
So, do as Barry suggests.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice -- I wasn't being literal though -- just kissing Barry's arse more than anything by letting him know that I had made a focus card from his book, which I was planning on using before the shoot to pick different focal points -- thanks though, man:thumbsup:

So Coffee, John, et all -- you can see that I didn't exactly follow Barry's advice for easiest asignment, although I did try to some degree.

Jobs were: steadycam with fighters when they entered the tent then climb into the ring -- no way (how anyone was expected to climb into the ring wityh a vest and a sled I'll never know). But this was not for me.

Another job: stand on a platform far away from ring, stay wide until fight started then follow the fighters in a head to toe two shot. Too boring.

All of the above was in 60i (yech) and then two already assigned 24p shooters roved the crowd and back stage for a documentary they are filming along with the event.

So the remaining two jobs were one cam on each side of the ring. One would cover the fighters in a two shot head to toe, the other (mine) would cover in loose medium two shot, head to above knee, and each of us had a designated corner to keep with when they separated.

Ok ... that sounded more fun than the master shot and not as acrobatic as the steadycam to ring then into the ring (for the beginning of each fight). I'll take that job. ... What?! We get in the ring with the fighters?! oh ... Ok only before and after the fight -- I film the winner and the other side cam films the loser -- ok ... What -- we're not on the ground -- WE'RE ON THE EDGE OF THE RING WHICH IS ONLY AN 18" LEDGE ... GULP! To which the producer responded somthing like -- "They do it all the time on TV" But I think that's intermittently and then they run away.

At any rate, the first fight I tried moving up and down the ring holding onto the rope but I pissed off the judge and the fighter's corner support so for the rest of the fights I stayed pretty much on one corner and leaned in when I could and then hung off like wind surfing when they were beating the crap out of each other right there. I DID get grazed in the nuts by a stray punch, but it was more wind than fist and just moved the fabric on my jeans - so zero pain, but I did stand on my toes at that point and exclaim "WHOO" in a Little Richard falsetto.

The event was actually only three hours long, about 90 minutes of tape with a break in the middle, we were just scheduled for six hours for production meeting and to wait until they counted the cash to pay us a la the Spiderman movie.

It's called the BEATDOWN ON THE BAYOU and the fighters are UFC ranked (low ranked) except maybe for the main fight whose name I don't remember.

Although I did lose the screw in the zoom ring accidentaly in the parking lot :cry: , it was pretty crazy and fun -- no broken gear or bones otherwise :cheesy:

Thanks for suggestions all!
 
he he!

I was suprised that some of the other dudes there weren't active on the site and a couple hadn't even heard of it -- huh? :huh: As far as I'm concerned the website is an inextricable feature of the camera, just like 24p or auto focus, and is a major selling point for the cam itself.

I did sell a few 5600's though as I was the only guy unconcerned with power issues :thumbsup:
 
hey Jack good gig, i wanted to tell you to bring a buddy with you to help navigate while youre looking into the lense and to find where the neutral corners are at before the fight. i get plenty pissed when the cameraman is in my way when i'm trying to get to my fighter. if you need advice from the cornerman or fighter perspective P.M. ME
 
no prob yasodic, Terry is the real pro though, even if his town stole the Saints from us, lol.

Hey Kimko, I'm glad you found this thread -- I was gonna PM you -- The first fight was the only fight that I tried tp traverse the ledge, and even then I wasn't there between rounds, although I did get in the corner guy's way once. But the rest of the fights I stayed in the nuetral corner for my side.

These guys are going to be coming back regularly, so I will PM you when I hear from them -- thanks.
 
jdanstan said:
... Terry is the real pro though, even if his town stole the Saints from us, lol.
Click to expand...


Actually, we (OKC) stole the Hornets. :thumbsup: San Antonio is making their bid for the Saints. :evil:

Funny sidenote: Little ol' Oklahoma City is currently ranking 7th on the average attendance of all NBA cities and the Hornets beat the San Antonio Spurs last night in front of 19,500 peeps.
 
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