Best technique for host/anchor looking at 2 cameras?

S

squire87

Member
I see a lot of online documentaries where the host will be addressing camera directly, reading from a teleprompter, in a medium wide - then they'll cut to a medium tight, and he's still addressing camera, reading from the teleprompter. How is this achieved, physically? Assuming the actor is always reading from the same teleprompter, the only logical option is that there's physically only one camera in play, and in post they just zoom in to create their tighter shot, relying on the hi-res of the camera to allow for little-to-no quality loss. Or, if 2 cameras are in play, they're setup so close together that perhaps the audience can't tell he's not really looking at the one of them. Other than these 2 possibilities, is there another solution for how this is achieved?
 
squire87 said:
I see a lot of online documentaries where the host will be addressing camera directly, reading from a teleprompter, in a medium wide - then they'll cut to a medium tight, and he's still addressing camera, reading from the teleprompter. How is this achieved, physically?
Click to expand...

Can you post a link?
 
I think it's got to be a mere punch-in, with just one camera. If it were two, then the host is looking right at one and a little off from the other. We are very very sensitive to when someone's not looking at the camera. So it would be noticeable.
 
FilmRiot is doing this very often now that they shoot on a C100. The punch-in is obviously softer, but they get away with it somehow. If you can shoot 4K to deliver 1080p, it's a non-issue.
 
All very helpful insights. Thanks to all of you for offering your takes. Agreed, that probably the most effective methods of doing this are either shooting very hi-res (like 4K) and then punching in, or shooting twice from both wide, then tight angles. Unfortunately, I don't have 4K capabilities at the moment. And, shooting actors twice is common, and expected. But a lot of my work is with corporate execs, whom don't really want to run through scripts twice, unless it's due to performance. So, that's why I thought I'd inquire about an alternative method I perhaps hadn't thought of.
 
Maybe use an action camera for a very wide shot and attach it to the top of your normal shot camera or next to the lens? Kind of low budget but it might do what you need if you buy a decent action cam.

If you were to hack the action cam with a different lens, then a tight shot would be possible. Rage Cams modifies a few different cameras to take different length lenses, even have a couple of zooms that still remain very compact. You can do the hack yourself, but be warned that the lenses on these cameras are normally glued in place, and the force required to break the glue can twist the circuit boards enough to pop one of the BGA soldered chips rendering the camera useless. Been there, did that, got the pieces to show for it. The Panasonic 4K action cam might be my starting point in this, but I'd need to research first to make sure. GoPro is a favorite for a lot of people.
 
You're over thinking it. It's the same camera. They shoot the scene multiple times, once in a medium once in a closeup.
 
squire87 said:
...But a lot of my work is with corporate execs, whom don't really want to run through scripts twice, unless it's due to performance.
Click to expand...
For this situation, the simplest solution would be a second camera set up next to the first (as close as possible), one wider angle and one tighter, and have the speaker look at the tight angle camera - the slight difference in eyeline should be less visible in the wide angle footage.

As with any multi-camera work, you need plenty of pre-testing to confirm you can make both cameras' footage match in post.
 
squire87 said:
Unfortunately, I don't have 4K . . . a lot of my work is with corporate execs, whom don't really want to run through scripts twice
Click to expand...

I got it! Use one camera, and don't do anything!

This whole double-shot thing is distracting anyway. Better would be to cut to B roll if you must hide a cut or spice up a long monologue.

Frankly I think there's way too much cutting --- a fashion that took off with the MTV generation. I may be in the minority here, but I'm telling you I'm not yet over the hill ;)

Watch The Sixth Sense, Saving Private Ryan, All the President's Men, or some other movie that uses few shots yet is still enthralling.

Usually the best solution to an intractible problem is subtraction, not addition. Simplify, simplify.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top