Filming Turkey & Deer Hunts

B

Bryan_Lawler

Well-known member
I was wondering if anyone had any experience using the DVX to film hunts. I am getting ready to film a couple of hunts for a friend and was wondering if anyone had any tips?

I was thinking of filming the hunt in SD and then mixing it with interviews done in 24P. What are your thoughts?

Thanks!
 
No but you can make your own. Just set up a couple shots before or after the actual hunting shoot (no pun intended) Get some good shots of the animals looking good in nature and maybe a couple shots of weapons. It's up to you to figure out what to get but just take these shots and mix them over a Digital Juice background. I like "Overlay" in FCP but do whatever looks best to you.. Then you'll have your own new hunting Digital Juice backgrounds to use.
 
Thanks for the advise Marc. I'll try to see what I come up with.

I wonder if there is any issue shooting the actual hunt in 24p like HorseFilms said. If there would be any problems with movement?
 
Bryan_Lawler said:
Thanks for the advise Marc. I'll try to see what I come up with.

I wonder if there is any issue shooting the actual hunt in 24p like HorseFilms said. If there would be any problems with movement?
Click to expand...


Could be, depending on the footage and your NLE. If you are going to be doing something specifically FOR TV, you might wanna shoot 60i. You can get cleaner slow mo (well cleaner EASIER slow mo), and most people are a little put off by the 24p look when they watch TV. also, as you will be filming on the fly, you may have more camera movement trying to catch things when they happen which can translate into more pronounced strobing.

It would look cool at 24p though, if you could film it right.



ps, don't forget your Circular Polarizer!
 
Thanks Rapier. That was some of my concerns. Someday I might try a practice one in all 24p. However for now I may stick with 60i for the hunt and maybe 24p for the interviews.

What exactly does the Circular Polarizer do?
 
Deer are one thing, they can hear and smell you from quite a ways, but they are easier than Turkey. Position your self down wind from where you know they are going to be. You will be sitting for a long time. Be patient and the woods will settle. When ever they feel you aren't there is when they will let their guard down and walk about. Tighten your tilt and leave all of your locks free. Even the "clink" from the pan or tilt lock can tip them off.
Turkey? Dude, good luck. You have to be completely motionless for Turkey. My father was hunting Turkey once and he was so still that a snake followed a field mouse across his legs.

You will be out there the whole day. Be ultra patient. Good luck
 
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One of the problems I have with the DVX100A is the lense. It's too short for long distance subjects- airplanes etc..

My experience with Deer hunting would have me belive you would be shooting a deer at about 100 yards(with a video camera). Hard to get closeups. Like the other guy said, Turkeys have really keen eyesight, and are very smart (They almost made them our national bird. Thank god the eagle won out). So again, with the tape transport going, you'll need to be a distance away from any of your subjects., or even in a tree stand.
I'd at least shoot 30p if not 60i.

Which leads me to a question- anyone ever use a diopter to increase zoom on the camera?

Jeff Patnaude:kali:
 
Thanks everyone. Sounds like I going to have fun! I'll let you know how things turn out. I wonder if any lens adaptors would help?
 
I was shooting a moose hunt last fall for two days. A line of men were driving the game and shooters had lined up about 200-300 meters apart to meet them (meat them?). I was able to get one "shot" on tape and 3 run-bys (very strict rules when you can shoot, as the idea is not to shoot the other hunters or the poor videographer). A moose is big and fast!

I had the camera on monopod, either one end on the ground or under my belt. Sound was from ME66 equiped with Rycote Softie, mounted on a Video Rover handle. Audio fed on both channels, other about 15 dB lower than other (shots are loud).

Take plenty of tape, it is easier to just roll the tape when you are expecting something than turn the darn thing off and on every 5 minutes; auto shut-off feature. Maybe even saves the tape transport.

Short lens is not nice, but a tele extender would help only 2-fold, and make the thing front heavy. Besides you need the wide shots after the kill.

Take plenty of cut-away shots, details of the guns, loading, unloading, details of the forest, sky, taking aim, maybe even fireing the gun in close-ups (target practice before the hunt or something).

Do take proper ear protectors, those hunters all used fancy headphones which let the sound thru (via built in mic) but close the line when something loud happens, of course also VHF radios were connected to those headphone/silencers. I had just normal silencers.

About this 24p stuff: are you making a movie or shooting a video for TV? If video, stay away from progressive, you are going to do plenty of fast pans if you are lucky, you would lose your reputation using 24p. And it would be madness to mix 60i and 24p, why would you do that?
 
Bryan_Lawler said:
Thanks Rapier. That was some of my concerns. Someday I might try a practice one in all 24p. However for now I may stick with 60i for the hunt and maybe 24p for the interviews.

What exactly does the Circular Polarizer do?
Click to expand...


Welcome. A circular polarizer is a filter basically used to enhance the sky colors, and lower reflections. For a more detailed and technical explination, do a search here on the main forum. Has to do with priniclples of light, waves and all kinds of cool niceities.

Get one. Get a Tiffen, that's fine for a first glass (many people use them exclusively, myself included). For 70 bucks, you can't beat it.

Also, for shots indoors and when you don't need the polarizer, get a UV filter. about 40 bucks, and the best 40 I ever spent. Get one, and when you aren't using your polarizer, leave the UV on. It'll cut down on glare, and more imprtantly, it'll protect your lense.

Spend the 130 bucks for 2 72mm filters. You'll need them, and it beats the hell out of replacing your lense if it gets scratched.

Good luck.
 
Thanks guys. You all have given me things to think about. I have a UV filter already and I'll try to get a circular polarizer in time for the next hunt at the end of the month that I am filming.

Does anyone know where I can get camo equipment for my camera?
 
Petrus said:
I was shooting a moose hunt last fall for two days. A line of men were driving the game and shooters had lined up about 200-300 meters apart to meet them (meat them?). I was able to get one "shot" on tape and 3 run-bys (very strict rules when you can shoot, as the idea is not to shoot the other hunters or the poor videographer). A moose is big and fast!

I had the camera on monopod, either one end on the ground or under my belt. Sound was from ME66 equiped with Rycote Softie, mounted on a Video Rover handle. Audio fed on both channels, other about 15 dB lower than other (shots are loud).

Take plenty of tape, it is easier to just roll the tape when you are expecting something than turn the darn thing off and on every 5 minutes; auto shut-off feature. Maybe even saves the tape transport.

Short lens is not nice, but a tele extender would help only 2-fold, and make the thing front heavy. Besides you need the wide shots after the kill.

Take plenty of cut-away shots, details of the guns, loading, unloading, details of the forest, sky, taking aim, maybe even fireing the gun in close-ups (target practice before the hunt or something).

Do take proper ear protectors, those hunters all used fancy headphones which let the sound thru (via built in mic) but close the line when something loud happens, of course also VHF radios were connected to those headphone/silencers. I had just normal silencers.

About this 24p stuff: are you making a movie or shooting a video for TV? If video, stay away from progressive, you are going to do plenty of fast pans if you are lucky, you would lose your reputation using 24p. And it would be madness to mix 60i and 24p, why would you do that?
Click to expand...

Do you have any footage that can be seen? I'd love to watch it.
 
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