C100: Interview with singer/songwriter Kelly Sloan

[Rob Newton]

Hi everyone. This was one of my first efforts with the C100 + 24-105 recorded late last summer. I used the WideDR setting. The B cam was the Canon T3i with the stock 18-55 lens. The mic was the Røde NTG-2.

Nothing fancy, just a straight forward interview intermingled with some performance clips and a couple of B-roll scenes.

I would appreciate your comments and suggestions as to what I could do to make it better and more interesting. Thanks.

Like many of you, it was Erik Naso's fine review that tipped me to the C100. Thanks Erik!

Overall I love the camera, and yes the EVF, while usable, pretty much sucks. I also find that the LCD, at least on my unit, has a noticeable greenish tint to it. I am profoundly disappointed in the light loss when zooming the 24-105 in spite of the fixed f4 aperature. But other than that, very nice camera and no other regrets on my choice.

Going forward I'm thinking of adding the Atomos Blade, but it would appear from many of the posts that it is not without some dependability issues. Time will tell I guess.

 

[Doug_EX]

Pretty good!

But next time, fo the interview portion, don't center your subject. She should've been in the first third (like at 2:31) of the screen. Also, try changing the focal length a few times dring the interview. I usually use 3 focal length.
But otherwise, pretty good!

 

[Rob Newton]

Good points. Thanks Doug.

Love the Gaspé area by the way! Some gorgeous scenery there.

 

[Doug_EX]

Good points. Thanks Doug.

Love the Gaspé area by the way! Some gorgeous scenery there.

Yep...it's pretty darn beautiful! If you ever come here again, let me know.

 

[Rob Newton]

I sure will. Percé was one of my favourite spots ever.

 

[Doug_EX]

For those who don't know what we're talking about

 

[Homey]

Overall it's good, I watched it through the end and that's one of your goals here. There are certain points to address though.

1) Title in the beginning. Kind of a cheesy font choice there really. Apart from that you can avoid it altogether and put that in the end. Let there by some "mystery" and reveal it later.

2) B-cam grading is just not right. Try to match the colours to the C100 footage. The 80% desat look just doesn't cut it for me.

3) Kelly performing "Postcard" on the piano. Handheld doesn't match the general shooting style. Stabilizing the shot would help a lot.

4) B-roll. There's just too little of it. You could have some shots of Kelly out there in landscapes.

5) "Please visit my website" could be where the title goes accompanied by the website url. Forget about "please". It's fine folk music, whoever's interested will follow.

6) Avoid the plug at the end and make it shorter or just forget about it. The purpose of the video is the exposure of the musician. More work for you will eventually come if the video is successful.

7) There is a zoom-in in there which is a big no-no so try to stabilize that as well.

I think the editing of the piece is great and Kelly is a great subject, everything comes out very natural out of her. Lighting is a bit flat but it didn't bother me at all as it is kind of a choice for the whole piece. I know I am a bit abrupt but please don't take my advise as a bad thing or for granted, it's just my point of view and nothing more. I think if you follow some of that your film will be enhanced. After all that's what this forum is about.

 

[chappelldigital]

Looks good!
Few things I noticed
Framing-> less centered and a bit less headroom.
Audio sync appears to be off on the T3i, its minor, but drives me crazy.
Lighting seems a bit flat for my taste on the main shot.

Nice work!

 

[anatusa]

its been already told that centering the mail object is kind of wrong. I would highly suggest you to learn the composition a little, in fact there are just 3-5 rules that u need to remember and it will tremendously improve your shooting tech, but what most important its will gives you an answers to the questions u may not know now...... u ll be surprised how your questions will just disappear!
i am not into photo much my self but as long as i know the composition rules are the same! its really a very few of them... and after knowing these rules, next time u ll be building a composition u ll be surprised how easy it is to frame it right...

also the lighting tech is important for the interviews (actually for everything) - using 1 simple standard lighting rule - will gives u the look that u ll love - Barry Green lighting tech is super duper info for the starters! your image right now looks a little flat to me, but its easy to fix

but its not bad in any way, and filming something is much better then not filming anything! everything will come with the experience!

 

[anatusa]

btw Bary Green has audio tech dvd as well very good and useful info with a little humor btw!

 

[Rob Newton]

Hi Homey

Thanks for taking the time to watch it, and for your thorough and thoughtful comments. You're 100% right about this forum and it's what I love about it.

 

[Rob Newton]

@ chappelldigital

Thanks for your comments. They're consistent with comments from some of the others and it's obvious that I have to re-think my framing and invest in some better lighting.

 

[Rob Newton]

Thanks Anatusa. I have a lot of work to do with my lighting techniques, and I agree, Barry Green knows what he's doing. I'll look into his DVD.

Not to hijack my own thread, but I found myself cheering for the Latvian hockey team in the Olympics, unless of course they would have come up against Canada at some point. They show a lot of promise for the future.

 

[Rob Newton]

For those who don't know what we're talking about

Thanks for posting these Doug. See what we mean everyone! It's beautiful there.

 

[Doug_EX]

Here are 4 screen grabs of a intervew I did last fall.
The camcorder is a HPX250 and the B-cam is the C100 with a Tokina 11-16.
IT's not perfect but you can see I had 3 different focal length for the A-cam.
The first two are quite similar.

 

[nedcam]

Hi Rob,

She has a great voice. Good effort, works well. Here are some suggestions as to how I would do it, been doing these for 33 years:

• Opening shot is good leaving room for title.

• Main Interview. It's "OK", here's how to make your interviews better next time:

• INTERVIEW ANGLE "So So": First, you must be very, very picky as to where you set up the subject for the interview. The way I was trained you scan the entire room looking at the walls and shelves 2.5-5 feet off the ground, deciding what is the best background. Think of it as you just broke the balls on a pool table and one went in. Now you slowly walk around the table and look for angles. That's what I do when I have an interview situation and I need to choose the angle. Also, it's important that you maximize the distance between the subject and the back wall and the subject to the camera, so look for the most depth in the room. I prioritize making finding my maximum distance and then prop the background even if I have to move tables and shelves around. If all backgrounds suck you then must MAKE a decent background. Often us DPs have to persuade the clients, producers, directors etc. to get the best angle because they don't understand.

• CHANGE FOCAL LENGTHS: Second, as another advisor mentioned, change focal length quickly for each answer. It gives viewer relief. US and Canadian audiences are used to quicker cutting. Having a young, attractive female you could afford a lot tighter interview shots, like a choker. That allows the viewer to feel more intimate, getting to know the subject. Also, there's too much headroom.

• KEY LIGHT: The side of the face further from the lens, in her case her left cheek, that's the angle the key light should come in at, otherwise it feels flat like some posters mentioned. Ken Burns made a career doing the opposite but we're not Ken Burns. It gives the face a feeling of roundness when the key comes in from the far side. Bring flags so you can cut light off the background, which is another reason to move the subject away from the wall. Seems like you used one large soft light so you have to be able to "cut" the light by bringing some c-stands and flags.

• SECOND ANGLE: The second angle going black and white is a style that has passed. Styles come and go, be careful to not get dated. At least keep the color in. Also do less profile, have two eyes. Straight in the ear is not attractive.

• MULTI ANGLES: The song with the guitar: Always ask a musician to do it three times. Jaded super stars will scoff but up and comers, realizing you are there to help them with their career, will cooperate. I do the wide shot first so I can study what will be my other angles. Then usually a choker, then isolate the whole guitar so you can get both hands. If I'm lucky enough to get a fourth take I may get artsy and shoot a wide from the back of the room and ECUs (Extreme Close Ups) of fingers on the neck, etc. Easy edit because pros play it the same way every time. Same thing with the piano number: fingers on keyboard, choker.

• MIC PLACEMENT: For the piano number, a Rode NTG-2 won't cut it, you need to close mic the vocalist somehow, even if it's a lav, because the piano in a small room will overpower. That type of short shotgun is picking up the piano equal to her voice and you have no way to control it in post. For the guitar solo: suspending the Rode right above frame line over her head will pick up her voice stronger than the guitar. In fact, if you only have one mic, this Rode, buy a boom pole for it and an attachment for a stand so you can get it right over the subject's head. NEVER keep it on the camera. Here's the poor man's boom pole holder from Wal Mart. This is $14 and the ones you buy from pro video stores are $90!:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Attwood-Stainless-Steel-Wire-Form-Rod-Holder/16203685

• B-ROLL: The slider shot with the retrievers was good but I expected a follow up shot that was closer where I could see the singer better. The viewer wants to see the eyes.

Good job!

Best regards,

Ned

 

[Rob Newton]

Hi Ned

Thank you for all this great advice and for taking the time to make it so thorough and thoughtful. People like yourself who are willing to share their expertise make this forum a terrific resource.

Rob

 

[Rob Newton]

Hi Duane (not Doug! I should have checked your profile.)

Thanks for these. Nive shots! I really like the key and fill and the rows of theatre seats make an interesting backdrop. I do find the back light a shade too bright, but that's a personal nit of mine.

For this shoot you mention that you use the HPX250 as the A cam and the C100 as the B cam. Is that what you normally do, or is it shoot dependent as to which one is as as "A"? The reason I ask is that I was considering the HPX250 before I decided to go with the C100, and I suspect that it has some definite advantages in many situations. I was coming of the Sony HVR-Z5 with the MRC-1 solid state recorder. There are many times when I mis that 20x zoom and the ring on the lens barrel for the aperture.

 

[Doug_EX]

Hi Duane (not Doug! I should have checked your profile.)

Thanks for these. Nive shots! I really like the key and fill and the rows of theatre seats make an interesting backdrop. I do find the back light a shade too bright, but that's a personal nit of mine.

For this shoot you mention that you use the HPX250 as the A cam and the C100 as the B cam. Is that what you normally do, or is it shoot dependent as to which one is as as "A"? The reason I ask is that I was considering the HPX250 before I decided to go with the C100, and I suspect that it has some definite advantages in many situations. I was coming of the Sony HVR-Z5 with the MRC-1 solid state recorder. There are many times when I mis that 20x zoom and the ring on the lens barrel for the aperture.

Hey Rob!
And yes, the back light was a bit too bright. I had to do everthing (director, cameraman, DP, etc.) pretty much by myself that day and unfortunately I couldn't do everything like I would've like..one man band!
This was my first time shooting with the C100,so wanted a A-Cam that I was comfortable with. That's why the HPX250 was my A-cam.
The HPX250 does a few things that the C100 can't but the C100 is a lot more sharp. Also, if you close the aperture more than 5.6 on the the HPX250, the image will be even softer.
So, the more I shoot with the C100, the more I'm getting use with it and the less I carry my HPX250 on my shoots.
I like the fact that I can easily plug a Varizom controller on my HPX (when on a jib) and have the control over iris, focus, zoom, record.
But other than that, I like my C100 a lot!

 

[Doug_EX]

Hi Duane (not Doug! I should have checked your profile

No problem...Doug was kind of my nickname (long time ago). EX is for EnduroCross.