T2i Music Video Pre-prod - NEED HELP!

F

foreigndude

Member
Hey all,

I'll be doing a music video pretty soon and there will be a performance part which will be shot in a warehouse (aren't they all?). I went to the warehouse last night with friends to check out the setup, and we brought all DIY stuff that we had made for this project.

Firstly, this is what I will be using:

- Canon T2i with Magic Lantern
- Kit lens
- Canon 50mm 1.8 II
- Glidecam 4000
- DIY track dolly
- 2 x 1000W work lights (with CTB gels)
- DIY diffusers for the work lights (mostly for close-up shots)
- 12 x 60W CFLs forming a letter "V" (see photos) behind the band.

While making some test shots last night, I ran into a couple issues, so if anyone can help me with any of them, I’d appreciate it.

lensflare2.jpg
– this photo (as well as video) was taken with the Canon 50mm II. These reflections/flares seem to be completely unavoidable? I was shooting at 50 shutter speed, ISO 200. Any way to avoid or minimize this? It gets even worse than this when the shot is straight on. The KIT LENS doesn’t seem to have the same issue.

lensflare1.jpg
- in this photo, I have the general performance area framed in. The subject(s) will be lit with 2x1000W work lights from each side. The “V” shaped light represents the first initial of the band’s name. It will likely be farther away (towards the back) from the band and it will not be resting on what you’re seeing in the photo right now.

If anyone has any suggestions, advice or questions, please let me know. I could use help!
 
I think it would be nice if the V would be a few feet off the ground (if thats feasible)... Are you going to paint black the white stripes on the V btw? And is the second pic lit with the 2 1000w? Looks a little dark...
 
Breezer,

The "V" will most likely be about 1 1/2" to 2" off the ground and further back. I just have to figure out how I'd do that. There is a boat load of truck tires stacked around so I may even use them as part of the scene... When we were building it, I didn't originally think the actual construction would be at all visible, but now I realize that it is, so I will just spray paint it black.

The second pic might have been lit with only 500w (one lamp on each fixture), we experimented a bit, and I agree that's a bit dark.
 
I think the flares on the V look great! If I were directing the Video I would tell the artist this is the effect Im going for. Personally you just need to take control over the set and be comfortable, once again that flare looks cool.... Run with it :thumbsup:
 
Do you have any filters on the front of your 50mm lens? I've found most UV filters to cause those sorts of reflections.
 
markblasco,

You da man! Yes, I do have a frickin UV filter. Sweet - now I can choose whether to do with this flare or not.


Ah, awesome.

Thank you!!!
 
Make sure to test it, but that is probably the issue. With the non-pro filters, the reflection of the light off of the front of the lens shows up on the inside of the filter. I've found that 99% of the time taking off the filters solves the problem.
 
If it were me, I'd probably not use it for any shots, and add it in as an effect in post if you wanted that look. It may be more work, but you can't take it out once it's there if you do it on set, and to me, when I see reflections like those, it just looks like something went wrong.
 
markblasco,

Thank you for the advice.


Another question that I have (and I think I already know the answer too, but it never hurts to ask) is this - The photos taken at the warehouse (from my original post) have a close to ideal look that I'm trying to achieve for the video shoot...

However, these photos were taken at a much higher shutter than 1/50 (which is what I want to use for the video). Because of the high shutter, I was able to eliminate the ambient light in the room. Unfortunately, when shooting at 1/50, I get a lot more ambient light and the ugliness of the surroundings is revealed (Youtube sample).

So, I have a Fader ND filter on the way, but it might not make it in time for the shoot, AND, even though it will reduce my ambient light, it will probably also reduce all of the light...so I'm not sure how well it would work at all in this situation.

I am going to try and control the worklights spill with the cinefoil blackwrap, but I'm not sure how much I'll be able to isolate.

Any other ideas on how to eliminate ambient light but not kill the 'stage' light?
 
So why don't you shoot at a higher shutter? Personally I DO NOT like shooting at 50 or anything less than 100 to tell you the truth.
 
life4eva said:
So why don't you shoot at a higher shutter? Personally I DO NOT like shooting at 50 or anything less than 100 to tell you the truth.
Click to expand...

Honestly, I'm afraid the motion won't look good. I always followed the 1/50 'rule' and I'm afraid if I go to, say 1/125, that the motion is going to start looking like crap.

Do you have any examples where you shot at a higher shutter speed? I'd appreciate it.
 
foreigndude said:
Honestly, I'm afraid the motion won't look good. I always followed the 1/50 'rule' and I'm afraid if I go to, say 1/125, that the motion is going to start looking like crap.

Do you have any examples where you shot at a higher shutter speed? I'd appreciate it.
Click to expand...

Its a Music Video which will have movement, its not like you are shooting an interview or something. My best advice to tell you is to calm down, everything is going to be fine. Stop worrying so much about this rule or that rule, have fun with what your doing and try some new things

:)
 
Well, why don't you either lower your ISO if it is not already at 100 (which will help to reduce noise), or if it is (which I would doubt unless you have something like 10,000 watts of light), than you can use a Neutral Density filter. Either option should give you the same result (a lowering of the light level without changing the look). You can also bring down the levels of the shadows in post, if you want a more contrasty look.

Also, if you are in the US, it is generally accepted that a 1/60 shutter will cause fewer issues in terms of flickering lights. Not to say you shouldn't film at 1/50, but for DSLR's, 1/60 has proven in many cases to be safer. If you've already run some test footage at 1/50 and it looks good to you, than you don't need to worry about it.
 
Yes, I'm in the US.

I checked the EXIF on that video clip and ISO was 400. There are other cliips with lower ISO and the "V" looks awesome, but I can't properly light the subjects then (don't have enough light).

It's ok, I'll be fine. Just wanted some opinions.

Thank you, as always!
 
OK, I guess now I'm a little confused, since you said that you liked the looks in the photos, and by adjusting the ISO you should be able to make up for the difference in shutter speed difference to get the exact same look.

If the issue is that you want the background darker, but want the performers to be better lit, than there are a couple of possible solutions. Bringing the lights closer to the performers will make them brighter in relation to the background. Also, you can raise up the lights so they are facing more downward, and then flag off the light hitting behind the band to reduce the amount of light hitting the background.

Other than that, I don't know if there are any simple solutions I can think of.
 
markblasco said:
OK, I guess now I'm a little confused, since you said that you liked the looks in the photos, and by adjusting the ISO you should be able to make up for the difference in shutter speed difference to get the exact same look.

If the issue is that you want the background darker, but want the performers to be better lit, than there are a couple of possible solutions. Bringing the lights closer to the performers will make them brighter in relation to the background. Also, you can raise up the lights so they are facing more downward, and then flag off the light hitting behind the band to reduce the amount of light hitting the background.

Other than that, I don't know if there are any simple solutions I can think of.
Click to expand...
That's what I'll be doing - raise up and flag off. When I was testing, I didn't have a way to raise up the lights.

draven4 said:
Throw the kit lens out.
Click to expand...
Won't be doing that, but probably won't be using it much for the shoot anyway :)
 
Balance my friend balance.

In short

- shoot at the lowest ISO you can no matter what. Then if you absolutely need to start pushing your ISO up is you cannot achieve the correct expose with lights and F-stop

- your F-stop should be the deciding factor of the image. Your shutter should not be dictating your exposure of your shot nor the ISO. (remember always try a lower ISO because it reduces noise). F-stop, how much do you want to blur nor not blur the background. How much DOF do you want. Start there then make it happen around that.

- you need to have more controllable lights. Seems like you are just turning on the lights and then trying to get what you can get with the constant intensity that they give off. That's why on light you need to do things like
dim them, flag them, scrim them, run them through diffusion, run them through nets, bounce ect. You get the point.

in short
set your shutter to what you want 1/50th recommended for film like look
frame your shot
start with F-stop - adjust it to what you want
figure out how much light you need for that f-stop and light (adjust lights)
if you don't have enough light move them, flag them run it though diffusion, net it, dimmer or not, ect.
finally if you can't achieve enough light bring in more light or lastly adjust ISO (not shutter)
 
Last edited:
draven4 said:
Balance my friend balance.

In short

- shoot at the lowest ISO you can no matter what. Then if you absolutely need to start pushing your ISO up is you cannot achieve the correct expose with lights and F-stop

- your F-stop should be the deciding factor of the image. Your shutter should not be dictating your exposure of your shot nor the ISO. (remember always try a lower ISO because it reduces noise). F-stop, how much do you want to blur nor not blur the background. How much DOF do you want. Start there then make it happen around that.

- you need to have more controllable lights. Seems like you are just turning on the lights and then trying to get what you can get with the constant intensity that they give off. That's why on light you need to do things like
dim them, flag them, scrim them, run them through diffusion, run them through nets, bounce ect. You get the point.

in short
set your shutter to what you want 1/50th recommended for film like look
frame your shot
start with F-stop - adjust it to what you want
figure out how much light you need for that f-stop and light (adjust lights)
if you don't have enough light move them
finally if you can't achieve enough light bring in more light or lastly adjust ISO (not shutter)
Click to expand...

Thank you, draven4. All this is helpful.

From all the shots that I have preplanned in my head, the only one that I can foresee possibly not having enough light (and compensating with a bit higher ISO) is the wide shot of the band. In most other shots, I can re-arrange the lights/bring them closer to subjects in the frame.

I'm pumped!
 
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