Need expert tips on 7D for filming tv commercial

Regnis

Regnis

Active member
have done a search on here but nothing really came up....

Over the next couple of months I may be doing TV commercials for 2 local businesses owned by friends. Filmed on 7D using FCP to edit.

questions (i am relatively new to this):

1. Should i shoot in 30fps (1920x1080), 24fps (1920x1080) etc??

2. Do i need to import or export the file in a particular way with FCP?


anything to help a newbie would be greatly appreciated
 
Depends on your distribution. You specified "tv commercials," so contact your TV stations (or cable systems) and request their requirements/standards for TV ads -- that could be nothing from a wide eyed twenty year old all the way through to something complex and demanding specified in PDF format.

You work back from the requirements you face -- and produce to meet those standards.

Once you know what you need to deliver, then find some FCP expert (here or wherever) to walk you through what you need to do to accomplish your specific objectives.
 
Also, don't tell them you're filming anything on a 7D. Just get their requirements, transcode, produce, and encode to their standards -- and then deliver it.

If they specifically ask what camera you're using (that I've never once been asked in nearly twenty years) -- just tell them you're "renting Panasonic Broadcast," or something similar.

In other words -- if you, as a green and inexperienced guy with a good attitude tell them eagerly "I'm shooting with my 7D!" they may spend the time explaining to you why they can't broadcast footage from your affordable consumer camera.

On the other hand, if you deliver according to their standards, there very likely won't be any questions (as long as someone is paying the bill) and you'll watch your ad on TV.
 
Thankyou very much for the info mate.

I am in Australia so it will be interesting to see what the specific requirements are here as opposed to the US.

Just out of interest sake, around what figure do businesses get charged to have a 30second ad on tv...(i know this is different depending on local/national, time slot, etc...)
 
Regnis said:
Thankyou very much for the info mate.

I am in Australia so it will be interesting to see what the specific requirements are here as opposed to the US.

Just out of interest sake, around what figure do businesses get charged to have a 30second ad on tv...(i know this is different depending on local/national, time slot, etc...)
Click to expand...

Well, if you're in Australia -- you're not going to want 30p or 24p in any situation. For delivery formats you're looking at 25p or 50i in 1080 or 50p in 720.

Again, start off with your requirements and work back from that.

Regarding price in the US -- it ranges from free by some low budget local stations (you buy ads, they'll make it for free, and it'll look like it was made for free), to five hundred US for local cable ads produced by some guy living in his van because he sold his house to lease a thirty thousand dollar camera five years ago (and, it'll look like some super cheap cable ad), all the way up to national broadcast ads that average fifty thousand dollars per thirty second production. So -- there's no "rate card" regulated-by-the-government answer for the US. It's all over the place and depends on a thousand different things.
 
Switch it to PAL. I suggest you get hold of the camera manual so you camera related questions can be resolved.

I would also ask you if you have used an manual or digital SLR before? -knowing this, would make us here focus on how to advice you. As to weather we are advising a complete noob or as a professional.

To give use a more practical approach on how we can assist you, provide us details on your camera package. What accessories and lenses do you have at your disposal with the 7D?
 
yeah sure.

I'm a landscape photographer (semi-pro). I have over 4 yrs experience with DSLRs having owned the 40D and now the 7D.

But have filmed a couple of little weddings and engagement parties (still yet to be edited).

Along side a couple of commercials I have also been in talks with an environmental conservation company about filming a series of documentaries which are to be shown on web and possibly TV. (I work in the environmental field, so if i could couple these skills with filming and editing skills it would be fantastic!) Still getting my head around FCP but really enjoying it.

My lenses include:
*canon 100mm macro (non is)
*Sigma 50mm 1.4
*Tokina 11-16 2.8

accessories include:
*glidetrack (came today)
*follow focus
*shoulder rig
*LCDVF
*tripods/monpods
*fluid heads
*FCP
*CS5
*27inch iMac

Soon to be ordering:
*Glide cam 4000
*H4n/lav setup (not sure which yet)
*G-Raid ex drive (i'm unfortunately running everything off my internal drive at the moment, which i know is bad practice, my external drives are just regular WD drive solely for photography)


Any tips would be greatly appreciated
cheers adam
 
Adam,

That info you provided will sure narrow down the advices of people around here to more precise tips that can be of great use to you.

Couple more info;

Will you be shooting your commercial with tungsen or florescent?

With florescent or hmi be careful with banding due to shutter speed. In my country which use 220v 60cycles, I use shutter 60 -instead of 50 (which is recommended when shooting 24p as it being closest to 48.)

I recommend using the neutral picture style with
sharpness at 1 (others would say 0)
contrast at -3
saturation at -1 (others would vary on this according to taste)

avoid the superflat pic profile as it made my skintones plasticky and chalk like.

while the lcdvf is good it would be better if you have a field monitor. Its easy to be fooled by sharpness on the small lcd screen.

edit; -just want to add, to check that you turn
highlight tone priority- disable.
high iso noise reduction-disable.
 
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Hi I'm also in Oz... you should use DubSat to deliver your TVC's... http://www.dubsat.com.au/DubSatOnline/sites/dsonline/content/default.shtml

No need to contact any TV stations... all the info about delivery is on the site... and they are very helpful for new clients...

Are you delivering to National Stations or local only...???

With he Audio just make sure it is pretty thick and not exceeding 0DB.. you'll need to adda a Title on the clapper that says audio is compliant...

Cheers
 
hey lez thankyou very much for this info.

will probably be delivering only to local stations at this stage. am currently in talks about a documentary which i would hope to possibly go national..but that'll be some time away

have you done many commercial projects?
 
Get a post supervisor who knows the ropes or learn the ropes and play the role yourself. It is something to take seriously, you can mess up many things and cause lost time and money not to mention your end product might suffer. I'm saying this if you hope to go national with your delivery footage.
 
Regnis said:
will probably be delivering only to local stations at this stage.
Click to expand...

Shoot 25p or 50i

- Make sure your average max peaking on audio is -8db
- make sure your luminance and colours are broadcast safe. You should be right.
 
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