Recommended camera set-ups for HVX-202

R

rc444

Well-known member
Hey everyone,

Later next year I am shooting a 12 minute short film.

So far, I've storyboarded/shotlisted for 7 set-ups/shots per scene roughly.

We are shooting on an HVX-202, I've used it before and found it a delight to use. My only niggle was that you need a very heavy tripod to mount this camera on.

I want the right balance of set-ups. I don't want to shoot 'soap opera' styles by simply utilising just wides and singles, on the other hand, I don't want to exhaust the crew with too many set-ups.

From your experience, is 7 shots/scene asking too much or too little? How many would you call for if you had to choose?

Thanks
rc444
 
Hi there.

I'm a little bit confused by this. First of all I don't know what the camera has to do with the number of setups. The HVX-202 is a reasonable sized camera that one person can easily move around.

Scenes can run from seconds to who knows how long. I wouldn't even think about the number of setups in any other context than it is what it is. If a scene has one setup, great, if it has 22 setups, no problem. Whatever you need to tell the story - that's it.

If the crew complains, get a new one. I see you're also in Wellington. Finding people who understand the way films are shot (even graduates of the so called "Film school") are ridiculously difficult to find here.

Lots of the things I have watched/helped with/shot have had far more than 7 setups in one scene. If the scene is just two people in a coridoor talking then it might be a different story.

Bottom line - every single frame you shoot should be motivated. The attitude towards avoiding the soap opera style of shooting is okay, but I'd look at it the other way around. Sometimes a scene calls for exactly that.

Good luck with your film, and enjoy the camera.
 
Most beginning filmmakers don't understand the ark of the scene thus they keep on shooting stuff to no end... wide shot, mediums, over the shoulder, close-ups then one or two inserts of details... While experienced filmmaker would know the beats that need to be hit in the scene would shoot one master shot - not necessary wide then one cut away of importance and move on to the next scene.

Ask yourself what the scene is truly all about then find the most economical way to shoot it.
 
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