Shooting outdoors - opinions

[Oaken]

So I have a shoot next month for a TV pilot that will be outdoors, with a host, B-Roll, basic tourist stuff. I've searched the forums and found a few things here and there but no theory or total outdoor consensus. Maybe I'm rehashing here but I thought I'd try and see what's out there as far as opinions go.

I usually use reflectors and diffusers for light, and wireless lav's for sound and a HMC80 since it's more of a travel orientated show, no need for fancy lenses, just HD.

My mic's are 2- Audio-Technica ATW-701 LAV SYS - ATW-R700/T701 w/ MIC Unfortunately they aren't battery operated so any recommendations one a cheap but decent for outdoor battery operated Lav would be helpful.

My boom is a Rode NTG-1 BASIC SHOTGUN KIT

I also have a full Lowel DV kit with the Pro, Omni, Tota, etc But seeing as how power would be an issue I guess they would be irrelevant.

And lastly I have a 42" 5in1 reflector disk, but maybe I should get another one?

What I'm curious about is what other people like and don't like for shooting outdoor type material. Everyone has their own ways of doing things and I thought maybe there was some tricks I'm not aware of. Lav's versus booms, lighting versus using natural light etc.

This is kinda my first thing out of the studio so any advice is appreciated, thank you!

 

[Jordan Scott Price]

Are you trailing the subject with a camera, like in a reality show? Or do you have the time to build a setup and then block the talent/hosts as you want?

If the former, you're out of luck. But my recommendation is shoot with the sun on the side of their bodies furthest from the camera. This creates a more flattering halo effect, and, as long as you don't look straight at the sun, will expose them nicely without burning out your skies. This effect is greatly impacted by skin color, though. And if you were to shoot onto the sunny side of the talent, they would appear flattened, and may be squinting, which is not flattering.

Typically, this is where you would fly a diffusion frame between the sun and the talent and then use a bounce card to give them fill on the opposite side. If you can do the latter in the first question - build the setup before you roll - try that. It's a very simple setup that is flattering and natural. Still try shooting with the sun on the side of their faces further from the camera than the darker (fill side), which will give you a soft, rounded edge on the talent.

I can't make too many recommendations for sound, but wireless battery-operated lavs are used on almost every TV show - where main characters/hosts/main talent are lav'd beforehand. Crowds and passers-by are often boomed. It differs from show to show and from budget to budget.

 

[j1clark@ucsd.edu]

I'd recommend you test with reflectors, ranging from white foam core, silvered or white clothed 'windshield' reflectors, etc. in lighting that you expect to have on your shoot. Scout the location for buildings, structures that have 'canopies', or shadowing at the approximate time of you shoot.

Also get an assistant or two, to be able to have the bounce material positioned best for softening the shadows that will almost always exist in 'blank sunlight'.

You can also try some semitransparent umbrellas, or the like, and situate the talent, sun, and back ground to minimize the shadow cast by the umbrella, but not look too faked with
the talent so shadowed that the back ground blows out.

If you are doing things alone, you really need to find places where the sun is bouncing off the surrounding structures. There's nothing worse than harsh shadows, squinting eyes, to give a bad effect.

 

[craigbowman]

The best way to learn to shoot outdoors is to get out there and shoot. You shouldn't be waiting until you walk on set to try and guess. There's a whole mountain of things which are available to you in a wide variety of conditions. Even if all you have is a folding bounce board (white on once side and foiled on the other) and a couple of ND/ND grad filters, you'd be amazed at what you can combine those with, (camera position, height, angle, time of day, aperture) to get exactly what the director has requested.

There's knowing what to do, and then there's the inherent knowledge from doing. People don't just read a book about how to play tennis and then walk on centre court and win Wimbledon. There's this little thing call practicing thats all important. Not getting any practice is the single biggest problem people have. Once you get some experience with the simple stuff, then you can tackle things when you need to add your own lighting and other elements.

(Its a challenge shooting at night. Its a challenge shooting in bad weather. Its a challenge shooting in a vehicle. - First scene in the script of last TV pilot I DP'ed is about three people in a truck pulling a trailer down a backroad in a thunderstorm at night, with both INT and EXT dialog. They also must hit someone running across the road causing a jackknife with the trailer as well. - Not a time to be relying on someone else's online recipe.)

 

[j1clark@ucsd.edu]

First scene in the script of last TV pilot I DP'ed is about three people in a truck pulling a trailer down a backroad in a thunderstorm at night, with both INT and EXT dialog. They also must hit someone running across the road causing a jackknife with the trailer as well. - Not a time to be relying on someone else's online recipe.)

What someone's making a TV version of "The Long, Long Trailer"(1953)???

 

[craigbowman]

What someone's making a TV version of "The Long, Long Trailer"(1953)???

LOL =) I wish. That would have been simpler. The pilot, "La Fontaine", is the property of a long time TV writer/director who is repped by ICM in L.A. ICM is out flogging it right now in fact as it just came out of post in January.

 

[Oaken]

Thanks so far for the tips and opinions. I will practice before I go out for sure. It is mostly me but I might be able to find someone to hold a reflector at least. I'm curious how much extra ND filters effect the lighting, in my HMC80 it has some built in ones good for like two stops or so. I've never used anything more than that as I was worried about loss of contrast or noise issues. But I hear of people using them everywhere so I guess I need to pick some up and practice with them. Thanks again!