Z
Zoomforce
Guest
New HBO project, and guess what camera they chose:
Flintstone
Well-known member
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
It just shows that GC is holding a DVX100, but does it really mean that they are using it in production?
It just shows that GC is holding a DVX100, but does it really mean that they are using it in production?
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
Yes. K Street is being shot exclusively with DVX100s. 6 of them as a matter of fact. There were even some shots of them on tripods on the last show.
It's kind of a mixed blessing. Some of the shots look great, but a lot of them look like dog poop. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Clooney behind the camera half the time because it's shaky, hasn't been white balanced and is over-exposed. Supposedly though they are going for the "raw" look, but in truth they are making a lot of the footage look worse than a $250 camcorder. The camera is capable of so much more than what they are doing with it, I just hope Soderbergh doesn't give the DVX100s a bad rep like he did to the XL1s in Full Frontal.
BTW they are using 24p normal.
Yes. K Street is being shot exclusively with DVX100s. 6 of them as a matter of fact. There were even some shots of them on tripods on the last show.
It's kind of a mixed blessing. Some of the shots look great, but a lot of them look like dog poop. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Clooney behind the camera half the time because it's shaky, hasn't been white balanced and is over-exposed. Supposedly though they are going for the "raw" look, but in truth they are making a lot of the footage look worse than a $250 camcorder. The camera is capable of so much more than what they are doing with it, I just hope Soderbergh doesn't give the DVX100s a bad rep like he did to the XL1s in Full Frontal.
BTW they are using 24p normal.
Flintstone
Well-known member
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
If I were paranoid, I'd say Soderbergh is out on a quest to trash DV as a viable alternative for any type of production tool.
But I'm an optimist deep down, and I certainly hope something good is going to come out of this, and not tarnish the increasingly growing first-class reputation that the DVX100 is getting.
In any event, if certain shots need to look like crap for the story’s sake, then it's ok. Just as long as he doesn't somehow blame the shows possible failure on the DVX as it was more or less insinuated it in Full Frontal concerning the XL1s.
Fred
If I were paranoid, I'd say Soderbergh is out on a quest to trash DV as a viable alternative for any type of production tool.
But I'm an optimist deep down, and I certainly hope something good is going to come out of this, and not tarnish the increasingly growing first-class reputation that the DVX100 is getting.
In any event, if certain shots need to look like crap for the story’s sake, then it's ok. Just as long as he doesn't somehow blame the shows possible failure on the DVX as it was more or less insinuated it in Full Frontal concerning the XL1s.
Fred
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
Actually we have 5 DVX100's not six. And while one was seen on a tripod, none of the footage that has aired has been on a tripod. We only have one tripod and we have used it that one time. (I am one of the two camera assistants on K St.) By the end of this season we should be zen masters of the camera, just in time for a new model. And yes, Clooney is shooting.
-nate
Actually we have 5 DVX100's not six. And while one was seen on a tripod, none of the footage that has aired has been on a tripod. We only have one tripod and we have used it that one time. (I am one of the two camera assistants on K St.) By the end of this season we should be zen masters of the camera, just in time for a new model. And yes, Clooney is shooting.
-nate
humbyvaldes
Member
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
What are the specs you guys are using... so I know not to use them
What are the specs you guys are using... so I know not to use them
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
well, as you know from watching the show highlights blow out uncontrollably, and since we are doing zero lighting, so even 35mm film would have a problem much less a $3500 camera. Plus we are always shooting 3200k preset no matter the conditions. in non-blown out mid tones these cameras look really good in the raw footage. The final product goes throughan additional "film look" process in post which seems to mainly add grain, as far as I can tell.
well, as you know from watching the show highlights blow out uncontrollably, and since we are doing zero lighting, so even 35mm film would have a problem much less a $3500 camera. Plus we are always shooting 3200k preset no matter the conditions. in non-blown out mid tones these cameras look really good in the raw footage. The final product goes throughan additional "film look" process in post which seems to mainly add grain, as far as I can tell.
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
Hey Nate, thanks for stopping by. I've got a few questions. The 3.2K explains the blueish tint outside, why don't you guys switch over to 5.6K or AWB? The outside shots look the absolute worse, and also when there's a mixture like their conference room with the big window letting in a lot of natural light. 5.6K would look much better in those cases.
Also, since you suffer from a lot of blown highlights, does this mean you're using cinegamma? If so, was this done on purpose to get more blown highlights so it looks more "raw"?
I really don't like the idea of doing anything on purpose to try and make footage look bad. Shooting handheld without any light will give you that look anyways, it's the blown highlights and the unbalanced whites that drive me crazy. But I do enjoy watching the show to see glimpses of what these babies are capable of.
Hey Nate, thanks for stopping by. I've got a few questions. The 3.2K explains the blueish tint outside, why don't you guys switch over to 5.6K or AWB? The outside shots look the absolute worse, and also when there's a mixture like their conference room with the big window letting in a lot of natural light. 5.6K would look much better in those cases.
Also, since you suffer from a lot of blown highlights, does this mean you're using cinegamma? If so, was this done on purpose to get more blown highlights so it looks more "raw"?
I really don't like the idea of doing anything on purpose to try and make footage look bad. Shooting handheld without any light will give you that look anyways, it's the blown highlights and the unbalanced whites that drive me crazy. But I do enjoy watching the show to see glimpses of what these babies are capable of.
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
I agree that the color balace in mixed light situations looks damn wierd. But the asthetic desision was made early for that look. Sort of like in "Traffic" I guess.
We are shooting in cinegamma normal 24p. Most of our blowouts seem to be mainly because of things like giant plate glass windows with no ND right behind people who are not lit.
It is definitely the most unusual job I have worked on in my career. After all I am able to post this stuff middle of the day.....
I agree that the color balace in mixed light situations looks damn wierd. But the asthetic desision was made early for that look. Sort of like in "Traffic" I guess.
We are shooting in cinegamma normal 24p. Most of our blowouts seem to be mainly because of things like giant plate glass windows with no ND right behind people who are not lit.
It is definitely the most unusual job I have worked on in my career. After all I am able to post this stuff middle of the day.....
G
Guest
Guest
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
Nate,
So good to have you on the board. As for me, long time reader, first time poster. K Street is my favorite new show and qualms about some of the lighting, like Carville's shiny spot (intended right?), I always get lost in the story and forget about the tech.
Is the show edited in Final Cut Pro? What kind of other post does the show got through.
Great work. Great stories. looking forward to Sunday night and the return from 3 months ago.
erik
erikb@bway.net
Nate,
So good to have you on the board. As for me, long time reader, first time poster. K Street is my favorite new show and qualms about some of the lighting, like Carville's shiny spot (intended right?), I always get lost in the story and forget about the tech.
Is the show edited in Final Cut Pro? What kind of other post does the show got through.
Great work. Great stories. looking forward to Sunday night and the return from 3 months ago.
erik
erikb@bway.net
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
Nate
One more question. Can you ask Clooney to read my script?
(I'm kidding)
Nate
One more question. Can you ask Clooney to read my script?
(I'm kidding)
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
Hey!
I just hit a hundred post's!
Hey!
I just hit a hundred post's!
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
again, there is no lighting in this show. So if his head is shiny its because his head is shiny. We have no grip/electric dept.
We (or I should say the post guys) cut on avids, mainly because they support audio timcode (our solution to the inability to jam timecode conventionally on these cameras) and we neither shoot anamorphically nor crop in post. We crop in camera. interesting tidbit- a couple of episodes ago, during the study group thing with the one way mirror, we shot in 60i because of light considerations and ran it through a "film-look" post process (I don't know the details, that's all after we hand off the tapes) but it was interesting to compare to the 24p stuff the camera does itself. I think the native 24p looked better, mainly because it looked a bit sharper, it seemed.
again, there is no lighting in this show. So if his head is shiny its because his head is shiny. We have no grip/electric dept.
We (or I should say the post guys) cut on avids, mainly because they support audio timcode (our solution to the inability to jam timecode conventionally on these cameras) and we neither shoot anamorphically nor crop in post. We crop in camera. interesting tidbit- a couple of episodes ago, during the study group thing with the one way mirror, we shot in 60i because of light considerations and ran it through a "film-look" post process (I don't know the details, that's all after we hand off the tapes) but it was interesting to compare to the 24p stuff the camera does itself. I think the native 24p looked better, mainly because it looked a bit sharper, it seemed.
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
The show is being edited on Avid using the real time multicamera feature. Becuase of the very tight post schedule (start Thursdaym air Sunday) they need that to be real time. Common timecode is recorded as LTC to each of the cameras on Audio Channel 2 and decoded in post using the "Read Audio Timecode" feature. The audio is being recorded to a FOstex PD-6 and imported into the Avid as BWF files where the common timnecode is then used for AutoSync.
I am going to be writing an article on their post process with the editor of the series... stay tuned.
Michael
The show is being edited on Avid using the real time multicamera feature. Becuase of the very tight post schedule (start Thursdaym air Sunday) they need that to be real time. Common timecode is recorded as LTC to each of the cameras on Audio Channel 2 and decoded in post using the "Read Audio Timecode" feature. The audio is being recorded to a FOstex PD-6 and imported into the Avid as BWF files where the common timnecode is then used for AutoSync.
I am going to be writing an article on their post process with the editor of the series... stay tuned.
Michael
ScreechingHalt
Well-known member
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
[quote author=kstnate link=board=nws;num=1063235743;start=0#16 date=10/13/03 at 13:28:43]hey, anybody know anything about the (secret) diagnostic menu? I can find it but I don't know much of what it is telling me.
-Nate[/quote]
DO NOT MODIFY ANYTHING in that secret menue. Unless you have access to all of the technical documentation for the camera and perhaps to some calibrated equipment AND you know what to do with them. There is a reason it is a secret menue. For factory use only.
[quote author=kstnate link=board=nws;num=1063235743;start=0#16 date=10/13/03 at 13:28:43]hey, anybody know anything about the (secret) diagnostic menu? I can find it but I don't know much of what it is telling me.
-Nate[/quote]
DO NOT MODIFY ANYTHING in that secret menue. Unless you have access to all of the technical documentation for the camera and perhaps to some calibrated equipment AND you know what to do with them. There is a reason it is a secret menue. For factory use only.
Re: Soderbergh and Clooney dump XL1 for DVX100.
Nate, it was cool seeing your name in the credits the other night.
As far as the secret menu goes, yeah, I'd like to know what all that stuff means too. My understanding is that if you modify it you are most likely voiding your warranty while at the same time screwing your camera up so be very careful.
Also, do you know if you guys shoot in thick or thin and the detail level? My guess is thick at around -3 or -4. Just curious. This past show was the best looking one so far IMHO and my fav on the content side too. Keep up the good work.
Nate, it was cool seeing your name in the credits the other night.
As far as the secret menu goes, yeah, I'd like to know what all that stuff means too. My understanding is that if you modify it you are most likely voiding your warranty while at the same time screwing your camera up so be very careful.
Also, do you know if you guys shoot in thick or thin and the detail level? My guess is thick at around -3 or -4. Just curious. This past show was the best looking one so far IMHO and my fav on the content side too. Keep up the good work.