Using the HVX for Documentary - Opinions?

n8ture said:
Hey Ben, what are you using for elevating the camera out in the field?
I pretty much always shoot on sticks out in the middle of nowhere but if I can have a system where I don't have to lug my tripod all over the planet, that would be great. :)
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Yeah, a beans bag works great, but in the dessert you need some sort of pedestal to lay it on.
 
We've shot about 60 hours of a doc that requires mostly remote location production (woods, trails, mountains). We started shooting the "real life" stuff in HD, onto P2 cards (2 4gb and 2 8gb), but we soon realized that the terrain and lack of electricity was going to cost us LOTS of valuable time. Unfortunately, we were forced to switch to DV. We did shoot most of the sit down interviews, the time lapse establishing shots, beauty b-roll, etc. onto the cards (and they look spectacular!). I think, in hindsight, it would have been a good idea to invest in one or two FS100's...(especially with the upgrade).

We are extremely happy with all the HD footage we've shot so far. We're working hard to develop the BEST workflow to support as much HD shooting as possible. Man this camera is impressive! (once you get it down ;)
 
I've been using the HVX on a doc since Feb. and it has worked out fine. For interviews we plug via firewire into a beefed up 866mhz powerbook and log and capture in FCP. Works great. For field use, we simply use the laptop and dump P2 footage to a bus powered drive. You have to pay special attention to power consumption if no AC power is available. We use AC at cafes and the like when ever possible.

We're on the cheap. We have 2- 4 gig cards, a used $400 laptop with $200 invested in upgrade, a $200 bus powered drive, and a bigger 500gig AC powered drive.
 
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I think for most people the P2-Store would be great if a laptop is no option.
If you can´t swap in a situation, then there is only the FS100 left, but for all "normal" uses 3 cards and a P2 store should do for a day.
 
Thanks everyone for great advice!

And I agree with everyone who mentioned the cinesaddle. I was recently in Haiti, and I dumped the stix pretty quick. I put the saddle on just about everything you can imagine - trees, trucks, rocks, muddy walls, tombstones, grass mounds. I strapped it around my waist and used it as a steady cam, or leaned against a wall or tree to give myself height.

In a place as active as Haiti (something nuts happens every 2 seconds) sticks weren't always an option. But handheld isn't a look I usually go for on purpose. The ability to drop the saddle and get solid in seconds is killer. And in a place as hot and humid as Haiti, a one-man band can get mighty tired of a 40 pound sachtler.

I'm just about ready to hit "sell" on my DVX and make the move.

Thanks again!
 
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