Tell us your shooting set-up.

[MelonDome]

I would like to hear what process you guys take in setting up a shot. I will go first as an example.

Say I'm shooting a medium shot.

I put the preset that I like.

Do a white balance.

Get the right composition on my actor.

Lighting.

Set the exposure to my desire.

Record.


What do you do? Help us all see the best way to get the best pictures out of your beautiful shots.

 

[Will Vincent]

Impossible to answer, it depends on the situation.

 

[indietalk]

Consult with DP, crew sets up shot, talk to actors as they are getting made up, consult AD on time, action, cut, consult DP/scriptie/sound dept. to make sure you got what you need, next...

 

[MelonDome]

hahaha ok. Well, im a 1 man army . Am I doing the set-up right? Choose a preset, do a white balance, light/exposure, and that's it? Am I missing any other steps?

 

[directorik]

hahaha ok. Well, im a 1 man army . Am I doing the set-up right? Choose a preset, do a white balance, light/exposure, and that's it? Am I missing any other steps?

Does it work for you?

 

[indietalk]

Sounds like you're asking more of a technical question relating to a video camera and not shot set-up. Shot set-up includes everything from lighting to art to props etc. What do you need to know exactly? If you need to do anything besides white balance and exposure?

 

[MelonDome]

Basically yea. Do I need to do anything besides white balance and exposure before I start recording?

I dont know what Im doing wrong. I see this beautiful, amazing shots of XH-A1 footage on youtube/vimeo... and I cant believe that is my camera! I shoot footage and I get no where near their pretty pictures.

So am I missing something?

 

[VPTurner]

Can you post a link to something you are trying to achieve, and then upload a clip or a still frame as an example of what you're getting? It may help in the analysis to actually see what you are seeing (or what your camera sees).

 

[Will Vincent]

I'm guessing it's due in large part to lighting, followed by framing, set design, and blocking..

 

[MelonDome]

Yea Will you are right. Showed VP turner some footage and that's what he said.

 

[VPTurner]

There is a lot of science involved with shooting outdoors, too. You hear a lot about "golden hour", but I never thought there was that much work involved making sure everything is setup, blocked and rehearsed perfectly well in advance. And that often means setting up at night to catch the morning sun. But to prepare that far in advance means that you must know exactly when and where the sun is going to be in the sky at any given moment. I never thought for a second that studying to be a cinematographer also requires a tertiary study of astronomy and cartography.

So much to learn, so little time. I am beginning to deeply understand why it's easier to just hire an army of artists and craftspeople.

 

[MelonDome]

wow! I didnt know it was that complex...