Jump to content

Catering to camera at a large cost to us


Rob Lewis

Recommended Posts

And even 20 weeks work on a series where the production wants to film on HD tape and can't ingest tape TOD timecode in their Avid, and insist on record run, couldn't temp you? :)

The possibilities to make their post work in some sane fashion abound, without tethering me or using rec run.  Some serious conversation and testing would ensue re a job that big and an agreeable solution found, to the benefit of all concerned.     And tell me what Avid system currently in use for a 20 week series still requires rec-run TC?  Rec-run wasn't even really necessary back when all HD video was on tape, if you had posties who knew their stuff.

 

philp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: stupidity. Is it possible, when you say there are many ways to skin the cat, that some solutions work better for some people in some situations than others?

Does it depend? Could it be subjective?

Also, on my 6 series you can still record manually in auto-triggered mode.

Yes some solutions work better for some people than others, but the solutions chosen should work for ALL concerned, and should be able to reflect the latest advances in techno etc.   Rec run is an artifact of an analog video, standard def past, and I see autorecord as a technique suited to only very particular sorts of situations.  In normal verite work I trust that my relationship with the shooter, my understanding of how the shoot wants to go and my observation of what's going on from moment to moment  would mean that I don't need the camera to roll my recorder for me.  I'll probably be rolling on whatever it is BEFORE he is and most likely after he cuts as well.  That partly comes from training in film docs, but it all has worked very well for me for many decades now.

 

p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Using a rec-run camera/recorder is stupid, but there's lots of stupid out there, and if they won't listen to info about how big a stone this situation will put in post's shoe then off we go.  

 

I'm still baffled as to why anybody uses rec-run in a modern world. I get it with tape, I get it with standard def, I get it even with film (to a point), but I don't get it with file-based capture where everybody's recording to hard drives or cards. It's just arrogant ignorance to the 10th power. T.O.D. timecode works fine -- and don't forget, if you're shooting multiple cameras, all the other cameras can turn off, turn on, start, stop, change batteries, change drives, and they'll still be in sync if they're getting external timecode. 

 

Usually, when I've asked, I've been told, "well, we've always done it this way, we know it works, and we don't want to change." End of discussion. Just maddening. (And stupid.)

 

There was a time when Avid (like v4 or something, circa 2002) would balk if it crossed a timecode break and the assistant editor would have to manually coax it to capture the event. But again, that was the tape days. It's not an issue now. And all the Avid and Final Cut Pro systems of the last 8-9 years just merrily keep capturing -- even from tape -- if there's a timecode break. They just say, "hey! Timecode stopped! Time for a new clip!" 

 

I'm going to make my T-shirt that says, "Nothing Is Worse Than a Non-Technical Person in a Position of Power." (I would like to say "Ignorant Person," but they might be more insulted by that.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The possibilities to make their post work in some sane fashion abound, without tethering me or using rec run.  Some serious conversation and testing would ensue re a job that big and an agreeable solution found, to the benefit of all concerned.     And tell me what Avid system currently in use for a 20 week series still requires rec-run TC?  Rec-run wasn't even really necessary back when all HD video was on tape, if you had posties who knew their stuff.

 

philp

The problem is with ingesting tape rushes even with a modern Avid. Believe me they tried everything to get the first couple of weeks rushes shot with ToD at my behest to ingest properly without clipping the front of shots.

And that's a big incentive, ie. to save having to spend a lot of money and inconvenience to sort it out.

I didn't argue but just said yes ok record run it is......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that the shoot should never be hostile. And, 99% of the camera ops I've worked with are very professional and great to deal with. But that remaining 1% I have no patience or tolerance for them throwing up roadblocks to myself and others for doing our job.

Production Sound Mixing for Television, Film, and Commercials.

www.matthewfreed.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

RL: " I just don't understand why these days there is so much hostility between camera and sound. ...at the Doc, news, reality level there is lots of it. "

sometimes some arrogance, maybe even a lack of consideration and flexibility (frameing), but not much hostility...

 

Maybe a whiny chip on their shoulder, like " is it really a necessity to play the game of constantly spending thousands of $$$ to swap out perfectly good timecode or wireless devices to cater to the camera departments incessant whining about these necessary workflow items mounted to their cameras? " contributes..?

 

is there a pattern in the responses..?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...