We were hired by an out-of-state production company to provide video production services for a one-day shoot in Hamilton, AL. Yesterday, we sent a DP and an audio tech up to Hamilton to a remote area of timber land. We shot b-roll and stand-up interviews for a piece highlighting a Memphis-based paper company and their ongoing attention to environmental and sustainability issues.
Time lapse videos are visually engaging because they compress hours (or even days) into only a few seconds or a few minutes of video. There’s something fascinating about watching things evolve and change in super fast motion, like this time lapse of a space shuttle being prepped for launch. I’ve used time lapse shots in my own video projects for various clients and they really punch up the production value. Recently, I came across this question about time lapse videography:
I have a camera right now, but it’s difficult to make time lapse videos with it. I may know the answer but i’m not quite sure, it’s something about you have to be able to have automatically shooting every xy second. At least that’s what one person told me. I just know what to look for when purchasing a camera, if that’s what I need, because I want a camera with this function so it is easier. There is a way you can do it with my camera, but it’s confusing.
If you are interested in creating time lapse shots that span several hours, even days, then your camera needs to be equipped with an intervalometer. Prosumer and professional video cameras have this function built in. Essentially, the intervalometer allows you to specify how long the camera needs to record and how often it needs to record. For example, you might want to shoot 2 seconds of video every 5 minutes, or 1 second of video every 10 minutes, etc. If you don’t have an intervalometer, you can easily set up your camera, hit record, and leave it alone. However, your time lapse shots will only be able to span a few hours with this method and you will end up with quite a bit of footage that you won’t really need.
We were hired by Hall Marketing to produce two promotional videos for one of their clients, Hoover City Schools. The school system offers counseling programs for Middle School and High School students, called Middle Ground and Bridges, respectively. Each program is designed to help students open up the lines of communications between themselves and parents over various issues that teens face. We shot the videos in one day at Hoover High School. Post-production should be complete by the middle of January.
You can view more pictures from our shoot by visiting our Flickr page.
When I purchased the Canon T2i over the summer, I immediately went out, shot some test footage, and posted the results (along with my initial impressions) here on the blog. Now that I have had an opportunity to work with the camera on client projects, I wanted to come back and post a follow-up article on what it’s like working with a DSLR when shooting video.
One of the first things I noticed is that if you want to shoot hand-held, it’s a good idea to invest in a lens with image stabilization. Or, you can invest in a DSLR rig that offers camera support. I did some hand-held work with a standard 50mm prime and it was almost impossible to eliminate camera shake. If you have a lens that does not feature image stabilization, then I recommend using a tripod as much as possible.
If you need to shoot hand-held and don’t have image stabilization on your lens, I advise moving closer to your subject. Any time you zoom in on your subject from a distance, you increase the level of visible camera shake in your image. However, by physically moving closer to the subject you can keep your lens set at its widest angle and get some very steady hand-held shots.
A major drawback to the T2i is that there is no “time remaining” indicator as you are shooting. It’s very possible to run out of space on your memory card without any kind of warning. This is bad for anyone shooting events or documentaries.
There is no way to monitor audio while recording. There are no VU meters and there is no headphone jack. If all you need is some great looking b-roll, then you’ll be fine. However, if audio is crucial, then you will need to record to an external audio device where you can properly monitor the levels.
DSLR’s allow cinematographers to capture incredible HD images and the affordability of the cameras mean that these tools are here to stay. However, like any tool, they do have their limitations. So, adaptation is the name of the game. However, accessories like camera support systems, external monitors, and lens packages provide some excellent work-arounds.
I’m excited to say that we’ve added another camera to our video arsenal. We recently acquired the Canon T2i, a great DSLR that shoots full frame 1920x1080p HD video in variable frame rates. Last weekend I spent some time shooting test footage, so I could get to know the camera a little better. Then I brought the raw footage into my editing system to see if I could establish a good workflow. Below are three clips I shot over the weekend. Here are some of my first impressions with the camera:
The shallow depth of field that you can get with these cameras is pretty remarkable.
Boosting the ISO will always add more grain to your shot. If you are shooting indoors and you don’t want a lot of grain in your image, keep the ISO as low as you can and add more light to your scene.
It’s a good idea to invest in some neutral density filters for exterior shooting. Using ND filters will allow you to keep your shutter speed at a slower setting. Increasing the shutter speed will cause your video to strobe more, creating a very staccato feel. Of course, this might be just the effect you are looking for.
Unless you are using Premiere Pro CS5, you will probably need to use some intermediate codec to convert the native MOV files into a format that your NLE can work with.
The T2i provides manual control over exposure and focus, and offers three different HD movie modes – 1080p/30fps, 1080p/24fps, and 720p/60fps. There doesn’t seem to be any manual control over white balance, but if you know of a way to change it, let me know.
Establishing rock-solid focus marks for your scene will be difficult without adding some kind of follow-focus system on to your camera. It’s not impossible, but it will take some rehearsing.
Make sure you purchase SDHC cards with fast transfer speeds. That will ensure better recording and better playback.
I love the LCD screen. Very large, very clear.
The ergonomics of hand-holding the camera isn’t as awkward as some people make it out to be. Is it different? Yes, but you can easily adapt.
The image stabilization in both the kit 18-55mm lens and the 50-250mm lens seem to respond very well. I didn’t use a tripod on any of my test shoots and was pleased with how the IS in each lens reduced hand shake.
Again, these are simply my initial impressions and observations. I’m sure I will post more as I start using the camera on client projects.
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