Videomaker Magazine October 2013 Issue

Transcription

Dell recommends Windows.
YOUR NEXT DSLR: Buyer’s Guide Inside
page 20
Powerful ideas deserve
powerful workstations.
®
YOUR GUIDE TO CREATING AND PUBLISHING GREAT VIDEO OCTOBER 2013
Introducing our new line of Dell Precision workstations, where the power of ideas meets its match.
Your professional-grade software is demanding. So are our expectations. Meet the new Dell Precision workstations,
available with up to Intel® Core™ i7 processors. You get the world’s most powerful family of workstations to handle
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To see how Dell Precision workstations can make your software soar, visit Dell.com/precision.
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Is subscription-based
software the future?
The Dell Precision workstations are available with up to Intel® Core™ i7 processors.
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Ultrabook, Celeron, Celeron Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside
Logo, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, Xeon Phi, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of
Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
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The Trickiest Lighting Setups: Demystified
videomaker.com/SeeTheLight
Contents
OCTOBER 2013
www.videomaker.com
Features
20 DSLR Buyer’s Guide
36 Using Pre-Vis Software
28 Camera Lens Filters Buyer’s Guide
64 Exploding Zombie Head
The most expensive DSLR is not necessarily the best camera for
the job. Finding the right DSLR for you can be as simple as thinking
about the types of videos you want to shoot and finding a camera
that best supports those needs.
by Odin Lindblom
• 50 Mbps MPEG-2
4:2:2 recording
B:10.75”
T:10.5”
• MXF File Wrapper for
Seamless Workflow
S:9.625”
• Three 1920x1080
CMOS Sensors
Lens filters are an essential tool in the plethora of gear, gadgets and
gizmos that help content creators achieve their vision, protect their
investments and, ultimately, have a little fun.
by Russ Fairley
28
When your video calls for an array of helicopters and soldiers protecting the world from invading, body-morphing aliens, how do you
explain to your crew what your shot needs are? By drawing up the
plans using pre-vis software.
by Andy Scheblein
40
36
2 Viewfinder
Open Source Cameras
by Matthew York
40 Editing
Adobe Creative Cloud Takes Flight
by Chris “Ace” Gates
The XF305 offers high sensitivity and an impressive dynamic range that make it a true workhorse for
broadcast newsgathering, sports, and documentary genres. An 18x zoom lens with excellent optical
characteristics combines with the camera’s three 1920 x 1080 image sensors to deliver high picture
sharpness and outstanding colorimetry.
44 Basic Training
Old School Easy Effects
by Kyle Cassidy
For your workflow and post-production needs, the XF305’s MXF file
wrapper enables seamless integration with major NLE systems.
48 Profit Making
Whether you’re shooting with the XF305, the XF105 or any of our XF
series camcorders, you’ll deliver the professional-quality video you need.
52 Directing
10 Tips for Great Training Videos
by Jennifer O’Rourke
Adapting a Novel into a Screenplay
by Dwight C. Douglas
Find out more at pro.usa.canon.com/XF305
Next Month
Copy Protection
Using Negative Space
Developing Voice-Over Skills
Learn Storytelling From Commercials
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On Sale October 29, 2013
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Halloween is filled with ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches and
zombies. For the video enthusiast, these creatures jump from the
neighborhood trick-or-treat parade to fill the screen.
Columns
The Canon XF305 HD Camcorder delivers superb video for your demanding production applications.
The three 1/3-inch, Canon-developed CMOS image sensors deliver full bandwidth RGB video
components to the DIGIC DV 3 processor that facilitates wide-ranging creative adjustments to your
video. This remarkable camcorder delivers high performance, 50 Mbps 4:2:2 MPEG-2 recording onto
readily available media, as well as an uncompressed 4:2:2 video output via HD-SDI.
Volume 28 • Number 4
56 Lighting
Lighting Safety
by Terry O’Rourke
60 Audio
56
Departments
9
62 Ad Index
Reviews
4 Adobe Creative Cloud
Editing Software
9 Canon VIXIA HF G20
Camcorder
by Mark Holder
12 Digital Juice Aura Three-Point
Lighting Kit
Light Kit
by Zac Fernandez
14 Davis & Sanford ProElite
5075-15
Tripod and Fluid Head
by Colin Marks
17 Nikon D7100
DSLR
by Mark Holder
contents
Audio Recording With Your Mobile Device
by Hal Robertson
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© 2013 Canon U.S.A., Inc. All rights reserved. Canon and EOS are registered trademarks of Canon Inc. in the United States and may also be registered trademarks or trademarks in other countries.
VI D EO MA K ER >>> O CT O BER 20 13
1
VIEWFINDER
Videomaker empowers people to make video in a way
that inspires, encourages and equips for success. We
do this by building a community of readers, web visitors,
viewers, attendees and marketers.
by Matthew Y ork
Open Source Cameras
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Arguably, open source cinema
camera development started with
the RED ONE then moving toward
the interesting development of the
Blackmagic Cinema Camera, with
Apertusº projects. Things are getting
pretty interesting. The open source
camera idea is to build a digital cinema camera from the ground up that
uses a base unit with open hardware
and free software. Is an open source
camera something we want?
Many of us would prefer to order a
video-capable DSLR or camcorder, pull
it out of the shipping box, charge up
the battery and start playing around
with it. Like those who enjoy building
their own computer-based editing systems, there are many who get excited
at the very thought of building a camera from scratch. What can an open
source system do that an over-thecounter unit can’t? What about costs?
What happens if you get it all put
together but can’t get it to work properly? Will using optional, separate,
even disparate parts, an image sensor
and processing unit, lens, operating
system and storage device, get you in
a mess when the various manufacturers might void the warranty on their
respective parts because you were
tinkering around? It’s an expensive
and time-consuming process. Ask
the people at Apertusº. They’ve been
moving on this with Axiom for more
than six years. Proponents say it will
accept just about any lens mount
available.
Then there’s Arduino, “an opensource electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use
hardware and software,” according to
the website. The Frankencamera is being called “an experimental platform
for computational photography,” says
the title on a site that already offers
software for the Nokia N900.
Elphel Inc. is offering open source
hardware and software for those who
want to experiment with the possibili-
2
publisher/editor
associate publisher
chief operating officer
content director
managing editor
associate editor
associate editor
art director/photographer
contributing editors
ties. Is this in our near future as video
producers or enthusiasts who pursue
photography and video? Probably. Will
it replace what we’re already using?
Not tomorrow, but the possibilities have
been established, and for the video
enthusiasts and professionals who are
more adventurous and hands-on, open
source cameras might be the next big
thing on our video production horizon.
It hasn’t been that long ago that
videographers were looking at the
RED ONE, salivating at the idea of an
affordable 4k-capable unit in their tool
box. Additionally, the DSLR has made
significant strides in providing not only
exceptional image capture, but has
earned the respect of many professionals with its multiple lens options and
ever-increasing audio and extendedlength video acquisition capabilities.
We can only suspect that open
source is in the not-so-distant future.
Even though there are a few things
that still need ironing out, the proof
is out there. For the DIY types, don’t
shelf your trusty camcorders or DSLR
units just yet, but keep one eye on the
horizon because open source cameras
are moving toward you.
Matthew York is Videomaker's Publisher/Editor.
For comments, email: [email protected], use article
#15670 in the subject line. You can comment and rate this
article by going online: www.videomaker.com/article/15670
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REVIEWS
REVIEWS
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe
Creative
Cloud
Up in the Adobe
Creative Cloud
b y C h ris “Ac e” G ates
T
his summer, Adobe released the
latest update to its creative software platform, Adobe Creative Cloud.
The new name is a direct reference to
the services and the form of delivery
Adobe Systems, Inc.
www.adobe.com
STRENGTHS
• Lumetri Deep Color Engine allows
shared color grading presets
• CINEMA 4D Lite and CINEMA 4D integration with After Effects CC
• 20GB of cloud storage
• Sync Settings through cloud
• Online services and file sharing
WEAKNESSES
• Subscription only
• Internet connection required to utilize
all services
• New hardware may be required to use
all features and for highest performance
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Creative Cloud Complete Subscription: $50/month, with varying
plans for students, enterprise, and
single apps.
4
ITU Loudness Radar
TECH SPECS
for Creative Cloud. Adobe did away
Adobe Premiere Pro CC
with the traditional perpetual license
Adobe's video editing application,
of the software and is only available
Premiere Pro, received several upthrough subscription. For informadates. The focus on these updates
tion on how this new software model
appears to be user speed and ease
works check out Adobe Creative Cloud
of use. On its most basic level, any
Takes Flight, on page 40 in this issue.
video editing app is about sequencing
An emphasis on workflow integradifferent clips in a timeline. Adobe
tion is evident throughout Creative
Premiere Pro CC delivers simplified
Cloud. The service contributes to this
track targeting, allowing the editor to
workflow integration by allowing uswork more efficiently. Track targeters to store and share project files oning allows the editor to place source
line through the Creative Cloud. This
sequences into other sequences. In
goes for presets, workspace layouts,
the past this was done by nesting;
keyboard shortcuts, and color swatch- placing the source sequence as a
es as well. Creative Cloud users are
single clip into the new sequence. In
able to sync their application settings
Premiere Pro CC, a source sequence
with their account, allowing them to
can be placed into another sequence
use the settings on different machines with or without nesting. Through
without having
Adobe Audition CC spectral view
to physically
transfer these
files or reconnect
them in a new
environment. This
means an editor
can customize
the user interface
of their Creative
Cloud applications in one edit
suite and open up
on another.
SHARED MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
• 4GB of RAM (8GB recommended)
• 5GB of available hard-disk space; additional free space required during
installation (cannot install on removable flash storage devices)
• Additional disk space for disk cache (10GB recommended)
• OpenGL 2.0–capable system
• 7200 RPM or faster hard drive (multiple fast disk drives, preferably RAID 0
configured, recommended)
• QuickTime 7.6.6 software required for QuickTime features
• Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software
activation, membership validation, and access to online services.
MAC OS
• Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support
• Mac OS X v10.7.4 or v10.8
• Cannot install on a volume that uses a case-sensitive file system
• 1440x900 display
• Adobe recommends graphics card with at least 1GB VRAM for GPU acceleration of
ray-traced 3D renderer
WINDOWS
• Core2 Duo or AMD Phenom II processor; 64-bit support required
• Microsoft Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (64 bit), Windows 8, or Windows 8 Pro
• 1280x900 display
track targeting, specific tracks can
be placed exactly where the editor
wants them.
On large projects, with multiple
clips, it's easy for linked media files to
go offline as projects and source media are moved around and directory
structures change from computer to
computer. Locating and reconnecting
media files inside of a project is time
consuming. Premiere Pro CC boasts a
new Link & Locate feature. The dialog
box is similar to the Media Browser
and allows the user to preview files to
ensure the correct clip is reconnected.
When one clip is found and relinked,
Premiere Pro CC will intuitively relink
all unlinked media that resides in the
same folder as the found clip.
Color grading is a major part of any
post-production workflow. Today's
cameras and compression codecs
deliver a wide range of latitude in the
image's color space. Many editors
don’t have the time to transport an
entire project into a separate color
grading application for finishing.
Premiere Pro CC utilizes the Lumetri
Deep Color Engine which also powers
Creative Cloud’s color grading application, SpeedGrade CC. This allows the
Premiere Pro CC user to import preset
color grades from SpeedGrade CC and
apply the grades to their footage, without leaving Premiere Pro CC.
After Effects CC
After Effects CC expands on its capabilities for visual effects and increases
its efficiency in performing common
tasks. The relationship between After
Effects CC and Maxon's CINEMA 4D
goes back for several generations of
software releases, most notably for
being able to share 3D camera information. This helped CINEMA 4D become the 3D software suite of choice
for many After Effects users. However,
this partnership was limited, the
workflow still required separate work
to be done in each individual program
with rendered footage from CINEMA
4D being the only option for viewing a composite. The Creative Cloud
update to After Effects CC brings with
it a live 3D pipeline between CINEMA
4D and After Effects CC. After Effects
CC ships with a version of CINEMA
4D, CINEMA 4D Lite, that allows users
to create and animate 3D elements
for use in After Effects CC. After Effects users have long sought true integration with a 3D animation application and this is it. The user is able to
export After Effects CC camera information to CINEMA 4D, animate 3D
objects there, and then bring it right
into their After Effects CC composition without having to render first. It
should be noted that CINEMA 4D Lite
does not include the tools needed for
advanced polygon modeling, but is
able to import and use models that
are created elsewhere.
5
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REVIEWS
Prelude CC
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Users aren’t restricted to CINEMA
4D Lite because of the CINEWARE
plug-in. This allows 3D artists access
to the pipeline between After Effects
CC and any current version of CINEMA 4D. This drastically increases
efficiency while adding serious native 3D capabilities to the Creative
Cloud workflow.
After Effects CC boasts a diverse
set of tools and one tool it’s most
noted for is its ability to mask an
object, whether accomplished
through keying or rotoscoping. After
Effects CS5 saw the introduction of
the Roto Brush, a tool that allows the
user to select an object or region of
their video and the tool intuitively
creates a mask isolating that selection, tracking it through the clip.
Roto Brush results are often mixed,
it takes the user a fair amount of
finessing to get an accurate mask.
Often times that’s contingent on
sharp, well-shot footage. Regardless
of the tools used, mattes are tricky
to generate for objects that have
chaotic edges, such as leaves on a
tree or a person’s hair. New to After
Effects CC is the Refine Edge tool.
The Refine Edge tool works in conjunction with the Roto Brush. After
the editor makes his or her selection
with the Roto Brush, the Refine Edge
tool is used to “paint” the region
around the selected area in order
to define what region needs to be
6
scrutinized by
After Effects CC
to make an accurate selection.
Well-lit, defined
footage, with
little compression
or compression
artifacts, will key
fairly well with
the Refine Edge
tool. It’s helpful
for problematic
situations like
sky replacements and separating individual people from a background.
Adobe Audition CC
The image in video production is only
half of the story, audio plays a big part
of any production. Adobe Audition
CC introduces several tools that work
intuitively for the video editor. The
first is the new Sound Remover. It’s
able to remove complex sounds that
span a range of frequencies that exist
in the foreground of an audio clip, not
just background hums like most noise
reduction tools do. The new Sound
Remover tool is intuitive by nature.
As opposed to isolated numeric tools
in a dialog box, the Sound Remover
allows the user to “paint” out frequencies while using a spectral analysis
of the audio file. The user can visually identify problematic sounds and
brush over them with the cursor. The
user then uses the
SpeedGrade CC
tools in the dialog
box to refine the
selection and
eliminate the unwanted noise.
There are
several welcome
interface upgrades
to Adobe Audition CC such as
options to color
code tracks, as
well as keyboard
shortcuts that allow the user to work
efficiently in multitrack projects. A
new ITU Loudness Radar with a Radar
sweep view is helpful in maintaining
loudness levels throughout a project.
The new Preview Editor saves time by
allowing the user to preview changes
to the audio waveform, in real-time,
when using different effects.
NOW WITH
FREE UPDATE
Prelude CC
The increasing number of video formats presented by new cameras and
new technologies require new tools to
ingest and manage that data. Creative
Cloud addresses this with upgrades to
Prelude CC. Prelude CC now has support for file formats such as DNxHD
assets, .aiff, .wav, and .mp3, as well
as logging capabilities for REDCODE
RAW files. As the other CC applications show, efficiency is a priority for
Adobe with the latest upgrade, Prelude
CC shares in the effort to save the
video professional time.
The updated interface is streamlined to allow for greater efficiency
and keyboard control. Some of the
biggest updates the Prelude CC user
will observe is in the ingest process.
Users are now able to rename files
during ingest and set up naming
structures. The processing of renaming a batch of clips is no longer
necessary. The user is also now able
to ingest portions of clips, instead of
clips in their entirety. This saves on
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REVIEWS
REVIEWS
Story CC Plus
time, drive space, and the frustration
of dealing with camera operators who
set it and forget it. Recent upgrades
have encouraged the editor to rough
cut their footage in Prelude. This trend
continues as Prelude CC allows users
to export their rough cuts directly to
Adobe Media Encoder CC.
An apparent trend throughout the
Adobe Creative Cloud is the integration of its suite of applications. This
streamlining allows the use of assets
across programs. In order to keep
track of and organize large volumes
of assets, metadata is used to catalog
and categorize footage. The different
applications in Creative Cloud can
call upon this metadata to easily find,
track, and organize assets. Prelude CC
now allows the user to create metadata templates and to add the metadata
information during ingest.
SpeedGrade CC
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SpeedGrade CC is Adobe’s color grading application and is better integrated into the Adobe post-production
pipeline. The problem with SpeedGrade in the past is it wasn’t easily integrated into the Adobe workflow and
lacked a user interface that was intuitive to the typical Adobe customer.
SpeedGrade CC is an improvement on
SpeedGrade CS6. The user interface
is completely redesigned to be more
intuitive and user-friendly, adopting
8
an appearance
that is similar
to Premiere Pro
CC. An improved
media browser
makes it easier to
locate and scrub
through footage.
SpeedGrade CC
plays nice with
EDLs from Premiere Pro CC. An
editor can drag
an EDL right off
the desktop and
into the SpeedGrade CC timeline and
the project is ready for color grading. In the same way, color grading
presets created in SpeedGrade can be
exported for use in Premiere Pro CC.
Delivery
One notable exception to the Creative Cloud update is Encore, Adobe’s
authoring software. Adobe Encore
CS6 is still available with a Creative
Cloud membership, but remains in
the Creative Suite. It appears Adobe’s
emphasis on video delivery is through
the Web and as in-app content.
Creative Cloud possesses a host of
applications dedicated to delivering
content on the Web. This is evidenced
through the number of applications
under Adobe’s Edge banner. Edge Animate CC, Edge Code CC, Edge Inspect
CC, Edge Reflow CC, Edge Web Fonts,
and then there's Adobe Muse CC, each
is dedicated to building and delivering
content, including video integration
with HTML5. The Edge applications
are in their infancy and have shown
growth in continual upgrades since
their launch.
Story CC Plus
Adobe Story CC Plus is a script writing program with both online and
offline capabilities. It offers a range
of templates, from industry standard
film and TV scripts to AV and multiV IDEOMAKER >>> OCTOBER 2013
column scripts. It’s able to breakdown a script for output to shot lists
and shooting schedules. Story CC
Plus is able to share these assets with
other users. The true power of Story
CC Plus is in its integration within
Creative Cloud. Scripts from Story CC
Plus can be brought into Prelude CC
and added as searchable metadata to
camera footage. The added metadata
stays with the footage throughout the
post-production pipeline, making it
easy for the editor to search for assets when working in other Creative
Cloud applications.
Summary
Adobe Creative Cloud is more than
an update, it’s an integrated platform
for generating collaborative creative
work. The updates to familiar tools
for video professionals only scratch
the surface of what’s new and what
remains to be discovered. The integration of the CC applications and
services is noticeably increased and
performs well. This newest version
appears to be much more stable
while bug fixes and updates are
delivered with ease. Adobe is showing that the future of video isn’t as
an isolated element on a solitary
screen, but that video is rich media content, ready to be integrated
across multiple platforms.
SUMMARY
Adobe is a longtime provider of tools
used by video professionals and
enthusiasts. The new Adobe Creative
Cloud builds on that tradition by
expanding the capabilities of its software platform with specific upgrades
that are better for editing video.
Contributing editor Chris “Ace” Gates is an Emmy
Award-winning writer and producer.
Canon VIXIA
HF G20
Camcorder
Giant leap or
simple value?
S
ometimes new models of cameras
arrive heralding new and exciting technologies or breakthroughs,
signaling the next great leap forward
in video production greatness. Much
of the time however, new models
arrive with little fanfare and relatively minor improvements over their
predecessors.
Canon’s VIXIA HF G20 falls into this
latter category, as a comparison of its
features and specifications with those
of the earlier G10 reveals little in the
way of change other than a claimed
20 percent improvement in low light
performance and a significantly lower
starting price than the G10. That isn’t
to say however that the G20 doesn’t
have merit. While it may not represent a groundbreaking upgrade, it certainly has packed a great many highly
desirable features into a compact
One of two customizable user buttons
top-end consumer camcorder design
at a reasonable price.
What’s In The Box
The VIXIA HF G20 camcorder comes
with a lens hood (with lens barrier),
battery pack, power adapter, wireless
controller, stylus pen, USB cable for
connecting to your computer, stereo
video cable, Mini HDMI cable and
CD-ROMs containing Pixela Video
Browser and Photo Applications.
A Quick Survey
The VIXIA HF G20’s build is good
and solid with a suitable amount of
weight. It fits the hand well, is easy
to hold and has good balance. The
lens hood has a manual, integrated
lens barrier, a very nice upgrade over
the typical lens cap. A large, manual
focus ring surrounds the lens and
sits just ahead of the twin built-in
microphones.
The 3.5-inch flip out LCD monitor
features touch screen navigation. The
monitor’s bezel contains two user assignable buttons for convenient access
to frequently used functions.
The battery slides in the back
from underneath. Unfortunately, an
attached tripod adapter plate would
cover the battery release switch, making it impossible to change batteries
while the camera is attached to a
tripod. Also at the rear are a custom
button and wheel for quick adjustments to exposure compensation,
auto gain control limits, adjusting
b y Ma r k H older
manual exposure, shutter speed or
aperture (depending on the current
recording program selected) and audio
recording levels.
Puttin’ It to the Test
The VIXIA HF G20 records at up to
1080/60i to a built-in 32GB flash drive,
then has dual SD card slots and the relay recording mode. The SD cards can
take over automatically when the builtin memory is full. Having full control
over manual settings, focus assist functions such as magnified focusing, an
Canon, Inc.
www.canon.com
STRENGTHS
• Excellent video quality
• Focus assist: magnification, peaking,
edge monitor
• Exposure assist: zebras, waveform
monitor
• Built-in neutral density filter
WEAKNESSES
• Unable to change batteries while
attached to tripod
• No 60p recording
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$1,100
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REVIEWS
Canon VIXIA HF G20
edge monitor and peaking options (red,
blue, yellow highlights with or without
black and white) as well as exposure
assists in the form of zebra patterns (70
or 100 percent) and a waveform monitor, are extremely welcome features for
the advanced shooter.
We found the visual quality of the
VIXIA HF G20 to be exceptional.
It is capable of capturing very
fine detail in textures and
complex images. Excellent
color reproduction, broad
dynamic range and the
ability to focus selectively,
add to the appeal of the
VIXIA HF G20. Of course
rolling shutter is an issue, as with
any CMOS-based system, but it isn’t
excessive. The onboard mics are actually pretty good, producing warm,
full audio, though one must be very
careful of handling noise, as these
guys are very sensitive. We detected
no noise at all, however, while zooming or focusing.
TECH SPECS
Image Sensor: 1/3-inch CMOS Pro, RGB
Primary Color Filter
Total Pixels: Approx. 2.37 Megapixels
Effective Pixels: Approx. 2.07 Megapixels (1920x1080)
Zoom: 10x Optical; 40x/200x Digital
(Movie mode only)
Focal Length: 4.25-42.5mm (35mm
equivalent 30.4-304mm)
Zoom Speed: Variable, Constant: Fast,
Normal, Slow (16 steps in each mode)
Maximum F/Stop: f/1.8-2.8
Recording Format: MPEG4-AVC/H.264
Focusing System: Instant AF, Medium
AF, Face Priority AF, TTL (through the lens)
Manual Exposure: Yes
Max Shutter Speed: 1/2000 second
White Balance: Auto, Set 1, Set 2,
Custom (2000K to 15000K in 100K increments), Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten,
Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Manual
Frame Rate: PF24*, PF30*, 60i, 24P (*60i
recording)
Filter Diameter: 58mm
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Minimum Illumination: NTSC Auto
mode 1.2 lux; Low Light mode 0.1 lux
Image Stabilization: Dynamic and
Standard SuperRange Optical (lens shift),
Powered IS, Intelligent IS
Viewfinder: .24" color widescreen
viewfinder (Approx. 260,000 dots;
Approx. 100% field of view)
Display: 3.5" Touch Panel Widescreen
Color LCD (Approx. 922,000 dots)
Recording Media: Built-in 32GB memory, SD/SDHC/SDXC (2)
Accessory Shoe: Mini Advanced
Accessory Shoe
Outputs: Mini-USB, component, composite, Mini HDMI, 1/8" (3.5 mm) stereo
mini mic, AV mini/headphone
Audio: AVCHD Satisfied: Dolby Digital 2
Channel (AC3), 5.1 channel optional
Dimensions (WxHxD): 3.0" x 3.1" x
6.3" excluding lens hood and grip belt
Weight: Approx. 1.4lb. (620g) including
battery (BP-808), a memory card, lens
hood and grip belt
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Dual SD card slots
Sometimes you simply don’t have
time to set all the manual adjustments so to check out the auto functions as well as its low light capabilities, we set the VIXIA HF G20 on auto
and went for a drive through town after sundown. With only street lights,
headlights and rapidly dwindling
residual light from the sky to light
our way, the result was surprisingly
bright with very little noise. Color
reproduction was very good and the
image stabilization system is obviously top notch as the bumps and
bounces were kept to a minimum
(we rode a 1983 Firebird Trans Am—
hardly the smoothest ride around).
While the VIXIA HF G20 may not
represent a huge leap forward in
camcorder technology, Canon has
certainly packed quality and features
into a compact, affordable package
that should appeal to beginners and
advanced shooters alike.
SUMMARY
For quality images with loads of
manual features including focus and
exposure assists, check out Canon’s
VIXIA HF G20.
Contributing Editor Mark Holder is a video producer
and trainer.
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REVIEWS
REVIEWS
Digital Juice Aura Three-Point Lighting Kit
Digital Juice
Aura Three-Point
Lighting Kit
making the stressful environment of
an interview more enjoyable. We had
non-professional subjects that weren't
used to bright hot lights, yet they
never complained.
Impressions From Testing
Lightweight Contender
b y Za c F e r nandez
L
ighting can be very expensive,
especially if you are looking for the
highest quality in your production.
There are also quite a few options to
choose from and searching for the
right one can be overwhelming and
cost thousands of dollars. In the end,
deciding what you want for light fixtures completely depends on the type
of lighting that you are trying to capture. We tested the Aura Three-Point
Lighting Kit by Digital Juice by lighting
one-on-one interviews and it worked
wonderfully.
Digital Juice
www.digitaljuice.com
STRENGTHS
• Lightweight
• Easy to set up stands and mounts
• Compact
• Low heat output and energy use
WEAKNESSES
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• Cords are fairly short in length
• No dimmer
• Gels and filters are not included
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Out of the Box
The Digital Juice Aura Three-Point
Lighting Kit includes three DJ-110HM
fluorescent light fixtures that provide cool-running lighting for small
productions. The light fixtures include
two built-in barn doors and a gooseneck mounting assembly, which
altogether weigh in at 4lb. making it
easy to adjust the lights when needed.
Included in the kit are three lightweight, spring-loaded stands making
it easy to raise, lower, and move them
into their preferred position. It comes
with a durable compact bag that fits
all three lights, stands, and cords into
their own zipped up sections to keep
it organized. Along with the bag, each
stand has it's own fabric bag to protect
the lamps and stands from scratching.
In total, everything weighs 27lb. making this kit one of the lightest around
and coming in at $700 for the entire
bundle, the Aura Three-Point Lighting
Kit easily contends with other compact lighting kits on the market.
Ideal for All
The Aura Three-Point Lighting Kit is
ideal for amateurs and small production videographers who need light fixtures but find themselves under tight
budgets and within time restraints.
The soft fluorescent lighting is perfect
for corporate videos, documentary
style interviews, and even portraits
or product photography. We all know
shooting on a tight budget is difficult,
but with a kit like this you're getting
fantastic key lighting along with a
magnificent backlight and fill light.
It's important to think about how
bright the lighting will be on your
subjects' eyes and to consider the
near-daylight color temperature of the
5400K bulbs. Since the Aura ThreePoint Lighting Kit uses fluorescent
bulbs, you won't have to worry about
overheated and squinting subjects;
Digital Juice carrying case
In our tests we used the Aura ThreePoint Lighting Kit in both indoor and
outdoor interview situations. Setting
up the lights took very little time and
with little to no struggle and the set
was very well lit. The outdoor interview took place on a deck under large
trees that created some troubling
shadows under the eyebrows and
chin of our interview subject. There
was little natural light involved, but
with the support of the three-point
light kit, all of the troubling areas
were filled in appropriately, making the interview look very colorful
and natural. For the indoor interview
there was no other lighting at all and
we were crammed into a very small
area. But once the Aura lights were
turned on, the interview area looked
exactly like it would on larger professional set.
From our scenarios it was found
that there are a lot of positives with
these light fixtures such as: The
organization of the carrying case
makes it easy to find what you need
right away so that you can set up and
break down quickly. The gooseneck
mounts attached to the lights make
it easy to adjust the key lighting
without having to loosen and tighten
a clamp. Because the lights were
light in weight, it wasn't a struggle to
adjust. One of the problematic issues
is that you can't adjust the brightness
on the lights, so once you turn them
on, all you can do is shape the lights
with the barn doors. Being able to
adjust the brightness would've been
useful. Another possible issue is that
the light stands are extremely lightweight and might need to be held
down with a small sand bag for safety. Lastly, the cords were found to be
short and required extensions to the
power source, and without them, it’ll
be a huge hassle to reach the power
source. With the positives outweighing the negatives, the Aura ThreePoint Lighting Kit is still an amazing
and useful piece of equipment. You
can find a plethora of options for
accessories and added features on
the company's website. From suction
mounted articulating arms, to diffusers and gels, Digital Juice offers great
quality parts and accessories that can
turn this compact three-point light
kit into the ultimate weapon for any
videographer's arsenal.
Summing It Up
Even with a few problematic issues,
the Aura Three-Point Lighting Kit has
TECH SPECS
Number of Lights in Kit: 3
Bulb Type: Biax fluorescent lamps, 2 per
fixture
Watts/light: 500-watt
Carrying Case: Yes
Accessory Mount: Gooseneck arm with
5/8" attachment
Handles on Lamps: No
Spot/Flood Adjustable: No
Barn Doors: Yes
Scrims: No
Gels: No
Soft box: No
Umbrella: No
Maximum Height: 6ft.
Total Weight of Kit: 27lb. (12.3kg)
Weight of Fixture: 4lb. (1.8kg)
Weight of Light Stand: 2.6lb. (1.2kg)
Gooseneck mount
the ability to contend with other compact lighting kits out on the market. It
is lightweight, low in price, uses less
energy than most kits, and with the
cool-running fluorescent bulbs, your
productions will be more comfortable.
The Digital Juice Aura Three-Point
Lighting Kit could be summed up as
a great kit that does exactly what it
needs to do. From an amateur filmmaker working with a low budget to
the pro videographer that is working
under an extremely time sensitive
schedule, this three-point lighting kit
has more than enough to offer.
SUMMARY
This lightweight, three-point lighting
kit is ideal for anyone under a tight
budget. From interview settings to
corporate how-to videos, this kit will
produce quality lighting for your production and you won’t have to break
the bank.
Zac Fernandez is a freelance videographer and documentary filmmaker.
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REVIEWS
Davis & Sanford
ProElite 5075-15
Tripod and Fluid
Head
One Stable Relationship
b y Co lin M arks
T
he Tiffen Company's Davis &
Sanford ProElite tripod and head
series provides videographers smooth
moves and easy setup. Davis & Sanford has been around for decades
and has a solid history of engineering quality tripods, tripod heads and
accessories. The ProElite 75mm video
tripod with 5-15 fluid head is a testament to the continuation of their fine
tradition of excellent craftsmanship.
It’s in the Bag
The tripod comes packed in a heavyduty ballistic nylon padded bag with
The Tiffen Company
zippered storage pouch and shoulder
strap. It’s accompanied by the fluid
head, quick release plate, center support brace, ground spreader and a
10-year warranty.
Steady Sticks
At full height, the tripod and head
extend to a maximum height of 64
inches. The tripod legs are constructed of aluminum with a quick locking
system. Setup is fast and secure. Flip
the locking lever up, slide the legs to
the desired length and then flip the
lever back into the locked position. A
ProElite 5075-15 feet with rubber cap
www.tiffen.com
STRENGTHS
• Excellent performance
• Reasonably priced
• Lightweight
• Tilt and pan with varying drag
• Very smooth moves
WEAKNESSES
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• Counterbalancing mechanism can be
cumbersome
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$700
14
snap-in center support brace is included
to keep the legs from
unexpectedly spreading out too far. Without
the brace, the legs swivel
straight out, bringing the
camera platform to within
about 8.5-inches off the
ground for those nice lowlevel shots.
Each leg ends in a pair of
metal pointy feet for maximum
grab on the unsure terrain of the
great outdoors. Little rubber slipon booties provide support for the
tripod’s feet and will keep the legs
from slipping and hardwood floors
scratch-free. An adjustable ground
spreader is included too, for maximum rigidity. Each leg of the spreader has a locking wheel which, when
loosened, allows the two-piece leg to
slide in or out up to a total of seven
inches. Altogether, the spreader can
adjust from 25-41 inches in diameter.
Adjust to taste, slip the pointy feet
into the booties at the end of each
leg and pull the rubber latch over the
feet to hold them in place.
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REVIEWS
REVIEWS
Davis & Sanford ProElite 5075-15
Nikon D7100
DSLR
TECH SPECS
GENERAL
Load Capacity: Tripod: 88lb.;
Head: 15lb.
Maximum Height: 64"
Minimum Height: 23.6"
Folded Length: 35.4"
Leveling Bubble: Yes
Weight: 13lb.
Purely Pro
Loaded with professional features, the
ProElite 5075-15 is capable of making
some very sweet, silky smooth moves.
Regardless of the terrain, leveling is
a snap. As the 5-15 fluid head is a
bowl mount, simply loosen the large
bolt below the bowl and adjust the
head while watching the bubble level.
When the bubble centers, tighten the
bolt and you’re ready to go.
To control pans and tilts, and to compensate for the weight and balance of
the camera, the head is equipped with
three multi-position control wheels.
Rated for up to a 15lb. payload, we
sought to test the head’s ability to control an unwieldy beast by strapping on
a just-shy-of-8lb., big-lensed, front-end
heavy Canon XL2.
Be very careful when attaching any
camera, that you don’t let go of the pan
handle unless everything is tight and
secure. When all the control wheels are
set to zero there is no resistance anywhere, your expensive camera could
Bubble level, tilt and drag control
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16
HEAD
Counterbalance (Self-Righting)
System: 5-step (0-4)
Quick Release/Wedge Plate: QR515,
80mm sliding range
Tilt Drag: Selectable 4-stop pan and
tilt drag
Tilt Range: +90 to -75 degrees
easily crash forward or backward.
While it isn’t likely to launch itself off
the tripod altogether, any forceful jolt
is bound to be a bad thing.
The quick release plate itself has
enough length to allow a fair amount
of adjustment to aid in balancing the
camera. Additionally, the 5-15 head is
equipped with a 5-level self-righting
system. At position zero there is no re-
REGARDLESS OF THE
TERRAIN, LEVELING IS
A SNAP.
sistance at all, but at level 1-4, there is
increasing push back to bring a camera
back to level. Surely, many cameras
will feel safe perched atop this head,
though users who forget to set the
self righting resistance to zero will be
fighting to keep their camera in place
unless the pan and tilt brakes have
been applied.
In addition to its self-righting prowess, the head has a 4-stop tilt drag
control wheel for producing flawless
tilts. Stop zero provides, well … zero
resistance, while stops 1, 2, and 3 provide increasing levels of resistance for
tantalizingly terrific tilts every time. And
what about those picture perfect pans?
A separate 4-stop pan drag control
wheel enables you to produce powerV IDEOMAKER >>> OCTOBER 2013
LEGS
Material: Aluminum
Leg Stages/Sections: 2
Leg Lock Type: Flip-lock
Spiked/Retractable Feet: Removable
spiked and rubber feet option included
Center Brace: Snap-in center
support brace
Small Camera, Big
Image Quality
b y Ma r k H older
ProElite 5075-15 adjustable pan drag
N
ikon's DSLR, the 24.1MP D7100,
features 1920x1080 full HD video
capture, improved image quality and
sharpness over its predecessors. Additionally, the audio monitoring options
will most certainly heighten its appeal
among those interested in its video
production capabilities.
fully poignant pans with predictable
precision. (Okay, we’ll stop already with
the wonderfully wordy and winsome
wit.) And should you decide it’s time to
hold still and enjoy the moment a while,
the pan and tilt lock knobs are rock
solid. Once set, your camera’s position
won’t budge until you’re ready.
Handheld, dolly, floating and jib
shots add variety to any shoot but
for those classic, silky smooth pans
and tilts try the Davis & Sanford
ProElite Series 5075-15 Tripod with
5-15 Fluid Head.
SUMMARY
For rock solid performance, value
and silky smooth moves check out
the Davis & Sanford ProElite 5075-15
tripod and fluid head from Tiffen.
Colin Marks is a video producer and trainer.
Open the Box
The box contents are pretty straightforward. Camera body and an 18105mm VR (vibration reduction) kit
lens with the usual odds and ends
including battery, charger, strap, USB
cable, ViewNX2 CD, warranty and
user's manual.
D7100 top controls
We also tried out the optional AF-S
DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6 ED
VR 16.7x zoom lens.
Form and Functionality
The camera has great build quality.
It's weather-sealed and constructed
of magnesium alloy with just the
right weight. The rubberized surface
lends itself to a firm yet comfortable
grip with important buttons and dials
laid out in a sensible, easily accessible manner.
At the top left is the mode dial and
lock release button. Manual, Aperture
Priority, Shutter Priority, Program and
two automatic modes are available,
(Auto and Auto without flash), for
those times you want to quickly point
and shoot some great photos.
The Scene mode features a variety
of 16 presets designed to fit various
shooting conditions, ensuring quality
imagery and good dynamic range.
Two user-customizable modes are
available so you can quickly return
to your favorite settings again and
again. The in-camera effects include
features like Night Vision, Color
Sketch and Miniature Effect, which
may all be accomplished before the
aid of external software.
At the base of the mode dial is the
Release Mode dial and lock release
button. Available modes are single
frame, continuous low or high speed
(for moving subjects), quiet shutter release, self-timer and mirror
up for reduced camera shake when
shooting extreme closeups. Along
the left side of the camera. I/O ports
include USB, HDMI (which outputs
uncompressed video to an external
recorder) and GPS.
Of particular interest to video
producers will be the 1/8-inch ports
for an external stereo microphone
Nikon Inc.
www.nikon.com
STRENGTHS
• Excellent image quality
• Great build, buttons are well-placed
• Audio monitoring
• Broad dynamic range
WEAKNESSES
• No aperture adjustment in Live View
• No zebra patterns
$1,200 (body only)
18-105mm VR Lens Kit: $1,600
Optional NIKKOR 18-300mm
Lens: $1,000
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REVIEWS
Nikon D7100
Ports, including mic and HDMI
(with sensitivity settings of Auto,
1-20 or Off) and headphones (volume
adjustable from 1-30). The D7100's
built-in stereo mic does a good job
of picking up audio, too good in fact
for anything more than casual use.
Sounds generated by the camera's
zooming and focusing functions all
come across very clearly, as does any
handling noise.
Typically, users will record audio
to a separate device, however we
outfitted a professional XLR microphone with an adapter, plugged it
into the mic port and were able to
record some excellent
audio, with better dynamic
range, free of mechanical
and handling noise.
Along with the ability to
plug in a quality external
mic and monitor, your
audio via headphones, the
D7100 also makes it possible to keep tabs on audio
levels using a meter visible
in Live View mode.
Two buttons along the rear let you
zoom in and out of the frame for improved manual focusing. There is no
focus peaking option, and while the
autofocus is great for still photograDual SD card slots
TECH SPECS
Total/Effective Pixels: 24.1 million
Sensor Size, Type and Format:
23.5mm x 15.6mm; CMOS; DX
Storage Media: SD/SDHC/SDXC card (2)
Viewfinder: Eye-level Pentaprism SLR;
Frame Coverage: 100% horizontal,
approx. 100% vertical
Shutter Speed: 1/8000 to 30 seconds in
steps of 1/3 or 1/2 EV; bulb
Flash Sync Speed: Up to 1/250 second;
synchronizes with shutter at 1/320 second
or slower
ISO Sensitivity: ISO 100-6400; Hi-1 (ISO
12,800); Hi-2 (ISO 25,600)
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Movie File Format/Compression:
MOV; H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video
Coding
Audio Recording Format: Linear PCM
Movie Resolutions: 1920x1080 (60i,
50i, 30p, 25p, 24p); 1280x720 (60p, 50p)
Display: 3.2" TFT-LCD; 1,228,800 dots;
170-degree wide-viewing angle; three
brightness levels
Power: EN-EL15 Lithium-ion Battery
Approx. Weight (body only): 23.8oz.
(675g)
Approx. Dimensions (WxHxD): 5.3" x
4.2" x 3.0"
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The moment when you no longer
take pictures, you make them.
This is the moment we work for.
phy, it is insufficient for serious video
production use (typical of AF in general). Also lacking are exposure assist
functions such as zebra patterns and
a substantial drawback is that there is
no way to adjust the aperture while
in Live View.
Conclusions
If your interests are primarily nonprofessional video use, and the
limited control in Live View doesn't
bother you, you may find the D7100
to be a functional choice. Color
reproduction and the ability to render fine detail are excellent, while
images are crisp with good dynamic
range. The NIKKOR glass produces
top-notch image quality with fabulously shallow depth of field while
featuring a very effective vibration
reduction system.
// FREEDOM
MADE BY ZEISS
SUMMARY
Nikon's D7100 is a very well-built
and sensibly laid out DSLR boasting masses of megapixels, excellent
image quality, broad dynamic range,
uncompressed output and noteworthy audio features. However, the lack
of aperture control in Live View make
the D7100 difficult to recommend to
anyone purchasing it primarily for
shooting video.
Contributing Editor Mark Holder is a video producer
and trainer.
Carl Zeiss SLR lenses
Set yourself free. Free of the performance limitations of other lens systems. Free of trade-offs
between sharpness and harmonious bokeh. Free of inconsistent build quality, unnecessary flare
and mechanisms that focus “precisely enough.” Get to know the outstanding uniform characteristics
of the manual focus ZE and ZF.2 lenses and get back to making images that matter.
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www.zeiss.com/photo/freedom
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DSLR
Buying a DSLR can be a daunting task. Different cameras are more
suited to different types of shoots. The most expensive DSLR is not necessarily the
best camera for the job. Finding the right DSLR for you can be as simple as knowing
about the types of videos you want to shoot and finding a camera that best supports
those needs.
have 1/8-inch mic inputs and lack
phantom power needed for professional shotgun mics. Many DSLRs
can’t record uncompressed audio,
which can be a problem if you need
to do a lot of filtering or effects in
post-production. So you need to
consider how you get audio to your
project. A great workaround for this
is to record your primary audio to
an external recorder and sync that
with the on-camera audio recordings
in post.
External audio recorders have
manual controls for recording, and
headphone levels which allow you
to quickly and easily make adjustments unlike the controls on most
DSLRs, which are in some menu.
As an example, you use the audio
recorder with attached mic to isolate
an interview in a noisy room, then
use the on-camera mic to pick up
the room ambiance and the party
going on behind your subjects. You
can mix the two in post so that both
recordings sound clear, yet natural.
BUYER’S GUIDE
BY ODIN LINDBLOM
HD
capable DSLRs have many advantages
over traditional HD camcorders. A
DSLR with a lens attached can weigh less than
two pounds, whereas most camcorders with
removable lenses are much heavier. The larger
image sensors in DSLRs offer greater detail, more
dynamic range and less noise than even many
high-end camcorders. There are also more lens
options for DSLRs than for camcorders. It may
take some added accessories and time to get used
to shooting video with a DSLR, but the results are
well worth the effort. Let’s look at a few features
that define these cameras while also illustrating
why they differ from traditional camcorders.
ISO
The ISO setting on DSLRs is designed
to relate exposure of the image sensor with that of film speed. Generally
speaking, ISO is like gain on a camcorder, the greater the ISO, the more
noise that’s likely to show up in the
image, but also, more ISO equals more
ability to shoot in low light.
Zoom and Focus
DSLR lenses lack the zoom rocker (controller)
typically found on camcorder lenses. It can take
time getting used to twisting a lens ring to zoom.
Focus rings on lenses are often small, too, so
many DSLR video shooters invest in cinema style
follow focuses or zoom controller attachments
like Camera Turret’s Feather Touch Zoom.
Handheld
DSLRs are really lightweight and
small, but the design ergonomics
make them hard to keep steady. To
help stabilize the camera, you can
attach a collapsed monopod to use
as a grip or attach the camera to a rig
that can hold accessories like mics
and lights as well. Attaching an LCD
viewfinder (eyepiece) can make it
easier to see when shooting outdoors,
and often will make it easier to shoot
from more angles.
Audio
DSLRs don’t come with an external microphone, and the on-board mic is usually sub-par
for gathering good sound because it’s so far
from the subject and so close to the camera’s
control mechanisms. DSLRs share many audio
challenges with smaller camcorders. The
onboard mics on DSLRs are not very directional like a shotgun mic. Some DSLRs don’t
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3.2"
3.2"
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-51200
100-51200 1/8000-30
1/8000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/
NTSC/ NN YY YY YY 47.3oz.
47.3oz.(1340g)
(1340g)
PAL
PAL
EOS
EOS5D5DMark
Mark
IIIIII
$3,500
$3,500
CMOS
CMOS3636mm
mmxx24mm
24mm(35mm
(35mmFull-Frame)
Full-Frame) H.264;
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
1920x1080,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 5760x3840
5760x3840
Canon
CanonEFEF
CFCFCards
Cards(Type
(TypeI);I);Compatible
Compatiblewith
withUDMA
UDMACFCF
cards;
cards;SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCcards
cards
3.2"
3.2"
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-25600
100-25600 1/8000-30
1/8000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/
NTSC/ NN YY YY YY 30.3oz.
30.3oz.(860g)
(860g)
PAL
PAL
EOS
EOS6D6D
$2,000
$2,000
CMOS
CMOS35.8mm
35.8mmxx23.9mm
23.9mm(Full-Frame)
(Full-Frame)
H.264;
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
1920x1080,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 5472x3648
5472x3648
Canon
CanonEFEF
SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
3"3"
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-25600
100-25600 1/4000-30
1/4000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/
NTSC/ NN NN NN YY 24oz.
24oz.(680g)
(680g)
PAL
PAL
EOS
EOS70D
70D
$1,200
$1,200
CMOS
CMOS22.5mm
22.5mmxx15.0mm
15.0mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
H.264;
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
1920x1080,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 5472x3648
5472x3648
Canon
CanonEFEF
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-6400
100-6400
CMOS
CMOS22.3mm
22.3mmxx14.9mm
14.9mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
H.264;
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
1920x1080,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 5184x3456
5184x3456
Canon
CanonEFEF
SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCCompatible
Compatiblewith
withUltra
UltraHigh
HighSpeed
Speed 3"3"
(UHS-I)
(UHS-I)cards
cardsand
andEye-Fi
Eye-Ficards
cards(Built-in
(Built-inwireless
wirelessLAN
LAN
cannot
cannotbebeused
usedsimultaneously
simultaneouslywith
withEye-Fi
Eye-Ficards).
cards).
SD/SDHC/SDXC
3"3"
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
H.264;
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
H.264;
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
H.264/MPEG-4;
H.264/MPEG-4;JPEG,
JPEG,
RAW,
RAW,RAW+JPEG,
RAW+JPEG,TIFF
TIFF
H.264/MPEG-4;
H.264/MPEG-4;JPEG,
JPEG,
RAW,
RAW,RAW+JPEG,
RAW+JPEG,TIFF
TIFF
H.264/MPEG-4;
H.264/MPEG-4;JPEG,
JPEG,
RAW,
RAW,RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
AVI;
AVI;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,TIFF
TIFF
1920x1080,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 5184x3456
5184x3456
Canon
CanonEFEF
SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
3"3"
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-25600
100-25600 1/4000-30
1/4000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI
HDMI
1920x1080,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 5184x3456
5184x3456
Canon
CanonEFEF
3"3"
1920x1080,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 4928x3280
4928x3280
Nikon
NikonFF
3.2"
3.2"
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-12800
100-12800 1/4000-30
1/4000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/
NTSC/ YY YY NN YY 18.2oz.
18.2oz.(515g)
(515g)
PAL
PAL
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-12800
100-12800 1/8000-30
1/8000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI,
HDMI,NSTC
NSTC NN YY YY YY 41.6oz.
41.6oz.(1180g)
(1180g)
1920x1080,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 7360x4912
7360x4912
Nikon
NikonFF
3.2"
3.2"
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-6400
100-6400
1/8000-30
1/8000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI,
HDMI,NTSC
NTSC YY YY YY YY 31.7oz.
31.7oz.(900g)
(900g)
1920x1080,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 6016x4016
6016x4016
Nikon
NikonFF
SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard,
card,viaviaexternal
externalmedia
media(USB
(USB
v.2.0
v.2.0hard
harddrive,
drive,ororviaviaWireless
WirelessLAN
LAN(Eye-Fi
(Eye-Ficard*)
card*)
CompactFlash
CompactFlash(Type
(TypeI,I,compliant
compliantwith
withUDMA)
UDMA)XQD
XQD
Type
TypeMemory
Memory
CompactFlash
CompactFlash(Type
(TypeI,I,compliant
compliantwith
withUDMA)
UDMA)SD/
SD/
SDHC/SDXC
SDHC/SDXCcard
card
SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
3.2"
3.2"
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-6400
100-6400
1/4000-30
1/4000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI
HDMI
1280x720,
1280x720,2424fps
fps
4288x2848
4288x2848
Nikon
NikonFF
3"3"
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 200-3200
200-3200
H.264/MPEG-4;
H.264/MPEG-4;JPEG,
JPEG, 1920x1080,
1920x1080,6060fps
fps 6000x4000
6000x4000
RAW,
RAW,RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
H.264/MPEG-4;
H.264/MPEG-4;JPEG,
JPEG, 1920x1080,
1920x1080,2424fps
fps 4928x3264
4928x3264
RAW
RAW
H.264/MPEG-4;
H.264/MPEG-4;JPEG,
JPEG, 1920x1080,
1920x1080,6060fps
fps 6000x4000
6000x4000
RAW,
RAW,RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
Nikon
NikonFF
CompactFlash
CompactFlash(Type
(TypeI/II,
I/II,compliant
compliantwith
withUDMA),
UDMA),
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHCcards
cards
SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
3.2"
3.2"
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-6400
100-6400
1/8000-30
1/8000-30sec.
sec. HDMI,Mini
HDMI,MiniHDMI,
HDMI, YY YY YY YY 30oz.
30oz.(840g)
(840g)
NTSC/PAL
NTSC/PAL
1/8000-30
YY YY YY YY 23.8oz.
1/8000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI
HDMI
23.8oz.(675g)
(675g)
Nikon
NikonFF
SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
3"3"
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-6400
100-6400
1/8000-30
1/8000-30sec.
sec. HDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/PAL
NTSC/PAL YY YY YY YY 24.3oz.
24.3oz.(690g)
(690g)
Nikon
NikonFF
SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
3"3"
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-6400
100-6400
1/4000-30
1/4000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI
HDMI
EOS
EOSRebel
RebelT5i
T5i $900
$900w/18-55mm
w/18-55mmISIS
STM
STMkitkit
Nikon
Nikon
www.nikon.com
www.nikon.com
EOS
CMOS
EOSRebel
RebelSL1
SL1 $800
$800w/18-55mm
w/18-55mmISIS
CMOS22.3mm
22.3mmxx14.9
14.9mm
mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
STM
STMkitkit
EOS
EOSRebel
RebelT3i
T3i $600
$600w/18-55mm
w/18-55mmISISIIII CMOS
CMOS22.3mm
22.3mmxx14.9
14.9mm
mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
lens
lenskitkit
D4D4
$6,000
CMOS
$6,000
CMOS36.0mm
36.0mmxx23.9mm
23.9mm(Full-Frame)
(Full-Frame)
D800
D800
$3,000
$3,000
CMOS
CMOS35.9mm
35.9mmxx24.0mm
24.0mm(Full-Frame)
(Full-Frame)
D600
D600
$2,100
$2,100
CMOS
CMOS35.9mm
35.9mmxx24.0mm
24.0mm(Full-Frame)
(Full-Frame)
D300S
D300S
$1,700
$1,700
CMOS
CMOS23.6mm
23.6mmxx15.8mm
15.8mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
D7100
D7100
$1,200
$1,200
CMOS
CMOS23.5mm
23.5mmxx15.6mm
15.6mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
D7000
D7000
$1,000
$1,000
CMOS
CMOS23.6mm
23.6mmxx15.6mm
15.6mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
D5200
D5200
$800
$800
CMOS
CMOS23.5mm
23.5mmxx15.6mm
15.6mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
FEATURE HEADINGS
Recording Time
Sensor Type and Size (mm): What type of
image sensor the camera has and the height and
width of the sensor in millimeters
LCD Monitor Size: The diagonal measurement of the
on-camera display
Maximum Image Size: The maximum still image picture resolution
22
Video Output: The ports for video output for monitoring and playback
Mirror: Whether the camera possesses a moving
mirror-system
Lens Mount Types: The fit or physical lens connection which the camera will accept
print
Choosing the Right Camera for You
Recording Media: The media onto which the camera
records
Max. Video Resolution and (Max. Frame
Rate): The largest pixel dimensions possible with
the highest frame at that resolution
full screen
Shutter Range: The minimum and maximum amount
of time the shutter may open for a frame
Price: Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price for
the camera body only, unless noted
Data Formats: The type of data recorded by the
camera
contents
ISO Range: The camera’s minimum and maximum
ISO settings for gain control
No DSLR can record a video clip of greater than
30 minutes in length, otherwise they’d be subject
to a special camcorder tax. Shots can be recorded
for more time, but they’ll be broken into multiple
clips. If your DSLR has a clean HDMI output (one
free of camera data) you can record longer clips
to an external recorder like the Atomos Ninja 2.
Manual Audio Gain: Whether the audio is adjustable
One of the best ways to compare different DSLRs
is to look at the different image sensor sizes.
DSLRs have image sensors in three sizes: fullframe (roughly 35mm), APS-C (around 25 percent
smaller than 35mm) and Micro Four Thirds
(around 50 percent smaller than 35mm). The
larger the image sensor, the less visible noise there
1/8000-30
1/8000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI
HDMI
Approx. Weight
Weight
Approx.
Internal Flash
Flash
Internal
Microphone
Input
Microphone Input
Manual
Audio
Control
Manual Audio Control
Mirror
Mirror
Dual
DualCFCFCards
Cards(Type
(TypeI IororII)II)Compatible
Compatiblewith
with
UDMA
UDMA77CFCFcards
cards
Video Output
Output
Video
Canon
CanonEFEF
Shutter Range
Range
Shutter
1920x1080,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 5184x3456
5184x3456
ISO Range
Range
ISO
Recording Media
Media
Recording
H.264;
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
LCD Coverage
Coverage (%)
(%)
LCD
Lens Mount
Mount Types
Types
Lens
CMOS
CMOS3636mm
mmxx24mm
24mm(35
(35mm
mmFullFullFrame)
Frame)
LCD Monitor
Monitor Size
Size (inches)
(inches)
LCD
Data Formats
Formats
Data
$6,800
$6,800
Maximum Image
Image Size
Size
Maximum
Sensor Type
Type and
and Size
Size (mm)
(mm)
Sensor
EOS-1D
EOS-1DXX
Max. Video
Video Resolution
Resolution and
and
Max.
(Max. Frame
Frame Rate)
Rate)
(Max.
Price
Price
(Body only,
only, ifif applicable)
applicable)
(Body
Canon
Canon
www.canon.com
www.canon.com
DSLR BUYER’S GUIDE
Model and
and Webpage
Webpage
Model
Manufacturer
Manufacturer
YY NN NN YY 23.8oz.
23.8oz.(675g)
(675g)
Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-25600
100-25600 1/4000-30
1/4000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/
NTSC/ YY YY YY YY 18.5oz.
18.5oz.(525g)
(525g)
PAL
PAL
YY NN NN YY 13.1oz.
13.1oz.(370g)
(370g)
YY YY YY YY 26.8oz.
26.8oz.(760g)
(760g)
YY YY YY YY 17.8oz.
17.8oz.(505g)
(505g)
will be in the video it produces; however, the
larger image sensors are usually more expensive
and have a smaller depth of field.
Depth of field is the measurement of the
minimum and maximum distances away from
the camera’s subject and still appear in focus.
The smaller the depth of field, the less in focus
objects in the foreground and background will
appear; a larger depth of field has the opposite
effect. The larger the image sensor is in a camera, the smaller the depth of field it will have.
If you’re shooting a commercial or a film,
a small depth of field will cause your focus
subjects to stand out in the frame, blurring the
foreground and background, giving it a very
film-like look. This is easy to achieve with a
full-frame image sensor but can a bit harder
with an APS-C or Micro Four Thirds sensor. You
contents
full screen
print
23
1280x720,3030fps
fps
1280x720,
4032x3024
4032x3024
MicroFour
Four
Micro
Thirds
Thirds
CompactFlashType
TypeI I(UDMA),
(UDMA),SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXC
CompactFlash
cardClass
Class66ororhigher
higher
card
3"3"
Approx.100%
100% 200-6400
200-6400
Approx.
OM-DE-M5
E-M5
OM-D
$1,150
$1,150
4/3Live-MOS
Live-MOS17.3mm
17.3mmxx13.0mm
13.0mm
4/3
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
H.264;
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 4608x3456
4608x3456
1920x1080,
MicroFour
Four
Micro
Thirds
Thirds
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard,
card,UHS-I
UHS-Icompatible,
compatible,Eye-Fi
Eye-Fi
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Cardcompatible)
compatible)
Card
3"3"
Approx.100%
100% 200-25600
200-25600 1/4000-60
1/4000-60sec.
sec. HDMI,
HDMI,Mini
MiniHDMI,
HDMI, NN YY NN NN 13oz.
13oz.(368g)
(368g)
Approx.
NTSC/PAL
NTSC/PAL
DMC-GH3
DMC-GH3
$1,300
$1,300
4/3Live-MOS
Live-MOS17.3mm
17.3mmxx13.0mm
13.0mm
4/3
MicroFour
FourThirds
Thirds SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
Micro
3"3"
Approx.100%
100% 200-3200
200-3200
Approx.
DMC-G6
DMC-G6
$750
$750
4/3Live-MOS
Live-MOS17.3mm
17.3mmxx13.0mm
13.0mm
4/3
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 4608x3456
4608x3456
H.264;
1920x1080,
MPO
MPO
MP4;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,MPO
MPO 1920x1080,
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 4608x3456
4608x3456
MP4;
MicroFour
FourThirds
Thirds SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
Micro
3"3"
K-5IIsIIs
K-5
$1,100
$1,100
CMOS23.7
23.7xx15.7mm
15.7mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
CMOS
1920x1080,2525fps
fps
1920x1080,
4928x3264
4928x3264
PENTAXKAF2
KAF2
PENTAX
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
SD/SDHC/SDXC
3"3"
K-5IIII
K-5
$1,000
$1,000
CMOS23.7
23.7xx15.7mm
15.7mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
CMOS
1920x1080,2525fps
fps
1920x1080,
4928x3264
4928x3264
PENTAXKAF2
KAF2
PENTAX
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
SD/SDHC/SDXC
3"3"
Approx.100%
100% 100-12800
100-12800 1/8000-30
1/8000-30sec.
sec. HDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/PAL
NTSC/PAL
Approx.
23.3oz.(660g)
(660g)
YY YY NN YY 23.3oz.
NX20
NX20
$1,100(including
(including
CMOS23.4
23.4xx15.6mm
15.6mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
$1,100
CMOS
18-55mmF3.5-5.6
F3.5-5.6lens)
lens)
18-55mm
$1,000(Including
(Including45mm
45mm CMOS
CMOS23.4
23.4xx15.6mm
15.6mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
$1,000
F1.82D/3D
2D/3Dlens)
lens)
F1.8
AVI;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
AVI;
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
AVI;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
AVI;
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW
RAW
H.264;
(SRW),
(SRW),
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW
RAW
H.264;
(SRW),3D3Dvideo
video
(SRW),
1/4000-60sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI,
HDMI,NTSC,
NTSC, YY YY YY NN 16.6oz.
16.6oz.(470g)
(470g)
1/4000-60
PAL
PAL
Approx.100%
100% 160-12800
160-12800 1/4000-60
1/4000-60sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/
NTSC/ YY YY YY NN 12oz.
12oz.(340g)
(340g)
Approx.
PAL
PAL
Approx.100%
100% 100-12800
100-12800 1/8000-30
1/8000-30sec.
sec. HDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/PAL
NTSC/PAL YY YY NN YY 23.3oz.
23.3oz.(660g)
(660g)
Approx.
1080p,3030fps
fps
1080p,
npnp
SamsungNXNX
Samsung
SD/SDHCcard
card
SD/SDHC
3.0"AMOLED
AMOLED
3.0"
Approx.100%
100% 100-12800
100-12800 1/8000-30
1/8000-30sec.
sec. HDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/PAL
NTSC/PAL
Approx.
12oz.(340g)
(340g)
NN NN NN NN 12oz.
1080p,6060fps
fps
1080p,
1080p3D,
3D,3030fps
fps
1080p
5472x3648
5472x3648
SamsungNXNX
Samsung
SD/SDHCcard
card
SD/SDHC
9.9oz.(281g)
(281g)
NN NN NN NN 9.9oz.
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW
RAW
H.264;
(SRW)
(SRW)
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW
RAW
H.264;
(SRW)
(SRW)
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW
RAW
H.264;
(SRW),RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
(SRW),
MP4;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
MP4;
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
H.264;
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
1080p,3030fps
fps
1080p,
5518x3679
5518x3679
SamsungNXNX
Samsung
SD/SDHCcard
card
SD/SDHC
3.3"AMOLED
AMOLED Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-25600
100-25600 1/6000-30
1/6000-30sec.
sec. HDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/PAL
NTSC/PAL
3.3"
touchscreen
screen
touch
withtilt
tiltfunction
function
with
3"
touch
screen Approx.
Approx.100%
100% 100-12800
100-12800 1/4000-30
1/4000-30sec.
sec. HDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/PAL
NTSC/PAL
3" touch screen
1080p,3030fps
fps
1080p,
5518x3679
5518x3679
SamsungNXNX
Samsung
microSDcard
card
microSD
npnp
SamsungNXNX
Samsung
microSDcard
card
microSD
Approx.100%
100% 100-25600
100-25600 1/4000-30
1/4000-30sec.
sec. micro
microHDMI,
HDMI,
Approx.
NTSC/PAL
NTSC/PAL
Approx.100%
100% npnp
1/6000-30sec.
sec. HDMI,
HDMI,NTSC/PAL
NTSC/PAL
Approx.
1/6000-30
8oz.(227g)
(227g)
NN NN NN NN 8oz.
1080p
1080p
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 6000x4000
6000x4000
1920x1080,
SonyA-mount
A-mount
Sony
Approx.100%
100% 100-6400
100-6400
Approx.
25.9oz.(733g)
(733g)
YY YY YY YY 25.9oz.
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 6000x4000
6000x4000
1920x1080,
SonyA-mount
A-mount
Sony
3"3"
Approx.100%
100% 100-12800
100-12800 1/8000-30
1/8000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI
HDMI
Approx.
23oz.(653g)
(653g)
YY YY YY YY 23oz.
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 6000x4000
6000x4000
1920x1080,
SonyA-mount
A-mount
Sony
3"3"
Approx.100%
100% 100-1600
100-1600
Approx.
1/4000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI
HDMI
1/4000-30
19.1oz.(543g)
(543g)
YY YY YY YY 19.1oz.
1920x1080,3030fps
fps 5456x3632
5456x3632
1920x1080,
SonyA-mount
A-mount
Sony
MemoryStick
StickPRO
PRODuo/Pro-HG
Duo/Pro-HGDuo
Duomedia;
media;SD/
SD/
Memory
SDHC/SDXCcard
card
SDHC/SDXC
Dualcompatibility
compatibilityslot:
slot:Memory
MemoryStick
StickPRO
PRODuo/
Duo/
Dual
Pro-HGDuo/PRO-HG
Duo/PRO-HGHXHXDuo
Duomedia,
media,SD/SDHC/
SD/SDHC/
Pro-HG
SDXCcard
card
SDXC
MemoryStick
StickPRO
PRODuo/Pro-HG
Duo/Pro-HGDuo;
Duo;SD/SDHC/
SD/SDHC/
Memory
SDXCcard
card
SDXC
MemoryStick
StickPRO
PRODuo/Pro-HG
Duo/Pro-HGDuo/PRO-HG
Duo/PRO-HGHXHX
Memory
Duo,SD/SDHC/SDXC
SD/SDHC/SDXCcard
card
Duo,
3.7"
3.7"
touchscreen
screen
touch
4.8"
4.8"
touchscreen
screen
touch
3"3"
2.7"
2.7"
100%
100%
1/4000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI
HDMI
1/4000-30
17.4oz.(492g)
(492g)
YY YY YY YY 17.4oz.
NX300
NX300
NX1100
NX1100
CMOS23.4
23.4xx15.6mm
15.6mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
CMOS
GALAXYNXNX
GALAXY
$650(including
(including20-50mm
20-50mm
$650
F3.5-5.6EDEDlens)
lens)
F3.5-5.6
$650(including
(including20-50mm
20-50mm
$650
F3.5-5.6EDEDlens)
lens)
F3.5-5.6
TBA
TBA
a99
a99
$2,800
$2,800
ExmorCMOS
CMOSsensor
sensor(35.8
(35.8xx23.9mm)
23.9mm)
Exmor
a77
a77
$1,700
$1,700
APSHDHDCMOS
CMOSsensor
sensor(23.5
(23.5XX15.6mm)
15.6mm)
APS
a65
a65
$700
$700
APSHDHDCMOS
CMOSsensor
sensor(23.5
(23.5XX15.6mm)
15.6mm)
APS
a58
a58
$600
$600
APSHDHDCMOS
CMOSsensor
sensor(23.5
(23.5XX15.6mm)
15.6mm)
APS
NX2000
NX2000
Sony
Sony
www.sony.com
www.sony.com
CMOS23.4
23.4xx15.6mm
15.6mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
CMOS
CMOS23.4
23.4xx15.6mm
15.6mm(APS-C)
(APS-C)
CMOS
Panasonic
www.panasonic.net
Canon
www.canon.com
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Nikon
www.nikon.com
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24
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
H.264;
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
H.264;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
H.264;
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
can increase the focal length (size) of the lens
to decrease the depth of field, but you have to
have the camera further away to get the same
framing which can be difficult if you’re shooting in a small area.
If you’re shooting a football game, a stage
play, or any situation in which you don’t have
freedom to get closer, a large depth of field will
allow you to keep more of the action in focus.
The larger depth of field makes it easier to keep
your camera in focus as well. Here, a Micro
Four Thirds sensor with its larger depth of field
would be better. With a full-frame or APS-C sen-
100-3200
100-3200
Internal
Internal Flash
Flash
Microphone
Microphone Input
Input
Manual
Manual Audio
Audio Control
Control
Mirror
Mirror
Approx.
Approx. Weight
Weight
LCD
LCD Coverage
Coverage (%)
(%)
AVI;JPEG,
JPEG,RAW,
RAW,
AVI;
RAW+JPEG
RAW+JPEG
Video
Video Output
Output
LCD
LCD Monitor
Monitor Size
Size (inches)
(inches)
Live-MOSLive-MOS
Live-MOS17.3mm
17.3mmxx13.0mm
13.0mm
Live-MOS
Shutter
Shutter Range
Range
Recording
Recording Media
Media
$1,700
$1,700
ISO
ISO Range
Range
Lens
Lens Mount
Mount Types
Types
E-5
E-5
Data
Data Formats
Formats
Maximum
Maximum Image
Image Size
Size
Samsung
Samsung
www.samsung.com
www.samsung.com
Max.
Max. Video
Video Resolution
Resolution and
and
(Max.
(Max. Frame
Frame Rate)
Rate)
Pentax
Pentax
www.ricoh-imaging.com
www.ricoh-imaging.com
Sensor
Sensor Type
Type and
and Size
Size (mm)
(mm)
Panasonic
Panasonic
www.panasonic.net
www.panasonic.net
Price
Price
(Body
(Body only,
only, ifif applicable)
applicable)
Olympus
Olympus
www.getolympus.com
www.getolympus.com
Model
Model and
and Webpage
Webpage
Manufacturer
Manufacturer
1/8000-60sec.
sec. HDMI,
HDMI,Mini
MiniHDMI,
HDMI, NN YY NN NN 28.2oz.
28.2oz.(800g)
(800g)
1/8000-60
NTSC/PAL
NTSC/PAL
1/8000-30sec.
sec. Mini
MiniHDMI
HDMI
1/8000-30
7.7oz.(218g)
(218g)
NN NN NN NN 7.7oz.
NN NN NN NN npnp
sor, you would have to move the camera closer,
which might not be possible, or force you to
decrease the aperture size which will make the
image darker if you don’t adjust the ISO (which
can make the image noisy).
It’s important to remember that in general, the
smaller the image sensor, the lighter the camera.
While the differences are minimal in size and
weight between DSLRs with full-frame sensors
or APS-C sensors, Micro Four Thirds cameras are
very small and lightweight.
Micro Four Thirds cameras are technically
not DSLRs at all. They don’t have mirrors that
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25
drop down to expose the image sensor and take
an image, and they don’t have optical viewfinders. But that difference only affects taking stills
because the mirror stays down on a DSLR when
shooting video and the image being shot is only
viewable through the LCD screen.
Full-Frame DSLRs
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is the follow up to
Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II which was the gold
standard for HD-shooting DSLRs. The 5D Mark III
features include 22.3-megapixel sensor, 1080p
shooting at 30, 25 and 24 fps, variable audio
gain control while recording, record times up to
29:59 minutes and a clean and uncompressed
HDMI output. The 5D Mark III body has a retail
price of $3,500.
Canon EOS 6D
Canon’s EOS 6D features a 20.2-megapixel
full-frame image sensor. It shares much of the
same video functionality as the 5D Mark III such
as frame rates, live manual audio control and
maximum record time. The EOS 6D lacks a clean
HDMI out, but it does have built-in Wi-Fi and
GPS, which is not found on the 5D Mark III. The
EOS 6D has a list price of $2,000 making it a
very cost-effective option for a full-frame DSLR.
Nikon D800
The Rebel EOS T3i shares many of the same features as the Rebel T5i as it was released beforehand with a Rebel EOS T4i. These older models
can be found at a discount and might fit your
budget better, while still providing quality video.
Nikon D5200
Nikon’s D5200 has a 24.1-megapixel DX sensor. It’s features include 1080p shooting at 30,
25 and 24 fps, uncompressed audio recording,
a maximum record time of 29:59 minutes, a
fold out LCD monitor and Mini HDMI output.
The D5200 retails for $800 in black but can
also be purchased with a lens kits in red or
bronze body colors.
The K-30 has a 16.3-megapixel APS-C sensor,
and Pentax boasts that the body is fully water
resistant. It has on-camera image stabilization,
eliminating the need for lenses with image
stability which makes older, fully manual lenses
easier to shoot with. The Pentax K-30 records
1080p at 30 fps and retails for $700.
The 18-megapixel sensor of the Canon EOS 7D
still offers excellent performance even though
now it has been around for a few years. The
EOS 7D’s features include 1080p recording at
30, 25 and 24 fps, manual audio control and
a magnesium alloy body that is durable and
resistant to water and dust. The EOS 7D retails
for $1,500.
26
Canon Rebel T3i
Nikon D600
Canon EOS 7D
print
The EOS Rebel T5i shares the same 18-megapixel sensor with the EOS 7D. Its 1080p frame
rates of 30, 25 and 24 are supported as well as
manual audio adjustment. Maximum record
time is 29:59 minutes. The Rebel T5i has
features like Touch AF and Movie Servo AF for
continuous focus tracking in video mode that
the EOS 7D lacks. Perhaps one of the most
useful features of the Rebel T5i is its camcorder-like fold out LCD screen. It does lack a clean
HDMI out, but at $900 the Rebel T5i is an
impressive camera.
Nikon D3200
APS-C DSLRs
full screen
Canon EOS Rebel T5i
The Nikon D800 has an impressive 36.3-megapixel sensor that can take stills or video in FX
format (35mm full-frame) or DX format (APS-C).
The D800 features 1080p shooting at 30 and
24 fps, audio peaking display, headphone jack
for audio monitoring, linear PCM audio, a clean
HDMI output, and both CF and SD card slots.
MSRP for the D800 is $3,000.
Nikon’s D600 can take stills and video in FX and
DX formats with its 24.3-megapixel sensor. It
has the comparable video features of the D800
as listed above, but trades the CF card slot for a
second, and has a retail price of $2,100.
contents
are crammed into a body that’s surprisingly
small at 5.2-inches wide, 3.7-inches tall and
3.2-inches thick. With a retail price of $1,300,
it’s easy to see why the GH3 is so popular.
Olympus OM-D E-M5
The OM-D E-M5 has a 16.3-megapixel sensor
housed in a metal body. It records 1080i at 60
fps and has built-in image stabilization. The
E-M5 is small at 4.8-inches wide, 3.5-inches
high and 1.7-inches thick. The 3-inch LCD
screen covers almost the whole back of the
camera. The E-M5 has a magnesium-alloy and
aluminum build with a Supersonic Wave Filter
system to reduce dust on the sensor, and costs
$1,000 for the body alone.
For the Rig
Lenses: Unlike traditional camcorders, most
DSLRs don’t come with a lens, so in order to
shoot anything, you need to add that to your
price considerations. Many DSLR makers offer camera kits with one or two lenses and a
camera body at a discount. The lenses are good
quality and allow you to customize your camera
for the needs of your shoots, but it can be limiting. Often, the more experienced shooter will invest in special lenses for specific needs. There’s
a huge variety of lenses available for DSLRs from
Carl Zeiss, Sigma, Tokina, and others in addition
to camera manufacturers. With that, pros and
enthusiasts experiment with various filters for
these special lenses. (Learn about more lenses,
with our DSLR Lens Buyer’s Guide at www.videomaker.com/article/15752.)
Final Thoughts
Whether you need that film look of a full-frame
sensor, the large depth of field and small size of
a Micro Four Thirds sensor, or the flexibility and
affordability of an APS-C sensor, there’s a DSLR
built for whatever you shoot.
Odin Lindblom is a director, cinematographer and award-winning editor whose work includes film, commercials and corporate video.
For comments, email: [email protected], use article #15767 in the
subject line. You can comment and rate this article by going online: www.
videomaker.com/article/15767
A 14-megapixel sensor drives Nikon’s entry level
D3200 DSLR. It does have uncompressed audio
recording and 1080p shooting at 30, 25 and 24
fps. Maximum video record time is 20 minutes.
The D3200 comes in red or black and with a
starting lens for $700.
Pentax K-30
Micro Four Thirds DSLRs
Panasonic LUMIX GH3
The LUMIX DMC-GH3 has a 16-megapixel image
sensor and produces astounding video quality
that rivals even some full-frame DSLRs. The GH3
features include 1080p recording at 60, 30 and
24 fps, autofocus in video mode, timecode, mic
input, Wi-Fi, 3-inch fold-out OLED, and a recordable time of 240 minutes. All of this and more
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27
Camera
Lens filters are essential tools in the plethora
of gear, gadgets and gizmos that help content
creators achieve their vision, protect their
investments and, ultimately, have a little fun.
Buyer’s Guide
contents
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Lens Filter
28
BY RUSS FAIRLEY
C
amera lens filters. To photographers and video enthusiasts, filters can protect your
lens, create special effects, control
color and light, and do so much more.
Filters come in a variety of formats, and have an ecosystem full of
filter-related accessories and systems
of their own. Some mount in a matte
box, some screw directly to a camera
lens, others have a system that connects to the front of a lens and allows
different circular or square filters to
be dropped in.
This guide will take a look at a few
of the options available to help deck
out your camera kit.
Types of Filters
Filters are essentially pieces of glass
or plastic placed in front of a camera
lens to change the look of a shot, or
add a layer of protection between the
lens and the elements.
To mount filters, there are a variety
of styles and systems. The first system
is the screw in type. These filters, avail-
29
contents
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Camera Lens Filter
buyer’s Guide
HELIOPAN LICHTFILTER-TECHNIK
able for pretty much all lens sizes, attach with
the threaded area inside the front lip of your
lens. The preferred material for these, and all
filters, is glass. Plastic is fine, but marks easily,
wears poorly over time, and is more prone to
aberration than a good piece of glass.
The screw in lens filter also includes a
threaded exit, much like your lens, which allows the shooter to stack multiple filters. This
is a good thing, but stack too many and the
image will either begin to diminish from too
THE PREFERRED MATERIAL
FOR THESE, AND ALL FILTERS,
IS GLASS.
many layers, or the edges of the filters will
begin to show up in shots. Some popular filter
brands are Canon, Carl Zeiss, Nikon, Schneider
and Tiffen. The advantage of using screw in
filters is they essentially become a solid piece
of the camera, keeping the elements out and
making them ideal for less than perfect shooting conditions.
Another popular system is a filter holder. Made
by companies such as Cokin, LEE Filters and
Nikon, these systems mount to a camera lens and
include slots where shooters can slide in one or
more glass or plastic filters. The advantage is in
how quickly new filters may be added or placed
in different order. A drawback is that they sit
slightly away from the lens, allowing the elements in.
A third type to consider is a matte box filter
system. Included with most matte boxes are
either fixed or rotating filter trays, which allow
shooters to slide in standard filters in a manner
very similar to the filter holder system. While
matte box systems can range greatly in price,
(usually a bit pricey), the overall benefits of using
a matte box compliment the convenience of a
built-in filter holder brilliantly.
Filters for Lens Protection
While there are many types of filters, few are
as practical and singularly necessary as a filter
acting as a first protective layer. The usual
types for protection are either clear or Ultraviolet (UV) filters.
A clear filter does nothing aside from
protecting the lens it is attached to, while UV
filters counteract haze caused by UV rays while Summer GmbH & Co KG
they protect.
www.heliopan.de
Interchangeable lenses are far more expensive
and difficult to fix than a filter, and fixed lenses
are part of a larger front module of a camera and
can cost thousands to fix. As an example, a Canon
EOS-1D X at $6,800 with a $1,480 lens has a
72mm thread and can be protected with a Tiffen
72mm UV Protector Filter for $54, but a scratch
on that fixed lens can be upwards of four figures
to repair before considering the time lost while
that camera and lens are being serviced.
Special Effects Filters
When we think of special effects, most of our
minds wander to Luke Skywalker hopping into a
landspeeder, or Optimus Prime transforming from
an 18-wheeler into a powerful robot. While those
visual effects are impressive, special effects filters
fill a much more practical role in the video world.
A standout among special effects filters is
the star filter, which causes light peaks to glow
The Tiffen Company
www.tiffen.com
in the shape of a star. The number of points in
the star can be different with different types
of star filters.
Another of the special effects filters is the
center spot filter. Center spot filters are diffuse,
blurry filters with a hole removed from the
center. The effect is that of focus in the center
with a dreamy, hazy cast around the center.
Lens Filter
Manufacturers
AbelCine
www.abelcine.com
Canon, Inc.
www.canon.com
Carl Zeiss
www.zeiss.com
Cavision Enterprises Ltd.
www.cavision.com
Cokin Filters
www.cokin.co.uk
contents
Hama GmbH & Co KG
www.hama.com
full screen
Hasselblad Bron, Inc.
www.hasselbladbron.com
print
30
HELIOPAN LICHTFILTER-TECHNIK
Summer GmbH & Co KG
www.heliopan.de
Kenko Tokina Co., Ltd.
www.hoyafilter.com
Kenko Tokina USA, Inc.
www.kenkotokinausa.com
LDP LLC
www.maxmax.com
LEE Filters USA
www.leefilters.com
Nikon, Inc.
www.nikon.com
Nikura
Schneider Optics, Inc.
Olympus Corporation
Sigma Corporation of America
Panasonic Corporation
Singh-Ray Corporation
www.nikurausa.com
www.olympus-global.com
www.panasonic.com
Promaster
www.promaster.com
Pro Optic
www.adorama.com
RAYNOX (Yoshida Industry Co., Ltd.)
www.raynox.com
www.schneideroptics.com
www.sigmaphoto.com
www.singh-ray.com
Studio 1 Productions, Inc.
www.studio1productions.com
The Tiffen Company
www.tiffen.com
contents
ToCad America, Inc.
www.tocad.com
full screen
Rosco Laboratories Inc.
www.rosco.com
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31
Camera Lens Filter
buyer’s Guide
HD Helmet Camcorder
good bet is adding a graduated ND filter, it rotates
to adjust the amount of light allowed to pass
through.
Color balance filters are excellent for changing the mix of colors in a shot, creating a general
color balance across all of the footage they’re
used for. This can augment using the camera’s
white balance feature in some cases, or may
replace it in a pinch.
Contrast filters and contrast reduction filters
are handy and serve useful, though opposite
purposes. A contrast filter reduces highlights and
bright spots, adding depth to dark areas of a shot,
whereas a contrast reduction filter cuts down
those dark areas.
www.zeiss.com
These can be fun for
dream sequences!
Diffusion filters
are even dreamier, as
they soften a subject
and add a creamy-dreamy
look to an image. Some shooters make their
own diffusion filters by smearing a bit of
Vaseline on a clear filter, (never directly on the
lens!), or by stretching panty-hose over a lens,
but experience shows that dedicated diffusion
filters are the way to go. Some are uniform in
their diffusion, while others have a graduated
amount of diffusion, creating an effect for
only part of your subject.
Special effects filters do not need to be expensive. Try different options from any of the
popular manufacturers and build unique and
creative looks.
Beyond Filters
Sometimes, what comes with the camera isn’t
enough to capture the whole picture. A tool
related to the filter world to help that is the wideangle adapter, a lens which screws to an existing
lens to increase its field of view.
If the diameter for a filter fits one of your
lenses but not another, take a look at step-up
rings, available at a local retailer or online.
These rings screw into smaller threaded lenses
or filters and have outer threads to fit larger
filters.
Corrective Filters
As fantastic as cameras are, there are situations that go beyond the ability of camera and
shooter. In every videographer’s bag of tricks,
a set of corrective lenses should exist. Here are
the essentials.
A polarizing filter is used to reduce reflection and retain color in subjects, making shots
of water and windows less reflective and
outdoor scenes look far more saturated and
intense. A graduated polarizing filter allows
Conclusion
When it comes to using filters there are few
rules aside from having fun while experimenting
with them, and not stacking so many that you
see them in your shot, but even that isn’t really
a rule. As found on Instagram, a little natural
vignette isn’t the end of the world either.
Use screw in UV filters or a clear filter to protect a lens, control light with a neutral density
filter or polarizing filter, and design the shot of
your dreams with special effects filters like a star
filter or a diffusion filter.
Creating proper shots or to matching a style
doesn’t have to be expensive or intimidating.
There are solutions to match most budgets, and
filters to match most visions!
SOMETIMES, WHAT COMES WITH
THE CAMERA ISN’T ENOUGH TO
CAPTURE THE WHOLE PICTURE.
the shooter to adjust the amount of light cut
out by the filter. Many photo and video pros
choose a polarizing filter when shooting water
scenes, or bright foliage to get the true color
without any reflection.
Along the same lines as the polarizing filter, a
neutral density filter can cut down bright light
and help the shooter maintain detail in highlights. Many pro cameras have built in ND filters,
but it never hurts to keep a couple handy. A
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32
®
Russ Fairley owns a turnkey video production company presenting
400+ videos a year, featuring Web videos, TV commercials, and live
event coverage.
5
Mega
Pixels
12
#GOH3BEQ
Mega
Pixels
HDR-FX7
HERO3
3 CMOS HDV Camcorder
UltraHD Sports/Helmet Camcorder
• Supports 4K, 2.7K, 1440p & 1080p video
• Capture 3840x2160 pixels at 15 fps
• 2.7k mode recording 30 or 24 fps
• Capture 12, 7 or 5-megapixel stills
• 12- megapixel low-light image sensor
• Wide angle 6-element aspherical lens
• Camera housing waterproof to 197' (60 m)
• Built-in Wi-Fi & GoPro app ready • MicroSD card slot (up to 64GB)
• Basic mounts included • Includes Wi-Fi remote (up to 600' capabilities)
12
Black Edition Camera #GOH3BE
Mega
Pixels
HDR-AS15
• Carl Zeiss 20x Vario-Sonnar T Lens
• 3 1/4" CMOS, 16:9, ClearVID technology sensors
• High-Definition 1080i recording
• Super SteadyShot optical stabilization
• Expanded focus assist
• 3.5" LCD screen & Color viewfinder
• Zoom and focus rings
• Focus and zoom precision controls
• Built-in ¼ & 1/16 ND Filters
• HDMI, Microphone, Headphone, & LANC connectivity
Over 300,000 products,
at your leisure.
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#SOHDRFX7
GC-PX100
HD Action Camcorder
HD Everio Camcorder
• Record HD 1920 x 1080/30p video
• Back-illuminated 1/2.3" CMOS Exmor
R CMOS sensor • Built-in WiFi capability
• Waterproof Housing with Tripod Mount
• Waterproof case to 197' (60 m)
• Memory Stick Micro & MicroSD/SDHC slot
• Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar ultra-wide 170°
capable viewing angle lens
• Optical image stabilization • HD 720p slow motion modes, 60 or 120 fps
• External microphone input
• HD 1920 x 1080p recording
• Supports shooting
speeds up to 600 fps • Built-in Wi-Fi
• SC/SDHC/SDXC memory card slot
• 1/2.3 back-illuminated
12.8 Mp CMOS sensor
• 29.4mm F1.2 wide angle lens
• 10x optical zoom & 16x dynamic zoom • 3" touch panel LCD
• Optical image stabilizer with A.I.S.
• Capture still images in bursts of nine frames a second
#SOHDRAS15B
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HC-X920
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3D Flash Memory HD Camcorder
• 3x 1/2" back-illuminated CMOS sensors
• 12x optical, 25x advanced Leica
Dicomar lens (f/1.5 maximum aperture)
• Record to SD/SDHC/SDXC media
• Remote WiFi mobile device
tether plus Ustream sharing
• Manual controls
• 3.5" (16:9) LCD screen & color viewfinder • Optical image stabilizer
• 3D recording capable with optional Panasonic VW-CLT2 3D lens
• Microphone & headphone input
• Dual 1/3.91 back-illuminated
Exmor-R CMOS sensors
• Record to SD/SDHC/SDXC
MS PRO-HG Duo & XC-HG media
• 1920 x 1080 Full HD 24p/60p video
• Sony G series wide 10x 17x extended zoom lens
• 3.5" (16:9) LCD screen & Color viewfinder
• 5.1-ch recording • Optical image stabilizer with Active mode
• Watch 3D on 3.5" (16:9) LCD without special glasses
• Built-in GPS • Microphone & headphone input
20
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VIXIA HF G30
HD Flash Memory Camcorder
HD Flash memory Camcorder
• Canon 1/3” HD 2.37Mp CMOS pro image sensor
• 1920 x 1080 recording on to SD/SDHC/SDXC media
• HD 10x optical zoom lens
• 3.0” widescreen LCD
• Optical image stabilization
• Cinematic Features
• 24p cinema & 30p progressive modes
• Microphone & headphone inputs
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Using
Pre-Vis
Software
36
helicopter flies in with a number of military personal on it. It
lands and they file out surrounding a small boy playing jacks on
the sidewalk. The boy’s ball bounces
off the foot of a soldier and stops. The
boy looks up and is eye to eye with
guns. He slowly rises. The soldiers
step back and retrain their guns on
the child. The boy’s hand grabs up the
nearest gun and melts the barrel.
“I hate guns,” he says.
A loud crack rumbles the ground
and the boy starts glowing. The trees
bend away from the circle of soldiers.
The boy lets out an alien yell, his skin
begins to bubble and distort as he
grows bigger. The soldiers look nervously at each other, awaiting orders.
“FIRE!!” screams the commanding
officer.
Bullets fly at the growing monster in
front of them, green ooze seeps from
the holes they make. The monster is
furious and sweeps its massive limbs
around smashing the soldiers into the
ground. The helicopter, now in trouble,
takes flight and opens fire on the
monster. In one motion the monster
leaps up, grabs the chopper, flips over
and launches it into the hills. The dust
settles. With heavy breaths the alien
shrinks back down to a human boy.
With a playful grin he goes back to playing jacks.
That seems like quite a visual effects
nightmare to create. You have the helicopter, the whole background, houses
and city, not to mention the boy-alien.
You have the bubbling skin, the melting
gun, subjects glowing and people growing. In this feature we break down previsualization (pre-vis) what it is, why it is
important and how we use it effectively.
So sit back and silence your cell phones
because the story is about to start.
Using
Pre-Vis
Software
BY ANDY SCHEBLEIN
When your video
calls for an array
of helicopters and
soldiers protecting
the world from
invading bodymorphing aliens,
how do you
explain to your
crew what your
shots need? By
drawing up the
plans using pre-vis
software.
Process
When Hollywood wants the next big
thing they turn to a group of writers
who either create or “borrow” new
content for the blockbuster tent-pole
movies. As they write, they don’t think
about the shots, VFX, or who will
be starring. The writing finishes and
moves to storyboarding where the
director works with artists to put the
writer’s vision in picture form. This
next step is where pre-vis comes into
play. There are three types of pre-vis
depending on the studio and the time
you have to put toward the project.
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37
Using Pre-Vis Software
The first one is mainly used by animation
studios and is called an animatic. An animatic is
basically a moving storyboard or a motion comic. A really good example of this is from Pixar’s
The Incredibles and can be found here, www.videomaker.com/r/665. In interviewing Tom Hanks
for Toy Story 3, Pixar used the animatic as a
pitch to show Hanks in hopes of securing him
for the role of Woody again. He said this about
Animatics “An animatic is a process where every
voice and every sound effect is added to rough
animated drawings and it lasts exactly as long as
the final movie. So you actually get to go into a
screening room with the rest of the cast and you
get to see it all at the same time.” Our example
above also has the next version of pre-vis: 3D
rough blocking.
Rough blocking is when you take the 3D
models and roughly put them in the scene
with quick simple animation. Another example
of that can be found in the Iron Man movie
PIXAR USED ANIMATICS TO PITCH ‘TOY STORY
3’ TO TOM HANKS IN HOPES OF SECURING
HIM FOR THE ROLE OF WOODY AGAIN.
example here, www.videomaker.com/r/667. This
is more involved because there are so many
moving parts in the machine that assembles
the Iron Man suit but this gives the director a
chance to see what it would look like.
The last type of pre-vis is motion capture
where actors wear a suit of either lights or
markers connected to a digital character and
if the actor moves, the character moves. An
example of that can be found on X-Men: First
Class here www.videomaker.com/r/668. After the
pre-vis is made and approved by the director,
and others, it moves to the VFX, modeling and
animation departments where the pre-vis gets
a facelift, (with better textures, clean animation
and lighting), and becomes more real.
How To
Looking at the different pre-vis types you are
probably thinking, “wow, I can’t do any of
these,” but you’re in luck, as some of these are
actually very simple to do. Let’s look at how to
accomplish variations of the animatic and the
3D rough blocking types of pre-vis. Since you
need too many high-end expensive tools and applications to complete the motion capture type
of pre-vis it’s probably best to leave that to the
major studios.
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38
Animatic
For this you will need access to drawing and video
editing software and the ability to keyframe in the
software. Again, an animatic has moving pictures
set to the rough/scratch track of the movie. The
rough/scratch track is basic mood music, with some
VFX sounds on it and rough voices. This isn’t the
actual sound track or the actual actors’ voices. The
rough voice track are the production people who
kind of sound like the character on the screen. (In
some cases, Pixar actually kept some of the voices
in the scratch because no one else could compare
to the unique voices of the production people.)
First you need to gather the storyboards, or
draw them yourself, in the drawing software. Now
you have to break up the background from the
foreground because we are essentially going to
make paper puppets that we can move. Save each
individual piece as a .jpg and bring them into a new
sequence in the editing software. Bring the background down to the lowest layer in the sequence, so
it will stay in the back. Then bring the other pieces
down and set them in the starting position of your
scene. Be sure you turn on keyframing for this object. Now down on the timeline, drag your playhead
to the end of the shot (any time a camera angle
changes, is considered a new shot). Go back up
to the viewer window, click and drag to move the
object to where it should be at the end of the shot.
Repeat with the other objects in the scene and now
you have a moving shot. Do this with all the shots
you need and you now have an animatic.
Remember the best camera is a static camera,
just because you can move the camera doesn’t
mean you should. The camera settings can be
tweaked in the attribute editor; this is where you
can play with the focal length, aperture, clipping
planes, depth of field and many other options.
Now combine all the elements and you have a
3D rough blocking pre-vis. If you need any help
you can check out these links for some step-bystep instructions.
3ds Max: www.videomaker.com/r/669
Maya: www.videomaker.com/r/670
Advantages
Pre-vis is probably the single most important item
in the steps to create VFX. It bring to light issues
that might happen while filming along with how
to figure them out. An example would be if you
have a crane shot swooping from above a house to
the boy playing jacks in our opening scenario. You
need to figure out how high of a crane you need
and where other key subjects need to be so that no
extra elements end up in the shot. You may also
need to see where the actors’ and extras’ scene
should start and end. Another big thing about
pre-vis is the immense experimentation that you
can do with it, especially the motion capture and
3D model types. When everything is set and there
are movements on the models and characters, you
can now move the camera anywhere your heart
desires. After playing with position you can also
experiment with the focal length of the camera to
help discover what lenses you need for the shoot.
Conclusion
Pre-vis really helps you plan what you are going to
shoot and what you need on the day of shooting.
It also helps you plan out any VFX work that you
need to worry about, such as where the helicopter will be located, and how the soldiers should
react to what is happening. Pre-vis is a good step
that you should consider adding to your planning
stages so you can be sure that everyone involved in
the production can help your vision come to light.
Andy Scheblein is a freelance animator, graphic designer and video
editor.
subject line. You can comment and rate this article by going online:
www.videomaker.com/article/15790
3D Rough Blocking
Let’s look at the 3D rough blocking in Maya 2012,
though any 3D software has the capability to do
this. Let’s use our morphing alien example and
make simple shapes to model each item we need.
You could also go hunting online for free models
on turbosquid.com, creativecrash.com or archive3d.
net if your modeling skills aren’t up to par. Gather
all your assets for your shot, bring them into your
program and start setting up your scene. Scale the
models if you need to, to make everything the approximate size to each other. Now we are going to
add movement to the scene, select the model you
want to move and keyframe it. Now you should
keyframe the movement on all the characters and
objects that move in the shot by scrubbing and
keying as you move down the timeline. Next, you
are going to make a camera. Navigate to the create
tab>then to cameras>then camera. Be sure you
are looking through it, and can move the camera
around using the same controls as navigating in the
3D space. You can keyframe the camera the same
way you would the objects in order to add motion
to the camera.
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39
EDITING
EDITING
OCTOBER 2013
Chrriiss “A
“Ace
ce”” Ga
Gatteess
bby
y Ch
Adobe Creative Cloud Takes Flight
When Adobe turned it’s Creative
Suite into a cloud-based subscription service, the editing world
rumbled. This bold move had many
people speculating on the benefits,
and curses, of a creative content
subscription system.
Adobe launches a new era with its
Creative Cloud family of software by
substituting services for the suite. The
traditional software of the former Creative Suite is now more streamlined
and filled with programs than ever
before. New programs and coinciding services take advantage of today’s
networking bandwidth to provide a
platform that required new means of
content creation and delivery.
On June 17, 2013, Adobe released
the latest update to its bundle of creative software in the form of Adobe
Creative Cloud. This is a meteoric
shift from Adobe’s former packages
under the Adobe Creative Suite moniker. The Creative Cloud contains all
the familiar applications, upgraded
to meet new technical and creative
demands, it also offers everything
else. Creative Cloud has applications
and services that weren’t offered in
the Creative Suite packages. Creative
Cloud is more than a software service, it is a platform built to encourage innovation and collaboration. An
apparent trend throughout the Creative Cloud is the increased integration of applications through online
services. This may create some new
and more efficient workflows.
The video community responded
to the Creative Cloud shift with mixed
emotions. There were many voices of
outrage and disappointment. The software, services, and their capabilities
aren’t the point of contention. It’s the
shift to a software subscription from
Unlike the old
system, users are
required to verify
their account with a
login.
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40
the conventional purchase options
that has users in an uproar. Some of
the outrage can be tempered with
an objective view of the subscription
services, as well as the pricing, but a
consistent point of dissent is based on
the principle of subscribing or “renting” the software.
This feature looks at the Adobe
subscription service. For more on the
specific application upgrades as they
pertain to the video professional and
enthusiast, check out the review, Up
in the Adobe Creative Cloud on page
4 in this issue.)
Purchasing Options Revisited
The launch of Adobe Creative Cloud,
as the sole means of delivery for
Adobe’s latest creative software,
generated a great deal of debate
because of one major change, how
the software is purchased and
distributed. Prior to Creative Cloud,
Creative Suites were released in various packages based on a perpetual
software license. The licensee would
purchase the software and the purchase would allow the user to use
that edition of the software so long
as they didn’t transfer that license
to another party. It was buy once
and use it indefinitely. When upgrades were
released, the license holder had the option to
purchase a software upgrade or continue on
with their current version of the software. Users who wanted to remain current with their
software would purchase the upgrade and users who felt they possessed what they needed
were able to skip the upgrades without having
to make further purchases.
Adobe Creative Cloud is a complete move
away from this traditional model. Creative Cloud
is offered only as a subscription, on either an
annual or monthly basis. Adobe offers subscriptions to the entire Creative Cloud or to isolated
applications as well. Single application subscriptions make sense for users of one particular
application who might have the occasional
need for another application. An example
would be the artist who works out of Photo-
ADOBE OFFERS SUBSCRIPTIONS TO
THE ENTIRE CREATIVE CLOUD OR TO
ISOLATED APPLICATIONS.
shop and doesn’t use any of the other Creative
Cloud applications, but may have the need to
build a website. If this were the case, they could
subscribe to Adobe Muse CC for a month and
build their site. Regardless of which Creative
Cloud subscription is purchased, there is never a
cost for upgrading. Upgrades are automatic and
available upon release as part of the Creative
Cloud membership.
The initial cost of a full Creative Cloud subscription is drastically less than the purchase
of CS6 under the perpetual license model.
Adobe’s CS6 Master Edition, which contained
every application in the Creative Suite, is most
comparable to a full Creative Cloud subscription. Over an extended period of time, more
than three years, the amount of money paid
for a Creative Cloud subscription will eventually supersede the amount that was paid for
the Creative Suite with a perpetual license.
Upgrades are included at no extra cost in
a Creative Cloud subscription, let’s say you
upgraded your Creative Suite every 18 months
(about as soon as possible), that upgrade
would cost about $375 since you have the
most recent version. Until month 66 (or 5.5
years) the Creative Cloud would be less expensive than the traditional license model. That all
assumes you’d use the Production Premium.
However, say you purchased CS6 Production
Premium for $1,900, and chose not to upgrade. Within three years, the perpetual license
makes sense.
Creative Cloud boasts a number of new
applications and services which were never included in the Creative Suite, meaning it’s a larger
offering. For instance, the Behance ProSite is
included, but would otherwise cost $99 per year.
The trend appears to be that Adobe will continue
to increase the services offered with a Creative
Cloud membership. As it stands, a Creative Cloud
membership is less expensive for an Adobe
customer who wants access to the full gamut
of Adobe applications and likes to keep their
software upgraded. The customer who is at a
disadvantage is the one who intends to purchase
Adobe Creative
Cloud’s graphical
user interface allows
you to use folders for
project management.
allows for easy sharing of files. Perhaps
you’ll create the
brotherhood of the
traveling shirt!
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41
EDITING
need them to validate their license. Members on
a monthly subscription need to be connected
once every 30 days. There is special pricing
on the Creative Cloud applications that can be
purchased through Adobe’s respective education
and government stores for those who work in
those respective fields and are unable to connect
to the Internet.
NON-CREATIVE CLOUD MEMBERS
ARE ABLE TO VIEW SHARED FILES
THROUGH A BROWSER
Online Services
Creative Cloud
members upload
files by simply
navigating the
Download Center
and using their
clear instructions.
contents
Adobe’s Learn Center has a multitude
of training videos
and introductory
tutorials to its Cloud
applications. You
might find yourself
digging deeper into
a program you never
thought you’d use.
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42
one application, with few plans to upgrade it.
Adobe is still offering CS6 for sale and at the
moment is planning to do so indefinitely.
How It Works
EDITING
OCTOBER 2013
Adobe did away with delivery through the
traditional means of physical media. Some
users are concerned about how the software
works by the lack of physical media and
where the software exists by the connotation
of “cloud” in the title. The answer is simple:
the software exists on the user’s computer,
it’s installed after it’s downloaded, and the
user does not have to be continually connected to the Web to operate it.
Creative Cloud members with a year-long
subscription are able to operate the software
offline for 99 days before the software will
One of the biggest additions to Creative Cloud
is its online service. Creative Cloud members
are able to log-in to their account through any
modern Web browser. There are three main areas that users can browse with their online account. The first is Files, this area is a graphical
user interface of all folders and files the user
has uploaded to the Creative Cloud for storage
and sharing, this is cloud storage. As a Creative
Cloud member you’re able to upload files by
dragging and dropping files from your desktop
into the application. From there, you can move
files around, organize folders, and share links
of uploaded files with other people. These features are convenient if you are working in more
than one location or using more than one computer. Creative Cloud members are able to share
files with clients and to give them previews of
the project. Non-Creative Cloud members are
able to view shared files through a browser
which allows them to turn on and off layers,
view metadata, and comment on the files. A
Creative Cloud membership receives 20GB of
online storage. If a member cancels the subscription, they won’t lose their files. The files
remain online and are still accessible through
the Creative Cloud.
The second online area of the Creative Cloud
is the Download Center. It provides links to
every application offered as part of a Creative
Cloud membership. Users are able to download
from this page, as well as gain access to Creative
Cloud services.
The third and final area of the Creative Cloud
is the Learn area. Under this tab Creative Cloud
OCTOBER 2013
members have access to a library of training videos, categorized by application. The majority of
the videos are introductory tutorials to Creative
Cloud applications, which is appropriate since
many programs will be unfamiliar to most users.
With the increased integration of Creative Cloud
applications, it’s helpful to have focused learning available for the entire cast of programs.
Creative Cloud members are able to sync
their program settings with their Creative Cloud
account through the individual programs. This
includes preferences, presets, workspaces, keyboard shortcuts, swatches, and more, contingent
upon the application. Users are able to use their
synced settings on multiple machines whether in
the same building or in separate cities.
they may have never touched before. Video
is only a portion of the entire Creative Cloud
package, but it is evident that Adobe is committed to the video community and sees video
as a valued asset to be integrated into today’s
technology.
There’s a trend of video moving away from
physical media and launching solely from the
Web, along with mobile devices, for delivery.
For users who normally skip upgrade cycles,
this is a tough increase in overall cost. For
those on board with the subscription-based
model, Adobe Creative Cloud serves as a strong
foundation for giving flight to video across
multiple infrastructures.
Video Takes Flight
Contributing editor Chris “Ace” Gates is an Emmy Award-winning
writer and editor.
Creative Cloud represents a new model in
which software is no longer just a product, but a
service and a platform as well. A Creative Cloud
membership empowers the user to utilize tools
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43
BASIC TRAINING
BASIC
BASIC TRAINING
TRAINING
OCTOBER 2013
b y Ky l e Ca ssi d y
7 Old School In-Camera Effects
For a fun project for the whole
family, try some old school special
effects. These can give you a better
understanding about different perspectives and creative angles.
While visiting an old college buddy
who is now a famous rocket scientist,
you have the rare opportunity to try
the time machine he just invented.
Unfortunately, due to a catastrophic
accident, the time machine has taken
you back in time to the year 1966
with no hope of return!
Your newfangled skills as a computer programmer are completely useless
as is the ability to hustle people playing DanceDanceRevolution. However,
opening the local paper, you see that
the newly-minted TV show Batman is
looking for a camera person. You race
over to 20th Century Fox and meet
with the producers who have but one
question for you:
How can we make the Batman
climb up a wall with no budget and no
stuntmen?
“Well,” you say, with an air of authority because before time traveling
you’ve just read this article, “we shall
simply use in-camera special effects.”
“You’re hired!” says the man in a
checkered suit.
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What is an in-camera effect?
When our eyes see one thing, our brain
makes assumptions that other things
are true. In-camera effects are tricks
that fool you into thinking that one
thing is true because of visual clues.
For example, you see a monster towering over a building, your brain assumes
that the monster is big, not that the
building is small. In-camera effects are
typically inexpensive and don’t require
lots of work in post-production. Thus,
they’re often favored by low budget
productions. Though in 2013, they also
evoke a feeling of nostalgia. Let’s take a
closer look.
1) Holy gravity Batman! We’re walking up the side of a building!
When you see someone walking
up the side of a building on television, your brain assumes that the
building is vertical. By building a set
in which the building lays flat across
the floor, 90 degrees from it’s normal
orientation, you then turn the camera sideways as well. People walking
normally, that is perpendicular to the
ground, appear to be walking up a
wall. If you don’t want to build a set,
you can do other things, like placing a
desk and chair on their sides along a
wall, people will assume that the actors are on the floor which will add to
your illusion.
2) Crush, Crumble & Chomp With
Miniatures
It’s difficult and expensive to destroy Tokyo for
your movie (not to mention the traffic backups it
would cause), but it’s less difficult and expensive
to destroy a model of Tokyo. Many of us remember the elaborate models used by Toho Studios
that would inevitably be pulverized by guys in
suits with great drama. You could tell they were
models but hey, it was Godzilla.
Sometimes it’s harder to tell that models were
used. George Lucas used miniatures to great effect in Star Wars, while the camera zooms along
the Death Star trench or along the top of an Imperial Star Destroyer you’re hard pressed not to
think they’re enormous, however Lucas’ models
weren’t tiny. The bigger your models are, the
more realistic they’ll look. The Star Wars set for
the famous Death Star trench run filled a room.
To keep people from guessing you’re using miniatures, you can work to disguise it with quick cutting, and camera motion and by removing things
from your shot that might give the audience any
reference points for scale to compare it with.
3) Ready a photon torpedo, return fire!
While Star Trek had a huge budget by 1960s
standards, they didn’t have everything they
would have liked and at times had to fake it.
Over the course of its five year mission, the Enterprise was continually torpedoed, caught in
webs and tractor beams, bombarded by Klingons or pursued by planet-eating machines.
When the ship suffers a hit, crew members
topple to the decks and fly over chairs and
consoles, Captain Jim Kirk often heroically attempts to ride it out in his captain’s chair but
as often as not, he ends up on the floor as well.
Set designers didn’t have the budget to make
the bridge actually move, so it was left to the
actors to fling themselves about as the director shouted encouragement “Left! Right! Fall
down!”
Thirty years later when veteran Die Hard
director John McTiernan was directing The Hunt
for Red October he didn’t want anything to look
faked, so three interior submarine sets were built
The great thing about
editing, is you can
rotate the image any
way you need. With
the tripod tilted, our
talent appears to be
climbing downhill, but
if we had him face
the other direction,
the shadow would be
backward, with the
sun below him, rather
than above. Details!
44
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VI D EO MA K ER >>> SEP T EMBER 20 13
45
BASIC TRAINING
OCTOBER 2013
The Store You've Known For Over 50 Years
378 5th Avenue
New York NY 10018
After shooting many takes of a scene with the actors hanging upside down and looking down at the cameras, the actors were getting light headed
during shooting. So Star Trek director J.J. Abrams came up with a simple old-school trick: mirrors. He simply had the actors stand on the mirrors,
looking up at the cameras. Then he fixed the image in post. The sky’s reflection in the mirrors helped sell the illusion.
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on enormous gimbals which could
hold up to 75 people. The subs could
tilt 45-degrees to realistically show the
motion of the vessels. Your actors can
simulate an earthquake by flopping
about, tossing debris into the frame
or rigging props to fall from walls to
complete the effect.
4) Smoke and Mirrors
Sometimes, the most obvious is the
most simple effect of all. When J.J.
Abrams shot the 2009 Star Trek he
had a scene with three characters skydiving from space in a rather dramatic
moment. Shooting the scene took
many hours, requiring the characters
to hang upside down staring into
the camera, which resulted in lightheaded actors. So Abrams reversed the
shot, having them stand on mirrors
and looking up. Then he flipped the
image in editing.
5) Split Screen: Dancing With Myself
Split screens have been used in
moviemaking back in the film days
when it involved masking half the
camera lens, photographing a scene,
then rewinding the film, switching the
mask so that it covers the other side of
the camera lens, then re-exposing the
film with new action taking place on
the other side. This allows characters
to have scenes with themselves and is
sometimes cheaper than hiring twins.
You can’t really expose videotape or
.mpg files twice, but today, most digital
video editing systems have the ability
to do sophisticated split screen effects
46
that will allow your actor to interview
themselves or turn one car in your
driveway into two. Check out this
Videomaker video on using the splitscreen effect here: www.videomaker.
com/r/672.
6) Matte Paintings: Old School Green
Screen
Today chromakey and green
screen technology comes with nearly
every vide editing system, but it
wasn’t always that way. When Lucas
made the first Star Wars he relied
on paintings for the backgrounds of
the complex and strange worlds he’d
created. P.S. Ellenshaw, who was the
head of Walt Disney’s matte painting
studio at the time (but working freelance) painted 13 different paintings
that were composited in with live
action and actors, most famously,
the Death Star chasm that Obi-Wan
Kenobi (exquisitely played by Sir
Alec Guinness) crosses to turn off the
tractor beam that captured the Millennium Falcon.
Lucas continued using matte paintings for his future Star Wars movies,
hiring Mathieu Raynault to paint
Naboo for Star Wars: Episode II Attack
of the Clones. While matte paintings
are composited in post, you can use
in-camera matte paintings in conjunction with miniatures to put a car on
the surface of the moon by simply
shooting your miniature in front of
your painting. For more on making
and using your own matte paintings,
there’s a clever article by Mark Bosko
in Videomaker: www.videomaker.com/
article/8208.
7) Forced Perspective
Forced perspective is using wide
angle lenses to make small things look
large or large things look small. The
closer something is to a wide angle
lens, the bigger it looks and the farther
away something is, the smaller. So by
placing Junior close to the camera,
and dad in the back, you can make
them look to be the same height. You
can easily create more Hollywood
secrets at home without a Hollywood
budget: www.videomaker.com/article/3550.
www.42photo.com
855-244-5800
Contact us to find out why we have been in the
photography industry longer than anyone else.
Back to the Future
Everybody loves your camera work,
Batman becomes a sensation, you
move on to bigger and better things.
In 1968 you stole Marty McFly’s idea
and won big from gambling on sports
statistics and you’re a rich and famous
celebrity. In a strange turn of events,
you’re invited to be the commencement speaker at your college the very
year that you graduated. You scan the
audience and in a time-travel paradox
you lock eyes for a moment with your
younger self, and wink.
Contributing editor Kyle Cassidy is a visual artist who
writes extensively about technology.
We Carry:
• Point and Shoots • DSLR's • Macro, Zoom and Wide Angle Lenses • Pro Video Cameras
• Pro Video Camcorders • Filters • Memory Cards • Batteries • Flashes and MUCH MUCH
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For a FREE GIFT with online purchase use Promo Code: Video102013 at checkout.
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PROFIT MAKING
PROFIT MAKING
OCTOBER 2013
b y J e n ni f e r O’ R o u r k e
10 Tips for Great Training Videos
How to and training videos are
everywhere. From how to install a
car engine to how to saddle a horse.
You don’t have to know how to do
these things to make the videos.
If there’s one thing YouTube and the
ease of video sharing have brought
us, it’s an easy way to scrutinize how
other people make videos. Mostly bad
videos, but you can learn from the bad
just as well as from the good.
Like any specialized movie or video
genre, training videos have special
needs that other videos might not employ. Documentaries don’t have to tell
you how the ancients built a pyramid,
they just have to speculate on how it
might have happened. Action movies
don’t have to tell you how to diffuse
a bomb, they just imply that it can be
done by cutting the green wire — no,
wait, was it the white wire? — and the
audience believes it.
Training or how to videos need certain points of action to give their audience not only the steps to installing
that engine, but the confidence that
they’re doing it right. The best training
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One of the biggest amateur mistakes is poor
audio gathered from the camera’s mic from as
far as 10 feet from the speaker. A simple lav
mic will always provide much better sound.
48
videos follow a good tight format, and
these 10 tips can help you make the
best training videos, and leave your
audience wanting more.
1. Use a Script: Don’t Ramble
Too many people tend to want to skip
to the fun part, the shooting, and work
without a script, storyboard, shot
sheet or any type of plan to getting
their training video done. This wastes
a lot of time and doesn’t inform the
audience well, and key points can be
missed or lost in translation.
Follow the same format for every
training video you make, especially if
they’re in a common series.
Actually make a script, even if it’s
just a bullet point list of steps to illustrate.
Read through the script out loud,
because understanding the spoken
word is different than reading the
written word. Some sounds don’t
go together well when spoken, like
the sound of a word that ends with
a “k” followed by that same sound
from a word as in “kwik” for saying
the phrase “rake quick.” Pay special
attention to tricky words such as
“regularly” and try to write around
3. Audio is most important!
Videomaker harping on the need for good audio
is like listening to a broken record. (You remember those, right?) Some people still don’t get it—
your audience will forgive bad video, but will
tune out due to bad audio.
Use a mic. Use a mic. Use. A. Mic. Always
use an external microphone, please do not rely
on your on-camera mic to capture your video
presentation’s sound. Your training video should
have audio that would make a decent radio segment, and be helpful, even without video. Good
audio is crucial for any type of video sharing.
If you are setting your camera 10 feet from
your subject, the audio from the camera mic will
sound muddy and hollow. Then if you move in
close for a closeup cutaway, the audio will peak
because the narrator’s mouth becomes closer
to the mic. Even an inexpensive $15 wired mic
from the mall electronics store is going to sound
better and more even than the on-camera mic.
If you must use the on-camera mic, learn
some tricks to getting around automatic gain
them even though they may give
a very clear meaning. In this case,
“usual” or “typical” should get the
same message across as “regularly,”
and are easier to pronounce.
Have a second list within your script
of all the props or tools you’ll need
and line them up on a table outside of
the shooting area in the order of use.
control (AGC) and covering your camera to
mask the electronic mechanisms for simple
voice-over work. AGC is a pain to work around,
but it can be done. A quick search on the Videomaker website using “AGC” will bring up several
tips for dealing with automatic gain.
4. Simple Background and Lighting
An elaborate set isn’t necessary for most training
videos, and, in fact, often detracts from the subject. In most cases, you’re going to demonstrate
something on a table or in front of a backdrop,
so make the background simple, never busy.
You can get pre-made curtains on clearance
very cheaply, or go to a fabric store and check
out their discount aisle, most raw fabric runs
about 45 to 58-inches wide and you can buy it
by the yard or by the bolt. Bed sheets work, too,
and are wider.
Stick with neutral shades, a darker color will
show off most products well, but invest in some
lighter fabric if you are demonstrating dark items
like cameras. Stay away from a white back-
Including
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Lenses,Media,
Media,Tripods,
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2. Keep It Short: Be Concise
People have very short attention
spans nowadays, especially for
Internet video. They have a lot of
distractions taking them away from
your video.
If the training video is a simple
technique, try to make it two to five
minutes. If the video requires more
skills and more involvement, make it a
maximum of 30 minutes.
With a 30-minute video, find good
places to break it into segments of
three to five minutes each. Give the
viewer breathing time between steps.
If your video requires you to go longer
than 30 minutes, break it into two
or more separate videos, similar to
how Videomaker created our Making
Commercials training videos: (www.
videomaker.com/r/663).
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PROFIT MAKING
Shoot all the main
video (A-roll) in one
continuous shot
then go back for the
closeups of the action to insert into the
A-roll during editing.
ground, which tends to fight with exposure too
much, unless you have a well-designed set.
Set two lights about 45-degrees from the
center of the demo area, one on each side. Even
simple standing lamps will work, but the idea is
to make the light even.
5. Use Two Cameras or Shoot It Twice
Many people want to do a training video in one
long shot, with one take. More power to them.
You can’t run the camera and do the demo at the
same time effectively, and zooming in then out
to illustrate points wastes time.
If you choose to use two cameras, designate one
as Camera A for your main camera, and hook up
the mic to that. Then set Camera B for cutaways
and closeups, but also record the audio from Camera B to make it easier to sync the video later.
If you use one camera, consider doing the
entire demo once, uncut, with the camera on
a tripod, then shoot it again for closeups and
cutaways and edit accordingly.
6. Closeups and Cutaways of the Action
Closeups are necessary for most training videos.
Whether it’s to demonstrate a technique or show
a collection of materials needed, most training
videos will have closeup shots.
Don’t shoot the cutaways during the demonstration, it’s best to shoot them afterwards,
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After you shoot the
A-roll, go in for closeups and cutaways.
Pause and pay attention during the A-Roll
for continuity, like
which hand he used
to tighten that bolt.
so you can match the cutaway with what was
actually said.
Stay wide on the main shot, don’t zoom in,
pan or move the camera. This will make it easier
to insert cutaways and closeups of techniques or
small parts in editing.
Pay attention to continuity by matching the
movement of the shot. If your host picks up a
wrench in his right hand in the main demo, make
sure he does it the same way in the cutaway.
An ace editor’s tip: Insert the cut from the
main wide shot to the closeup during movement, rather than just before or after the movement. This will make the shot appear more fluid
and should mask continuity discrepancies.
Hold cutaway shots long enough for the
viewer to understand what it is you’re showing.
7. Add Simple Graphics
From an opening graphic that tells the audience
what you are demonstrating to a closing graphic
that tells them where to go for more, graphics
are essential for all training videos. Every training video should have an Open, even if it’s the
simplest white type over a black background.
The graphic open doesn’t have to be elaborate,
even the easiest entry-level editing programs
can make simple titles. A closing graphic with
your name and/or website ties the whole piece
together, especially when sharing video online.
Like the backdrop for your video, your graphics should be easy to read, and not too busy. You
can learn proper titling techniques from many
Videomaker features.
Leave the graphic up long enough to read
through three times at a normal pace, it’s not too
long, definitely not too short.
Make bullet point lists within the body of your
video when you are prepping a tool list, like we
do in our training video on How to Make Your
Own Car Mount. (www.videomaker.com/video/
watch/tutorials/719)You can place graphics over
video instead of a solid background, if you keep
8. Check Out Examples Online
As mentioned earlier, there are lots of examples
of training videos online that you can learn
from; both good and bad. Critique them for how
you think you’d teach the technique yourself.
Are they too sloppy? Can you understand what
the message is implying? Do you feel confidant
that you can do the process they are teaching? Is
it rushed or does it drag too much? Does it have
a busy backdrop or distracting background?
Thai Foodcast (www.youtube.com/user/ThaiFoodcast) a multi-part cooking series, was put
together by a couple former Videomaker staffers right in their home during a few weekends.
They cleared an area in their living room, put
up an Asian bamboo backdrop to enhance the
show’s theme, and used an average mic and
two lights. The look of the main introduction
is the same in every segment for consistency,
then they shoot closeups of the food cooking in their tiny kitchen. The presentation is
on a folding table covered with a solid colored tablecloth. It’s one of many very simple
examples to check out. (www.youtube.com/user/
ThaiFoodcast)
Chromatography Tips & Tricks, from Don Curo
of La Habra, CA, (www.videomaker.com/r/664)
is another example you’ll find on our website,
a winning entry from our old contest series.
Curo’s training video exemplifies how important
it is to gather all the right tools and demonstrate
the techniques just right to illustrate a possibly
dangerous task. The video trains technicians
how to assemble parts necessary to work on a
gas chromatograph and he needed to be precise
in his instructions and warnings. After watching
this, I felt I could confidently “install a column
into a split-splitless inlet” on a gas chromatograph, too.
If you’re making the training video to sell on
a disc, adding bonus material to the DVD is a
good way to elicit more sales and gain income
rather than just views from a non-paying online audience.
Videomaker often includes PDFs of stories that
correspond with the subjects on the videos, as
an extra bonus. We sometimes throw in sub-
OCTOBER 2013
the video simple, soft or defocused, and never
use a busy background with wild graphics.
Bullet points drill home ideas, techniques or
emphasize steps and are also good for recapping
points.
9. Bonus Material
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50
PROFIT MAKING
OCTOBER 2013
scriptions, free material like sound effects, or appropriate production forms from the Videomaker
Book of Forms.
If your training video is part of a series, package four to nine techniques or subjects together
and make sure they all have the same graphics
and look for uniformity. If the training videos are
online only, remember to add links and connect
as seamlessly as possible to other training videos
in that series or post a list of other series and
services you provide.
www.youtube.com/
user/ThaiFoodcast
is a perfect example
of an easy, do it at
home Web series. The
graphics correctly
follow the theme, the
text for the recipes
are easy to read,
and the close up
cutaways of the food
and technique make
anyone feel they
can create delicious
springrolls!
10. Teaser: more to come!
As they say in show business, always leave them
wanting more. If your training video is one in a
series that runs online, you can have a short 10
to 20 second teaser at the end, advertising the
next video in the series. All you need to do is record a simple voice-over that discusses what the
next video will be, along with an expected time
it might appear. Don’t forget to add your product
name, company or business name and website.
Making the Video Earn for You
How to videos are fairly simple to make, and
a well-produced series can bring in good income. If you plan the show well, and acquire
the necessary skills to shoot, light, edit and set
audio, you don’t have to know how to install
the engine or saddle the horse to make the
video. You just need to know how to work with
the on-camera talent and make the video he or
she presents. Do it well, follow a similar format
every time, and you can get a reputation as the
training video producer, and earn income doing what you love to do, make video.
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Jennifer O’Rourke is Videomaker’s managing editor.
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DIRECTING
DIRECTING
OCTOBER 2013
b y Dwi g h t C. Do u g l a s
Adapting a Novel Into a Screenplay
We don’t know when the first books
were written, but they started with
storytelling. For more than 3,000
years humans have been recording
stories in symbols and words.
The craft of adapting a novel and
creating a screenplay looms as one
of the ultimate challenges for any
writer. Like raising someone else’s
children, you want them to remember their birth parent, but they must
become their own work of art; an
individual unto themselves.
The first step is finding a book you
truly love. After you get over the glow
of the story you just finished, ask
yourself: “Is this a movie?” When I
read Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code I
kept thinking about it as a movie. Even
before I finished it, I felt like it was an
embellished outline for a movie. It felt
like a screenplay. According to imdb.
com, it grossed more than $215 million worldwide. We’re sure it wasn’t a
great challenge for Academy Awardwinning screenwriter Akiva Golds-
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man to write because of it was so well
organized as a book. Not all books are
like that. You can learn a lot from the
special feature interviews with writers
found on many disc releases.
Look Before You Leap
Before you jump into the fire of
adaptation, you have your most
important task to conquer first:
securing the rights. Five years ago
I read a very compelling historical
novel about how the United States
got into the Vietnam War. In this case,
I had a personal relationship with
the author. After a conversation over
some coffee, I asked him if I could
write an adaptation of his work.
After I assured him I would do all the
work, he agreed and we shook hands.
I jumped into the project. Bought
several copies of the book, hired a researcher and started to imagine how
to build this book into a movie. Then
the email arrived. His literary agent
demanded we cease all work on the
Books are common subjects for screenplay adaptations. But other ideas include stage plays, TV shows or even songs. The Mamma Mia! movie
was adapted from the Mamma Mia! stage play which was inspired from the collection of mini-stories told in the ABBA song collection.
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52
screenplay. It seems she was already shopping
the book to some “top-notch” Hollywood writers. Lesson learned.
You must have an option agreement before
you begin working. Buying the rights can cost as
few as $1,000 for an unknown book, to up in the
millions for bestsellers. According to Steve Stockman, writer, director and author of How to Shoot
Video That Doesn’t Suck, terms of adaptation deals
are 100 percent negotiable. There are no standard
deals. That said, if a couple friends give you the
rights to their book and they have faith in your
ability to get a movie made, you might be allowed
to hold onto the rights forever, for nothing. On
the other hand, if a highly-paid writer charges a
fortune for his or her best-seller, you may pay a
lot for a much shorter period and lose all of it if
you don’t get the movie deal put together in the
appointed time.
Although this article focuses on novels, one can
write an adaptation of a stage play, a comic book,
a song or a magazine article. The movie Brokeback
Mountain was originally a magazine article in The
New Yorker magazine written by Annie Proulx and
many DC and Marvel comic tales have become big
box office movies. The same procedures apply for
any work, you must secure the rights.
Function Equals Form
A book can contain three to four times more
material than you’ll need for a 120-page screenplay. And when you write a screenplay, the
powers that be want you to format it correctly.
The mark of an amateur is a free-form presentation that screams newbie. All screenplays will
look the same whether they are original ideas
or adaptations.
As the famous screenwriting guru and author
of the epic how-to book, Story, Robert McKee
warns, if the book structure is such that “if a
single cog is taken out, the clock stops telling
time ... your task will not be one of adaptation,
but of reinvention.”
The challenge comes because of two different
audiences. Part of the audience, especially if the
book was highly successful, will be big fans of
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YE R
AR
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Technology and Gear | Workshops | Intensives | Keynotes | Product Launches and Live Demos
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53
DIRECTING
OCTOBER 2013
the novel. They always judge your screenplay
against their pre-conceived notions of the pictures in their head, or the images of those created by fellow fans in response to the original
work. The other part of the audience are those
who want to watch a great movie. You need to
write a great story, in spite of the fact that it
might not be exactly like the book. Storytelling
is what a writer does. After reading the book the
second and third time, put it down, close your
eyes and think: What is this book really about?
What is the driving force in this story? Is there
a quirky premise that works as a short description of a movie? Use the classic analysis of
antagonist vs. protagonist; bring the real conflict
of the story to the surface. Where are the moral
choices that lead to genuine changes in your
lead character?
Charlie Kaufman was faced with the challenge
of adapting Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief,
a book about flowers. Becoming frustrated by
the process, he wrote himself, along with an
imaginary twin-brother, into an adjacent plot line
of this Academy Award-nominated screenplay
Adaptation. He created a story within a story that
combined the themes of evolution and adaptation. A brilliant movie to watch before you attempt an adaptation.
Rip and Read It Again
One of my tips to young adapters: “become one
with the material.” What may seem like a brutal
approach, but effective, is to buy a couple extra
copies of the book, break the spine and sort the
individual pages into plot groupings. For those
books that jump in and out of different eras or
time zones, physically reconstruct those pages
into its own isolated story. Reread each segment
and reanalyze the value of each of those plot segMany popular movies
with Superman,
Batman, X-Men and
each of The Avengers
started out as comic
book series.
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54
ments of the story. You can then jigsaw the original
work into what is a basis for your first outline.
If you feel guilty about killing a book, you may
always use storyboards.
Use one of the copies of the book to focus on
the dialogue that takes place in the document.
Highlight the quotes that should make the leap
from the pages of the book to the mouths of
your characters. The 1965 book Cool Hand Luke,
written by Donn Pearce, was told in first-person
narrative without any of the dialogue encased in
quotes. According to America’s Film Legacy by
Daniel Eagan, Pearce sold the rights of his book
to Warner Bros. for $80,000. The screenplay was
eventually completed by Frank Pierson. Pierson,
a Harvard educated writer, added the line, “What
we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” That
line was never in the book. In fact, the novelist
hated the line claiming it wasn’t something that
a southern prison camp captain would say. The
line was used twice in the screenplay; once by
the captain, then later in the play, mockingly, by
Luke played by Paul Newman, and it became one
of the most famous lines in moviedom, copied,
parodied and misquoted tremendously.
Reinvent and Rewrite
You need to find the gems and capture those
quotes that create the voice of your characters.
You can improve them by editing, placement and
interaction as you flesh out your story. The first
draft can be slightly over-written, but sooner or
later you’ll have to get it down around 120-pages.
Use montages to include important information
from the book in a quick visual form. Minimize
characters that bring little to the party. Consider
combining several characters into one strong
person who moves the story along. There is no
penalty for reinventing. Never agree to rewrite a
book into a screenplay verbatim; kiss of death.
You’ll need to have a beginning, middle and
end to your screenplay, which may not mirror
the book. Most novels have diversions, back
stories and deep character development. These
don’t make the cut in a screenplay, but you
should be intimate with them as you shape your
story. My analogy has always been steam cleaning the carpet in a room. You take all the stuff
out of the room, clean the carpet, and then only
put back what is necessary. The rest you can put
in storage. Most of the best software programs
make it easy to add and delete scenes.
Make sure you are aware of what happens to
characters as they progress through a series of
novels. Like with Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with
the Dragon Tattoo; Lisbeth Salander has the tat-
DIRECTING
OCTOBER 2013
too in the other two books, you have
to include it. The seven-book, eightmovie Harry Potter series had many
characters come and go from book
to book, but the final book’s storyline
depended on a few that might have
appeared to be minor characters in
the second or third book. Because it
was an on-going series, Harry Potter screenwriter Steve Kloves worked
closely with novelist J.K. Rowling,
who had approval on all scripts. In
most cases, however, unless you are
obligated by agreement, avoid seeking
approval from the novelist at every
turn. Do your research, do your deal
and then isolate yourself so your project isn’t ruined by the meddling birth
parent.
Adapt and Sell
When you are ready to sell your
screenplay, make the reader aware it
is an adaptation (it should be on the
title page), but don’t encourage them
to read the original work before they
read your screenplay. Give the work
it’s best possible chance of being
reborn as a movie. 48
This might be diffiFullPageAD_NEWTemplate.indd
cult if the original story is well-known,
but do remember to make it clear
that there is a built-in audience for an
adaptation of a best-selling book.
For some, writing an adaptation of
a novel may be harder and is surely
more expensive than creating an original play, but the finished work is just
as much your work of art. Sure you
had help, but most writers write what
they know. Much of what they know
comes from observing life and listening to people speak and then massaging those experiences into their story.
Adaptation is one of the ways to create
great movies. Just remember to thank
the author of the novel when you are
holding that Oscar on stage in front of
40 million viewers.
6/24/2013 11:25:57 AM
Dwight C. Douglas is a VP of Marketing for a major
broadcast software company and creator of YouTube
videos.
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use article #15701 in the subject line. You can
comment and rate this article by going online:
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LIGHTING
LIGHTING
LIGHTING
OCTOBER 2013
b y Ter r y O’ R o u r k e
exciting subject around, especially
when it comes to all the fun things
on a shoot. But haphazard sets can
injure talent and destroy gear.
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Safety isn’t exactly the first thing you
think of when you wake up the morning of a big video shoot. But it is always
something you should consider before
each job. If you plan carefully, safety
won’t need to be the first thing on
your mind, because you will have the
components of your shoot well under
control before heading out the door.
You’re beginning to land some fairly
big accounts, now, and you’re a bit perplexed as to how to approach some of
the projects. Things are becoming complicated and you are finding yourself
in some questionable situations which
demand more attention than simply
running your camera. Do you step back,
and focus all your work as a freelance
camera operator instead, or do you
jump in and offer a complete package
including cameras, grip, lighting and
maybe even some basic scouting?
Working as a camera operator is
pretty easy once you have the skills.
But is it now time to take the route of
offering full production services and
offer to scout and secure locations,
book catering, direct talent, offer basic
production services and all the rest?
If you are already at that point then
you have learned — hopefully not the
hard way — that video lighting safety
is without question the most important tool in your kit.
We know video lighting safety isn’t
exactly the reason you get out of bed
each day but it could become the
reason you wake up at night. It’s best
to understand how to operate safely
each time you shoot, whether it’s a
theatrical event at school or a family
56
outing; not just professional production services.
So, where do you start?
How about with your own equipment?
Think about it. You have the utmost
respect for your cameras, lights and
other equipment. Each time you go out
on a video shoot you carefully handle
your equipment, make sure it’s not
sitting in the sun or bouncing around
the back of your car. You make sure the
high-value items like cameras, lenses
and mics aren’t out in the open while
you’re scouting around and looking for
the best angles.
Over time you have gained a respect for your expensive equipment,
and it’s become second nature to
protect it. It’s a good idea to let safety
become second nature to protect
everyone on set, because mistakes
can be quite dangerous and incredibly
expensive. And with today’s litigious
society, anything can go wrong. Over
the years I have become vigilant when
it comes to protecting my set, particularly if I am working public production services. For some shoots I even
insist that there be security guards
assigned to be present on set.
IT
EX
R
Lighting safety isn’t really the most
TE
lighting design to include extra lights
and sandbags. Even if you don’t plan to
use them, light stands make great barriers. You don’t need to plug them in, but
make sure there are no dangling cords.
When you set up for an office interview,
or some other setup with employees
or talent on camera, create an entrance
and an exit to the set using whatever
you can find at the location.
Consider using chairs, trash cans,
plants or floor lamps to corral everyone and make sure there are no
obstructions or cords to trip on. It’s a
great ice breaker, because everyone
jokes about it, but it’s serious business to make sure no one gets hurt.
Bring plenty of extension cords so
that you never have to run a light
cord across the floor where the talent
or employees enter and exit the set.
You’ll want to make sure that all light
EN
Lighting Safety
Safety
Lighting
Building a corral
isn’t just child’s
play. Using your
extra gear, camera
bags and furniture
can keep lookieloos on the outside,
rather than tripping
over cables and
light stands.
Safety might also be on the minds of
your industrial clients who may require
you to attend a safety presentation
before the shoot. When this happens,
you’ll need to plan for that extra time
and include one extra hour in each
bid to allow for such necessities. I have
been on assignments where we were
required to park all of our vehicles
pointing out so that in the event of an
emergency, no one would have to back
out of their parking stall. You get the
point! If your clients are obsessed with
safety, then you should be too.
Too Many Moving Parts; Build a
Corral
When working in public you are exposed to many variables, over which
you will have no control, and you will
find the public to be quite annoying if
they have access to your set. The best
thing is to not let them near your set in
the first place. If you can’t stop them,
the alternative is to make your set as
minimal and compact as possible,
and make sure you can see everything
that’s going on. Try to use furniture as
a barrier to restrict foot traffic, and if
the environment doesn’t have enough
chairs or tables, you’ll want to adapt the
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57
11/13/2012 4:21:49 PM
LIGHTING
OCTOBER 2013
These little scissor
clamps are handy tools
to easily hang lights from
an ordinary drop ceiling.
cessories available, and to see just how specialized this industry has become. Each of these
accessories is specifically designed for a grip to
safely place a light, reflector, scrim or whatever,
no matter where the lighting director wants it,
and in many cases, even if it’s raining and the
winds are blowing.
Videomaker Event
Workshops
Get Real Experience Behind the Camera
when you Attend a Videomaker Workshop
You’ve Been Sandbagged
stands, mic booms and reflector stands are
well sandbagged on indoor jobs and always
weighed down on outdoor jobs. I never make
the talent duck under lights to enter the set. If
the lighting design requires them to duck, then
move the lights, let the talent in, then replace
the lights. Also, never rush the talent when they
are moving around the set, because they can
become disoriented and trip or knock into your
equipment.
Speaking of equipment, it is absolutely essential that every reflector, soft box, umbrella
and scrim is secure, and not capable of falling
down. If you have an opportunity to tour a
large studio, take a look at the lighting design
in the ceiling where all the overhead lighting
is mounted. You will notice that everything is
secured with iron pipe clamps and tied with
additional cables designed especially for the
task. You might also visit a lighting equipment
house just to see the hundreds of lighting ac-
contents
Tungsten lights get
very hot and, even
in their own welldesigned casing, can
burn without warning.
Always make sure
there’s a fire extinguisher on set.
Speaking of wind, did we mention sandbags?
Well sometimes they just aren’t enough, and
you need someone to hold your lights, scrims or
reflectors. They should understand your concerns
with safety and understand their responsibility
to the lighting design when assisting you. They
should respect each situation as potentially
dangerous, because you, as the set director, are
relying on them because it is safer than relying
on light stands or booms. As long as you are using assistants to hold or stabilize your equipment,
you might consider using walkie-talkies to effectively communicate without resorting to hand
signals, yelling, or worse, smoke signals, which
might really happen if something starts a fire!
Oh, and yes, fire extinguishers are your best
friends. Always have one on set and plan for
two on complicated sets that involve cooking,
candles, welding or anything that makes flames.
Why two? One for each side of the set. A simple
candle can set a small reflector on fire which
can then set fabrics ablaze. Always be aware and
never leave anything burning without someone there watching the set. This is particularly
relevant when working with hot lights, but even
if you don’t use tungsten lighting, you should follow basic fire safety.
The thing to understand here is that things go
wrong and small events can quickly spiral out of
control. It’s always best to understand your equipment, the environment and maintain respect for
the potential dangers when shooting. If you develop
and stick to a few simple safety rules and procedures, on set and with your lighting, you can always
rest assured while you are behind the camera. Good
lighting safety will let you concentrate on your
scene and keep the rest of the shoot going smoothly. Everyone can do their job, the client will be nice
and relaxed and the talent can perform flawlessly.
Contributing editor Terry O’Rourke specializes in photography and videography for advertising clients worldwide.
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Learn video production from the
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October 18-20, 2013
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October 18-20, 2013
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a full refund (less $20 registration charge). A substitute workshop date may be requested in lieu of a refund. For cancellations received between 21 and 7 calendar days prior to the workshop start date, a 50%
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AUDIO
AUDIO
OCTOBER 2013
b y Ha l R o b e r t so n
Recording Audio With Smartphones
They are with us all the time. We
use our mobile devices for everything else, so why not use them as
an external audio recorders, too?
Smartphones and tablets didn’t
matter to the masses until just a few
years ago, and now they’re everywhere. Mobile devices have become
our go-to choice for obvious reasons.
A small, portable, connected gadget
is pretty handy for a media producer
on the move. And now — with some
adapters and an audio recorder app,
they can serve as your audio field recorder too. While you probably didn’t
plan to do audio recording on your
mobile device, it’s an option that’s
worth considering.
Going Mobile
Our smartphones and tablets are pretty
amazing when you think about it. We
typically have an all in one, phone,
GPS, still camera, video camera, audio
recorder and a host of other goodies
with us at all times. And we use them
too. Whether it’s a fun picture for Facebook or completing a work project and
emailing documents, mobile devices
are a part of our daily lives and there’s
no turning back. When you dive into
the mobile world, you quickly discover
there are thousands of apps that run
contents
The white rings on
the plug allow audio
to be separated into
left and right channels output as well
as a mono input.
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60
on your device, extending its capabilities. From games to spreadsheets and
everything in between, it’s clear these
are more computer than phone. And
you know what you can do on a computer? Audio recording, monitoring
and editing.
We’ve sung the praises of the
portable audio recording device
before, and for good reason. They’re
small, portable, dedicated boxes
that allow you to quickly and easily
record audio, monitor and deliver
world-class audio for your video
projects. But it’s possible to outfit
your mobile device with those same
features and more, turning them into
audio recording devices. Your mobile
device is already small, portable and
battery powered, so that’s covered.
It contains a
small computer,
a display and
audio jacks, and
with the addition
of a few extras,
will do the job
of its purposedesigned cousins.
Audio recording apps are all
over the place, for
iPhone, iPad and Android and you’ll
have no trouble finding with several
variations. Obviously, some are better
than others. In fact, the really tricky
part is getting the audio off of your
smartphone. That means an audio
interface or adapter cable(s). That’s
where things get sticky.
Audio in iWorld
Apple has it nailed. They design
and manufacture their iPhone and
iPad among other devices. They also
developed the operating system and
control all the apps available to you
in the iTunes store. This translates to
a generally seamless integration of
hardware, software and peripherals,
with the possible exception of the
new Thunderbolt connector. Some iPods, iPhones and iPads have the same
connector, which made it possible for
third parties to develop add-ons that
enhance capabilities and extend their
function. And many audio manufacturers did just that. Some are basic
docks or audio interfaces that provide
additional inputs and outputs while
others are full-blown mixing consoles
that operate in software. All of them
turn your iPhone or iPad into an
audio recorder.
If you prefer a simpler approach,
consider a splitter cable for the audio
jack. If you’ve ever examined the earbud plug for your mobile device, you
may have noticed four connections
rather than the three connections
common with stereo headphones.
The multi conductor connector allows
for the left and right channel earbuds
along with a mono microphone connection. This is called a TRRS connector for Tip, Ring, Ring, Sleeve. StarTech.com, and others, make adapters
specifically for the purpose of piping
audio into your mobile device. To use
the splitter, plug it into the audio jack
of your mobile device, plug headphones into the headphone jack and a
microphone into the mic jack.
Remember that this is a mic input
and requires mic level audio signals
if you’re feeding it with an outboard
mixer or other audio devices. Adjust
your output levels accordingly. Finally,
launch your audio recording app and
do a quick audio level test.
Audio for Android
The Android operating system has
grown exponentially since its release
just a few years ago. Since then more
than 900 million devices have been
activated, meaning you almost certainly
know someone who owns one of these
mobile devices. But, unlike Apple’s ironfisted ecosystem, Android is more like
the Wild West. With 15 major manufacturers and no less than nine versions of
the operating system, it’s fair to assume
there is far less compatibility than with
Apple’s platform.
First, there is no standard dock or
I/O connector on Android devices, so
you’re limited to the audio jack for
input and monitoring. Fortunately, the
splitter cable we mentioned earlier
Test your audio levels after you’ve silenced
your ringer.
Too many beginners think that
a documentary is easier to
make than a fiction film.
Don't make the common
mistake of thinking you
can point a camera at the
street and by pure luck
the next "King of Kong"
or "Thin Blue Line" will
unfold right before your
eyes. The truth is that
great documentaries
don't just happen; they're
meticulously crafted.
Find your story and your
documentary will fall into
place; Videomaker’s
Documentary Storytelling DVD will help.
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11/18/2011 9:39:53 AM
ADVERTISING INDEX
AUDIO
42nd Street Photo ________________ 47
B&H Photo/Video & Pro Audio ___ 33-35
BC Media Inc. ___________________ 55
Blackmagic Design _______________ 07
Camtrol _________________________ 43
Canon __________________________ C2
Carl Zeiss Microscopy, LLC ________ 19
Convergent Design Inc ____________ 27
Createasphere/HD Expo LLC ______ 53
Dell Computer Corporation ________ C4
Eagle America Sales Corp. _________ 43
Full Compass Systems ____________ 49
Glide Gear _______________________ 55
Glidecam Industries Inc. ___________ 39
Glidecam Industries Inc. ___________ 57
Home Video Franchising ___________ 61
KinoFlo _________________________ 31
KinoFlo _________________________ 45
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works equally well on iOS and Android.
Second, not every Android device has a
TRRS connector to turn it into an audio
recorder. In fact, several tablets, including Google’s Nexus 7, contain only a
standard headphone jack. Android
phones are usually a safe bet, but check
the specifications for your particular
make and model to be sure. Third, due
to multiple operating system versions
and hardware platforms, not every audio app will work on every device. The
Google Play Store simplifies this with
a notification of compatibility for your
specific device(s) prior to installation.
Best Practices
audio recording devices. Don’t rely on
the built-in microphone or even the
included microphone preamp in your
mobile device. While some are pretty
good, an external preamp will be
much better if you can use one. Make
sure your audio recorder app allows
live monitoring of the audio signal,
with headphones and meters if possible. Audio is audio regardless of your
recording path and good monitoring is
essential for good recordings.
Look for an audio recorder app that
provides an audio sensitivity adjustment to help match your audio signal to
the device. Alternatively, use an external
preamp or mixer to do the matching.
As a last resort, consider using microphone placement to compensate for
audio levels. Many mobile devices have
hardwired Automatic Gain Control
(AGC) circuits. There may be no getting
around it, so do a couple of test recordings and make adjustments for the best
compromised settings. This and several
other Videomaker articles have tips to
help you work around AGC: www.videomaker.com/article/10105.
Record in the highest possible quality. Many recording apps store their
files in MP3 or .3ga format. These are
lossy, compressed formats. While they
will work in a pinch, you’ll lose quite
a bit of quality. Whenever possible, record to WAV or AIFF files. They’ll take
up more space, but the audio quality
won’t suffer.
Be aware of the available capacity of your memory card. It is easy to
fill mobile devices with hundreds of
Instagram pictures, multiple copies
of Angry Birds and Candy Crush, so
make sure there’s enough room for
your recordings. If possible, insert a
NewTek _________________________ 15
Regardless of the hardware or software
you choose, there are several things
that will help you capture and deliver
the best possible recordings from your
Shure, Inc. _______________________ 11
NO INPUT? NO PROBLEM
VideoGuys ______________________ C3
So you’ve got a nifty new Android tablet, but it has no audio input. Don’t panic, there
may be a solution. You can use a Bluetooth microphone. When you’ve got one connected, find an app like Easy Voice Recorder that can record with Bluetooth. For
those sporting an iPad, you may try Recorder Plus HD to record via Bluetooth. From
another perspective this might look like a lav mic that glows blue. This solution isn’t
for everyone, but it may be the quickest and only option available. Bluetooth can be a
little flaky sometimes, but if your phone and headset are all you have, it’s worth investigating.
Litepanels (VITEC GROUP)_________ 03
contents
Many audio editing apps start with a trim
function for quick edits.
Videomaker DVD:
Documentary Storytelling _________ 61
Videomaker Workshops ___________ 59
62
AUDIO
OCTOBER 2013
Sharing with yourself is an easy way to move
audio from device to computer.
OCTOBER 2013
large microSD card and instruct your
recording app to place its files there.
Many audio recording apps contain
editing and signal processing options.
Usually, you want to do as much of
this as possible in post-production.
However, there may be times when
a quick in-app edit is just the thing.
Simple editing trim points are common in many apps and the next steps
are normalize functions, along with
basic fade-in and fade-out.
When it’s time to move your audio recordings to the video edit suite, there are
multiple options. You can always plug in
a USB cable to transfer recordings, and
iPhone users should be familiar with
moving files via iTunes. If you’re recording to a separate memory card, you can
pop it out and slide it into a card reader
for transfer. These are the standard
methods, but don’t forget — you’re
using a connected device. You can add
files to your Google Drive account,
Dropbox, Evernote and even email. It’s
usually just a couple of taps away and
much easier than pulling the back off
your phone to access the memory card.
Try Your Device
Recording, monitoring and editing
audio on a mobile device may or may
not be the ultimate fix for you. But it
is an option and one that you carry
with you all day, every day. It’s easy
and inexpensive to try, and could save
you the purchase price of a portable
recorder in the future. We’ll call it a
highly recommended option.
Contributing Editor Hal Robertson is a digital media producer and technology consultant.
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7/12/2013 3:14:49 PM
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TECH TALK
800-323-2325
b y Ch r is “A ce ” Ga t e s
How to Explode a Zombie’s Head in Post
10-12 Charles St., Glen Cove, NY 11542 • 516-759-1611 • Fax 516-671-3092 • [email protected]
Videoguys.com is your source for video editing software
The Halloween season lets video producers get creative with all sorts of fun shoots. If your
talent is being chased by zombies, here’s a quick easy effect to end the zombie’s approach.
Halloween is filled with ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches and zombies. For the video enthusiast, these
creatures jump from the neighborhood
trick-or-treat parade to fill the screen.
Ghost effect? Is it double exposure, or
not actually there? The transparency
fools us all. Vampires? Let’s face it, you
can never tell with them until it’s too
late. Unless they’re the sparkly no-sunburn-type, then it’s just tragic. As for
zombies, a good makeup job is always
convincing on screen, but to really sell
the zombie illusion on video, full-on
zombie combat is the way to go.
The best way to deal with zombies
is to blow up their heads. Let’s take a
look at how to create the illusion of an
exploding head without harming any
of the talent. After all, they’re not real
zombies, they’re just friends with extra time. This technique involves some
simple rotoscoping and compositing
using visual effects footage.
Lock It Down
First, a clean plate needs to be made.
The clean plate is video footage of the
scene without any action or subjects
moving, in essence a still image of
the background. The easiest way to
get usable footage for this technique
is to use a tripod so the camera is
untouched and not moving. Shoot the
scene without any subjects in it, making sure the camera is locked down.
Capture the Zombie
contents
full screen
print
With the camera still locked down in
the same position, shoot footage of the
zombie. The actors should be cued to
act out the moment when their heads
will explode. Time the critical moment
so an extra hand, off camera, throws
some fake blood onto the zombie’s
neckline and shoulders. Test this out a
few times before the camera rolls and
find a technique that makes a good
splatter. Speed is another issue. Make
sure the action happens fast, it makes
the fakeness of it all a little more palatable and a lot more fun. The element of
64
Avid Media
Composer 7
surprise is your friend here. The truth is,
this is going to be fake, and that’s part of
the fun of fake blood and zombie flicks.
Add Up the Layers
Now it’s time for some post-production magic. After importing both clips
into your video editing application of
choice, stack them one on top of the
other in the timeline. Make sure the
clean plate sits below the footage with
the zombie.
Remove the Head
Now it’s time for fun, the zombie is going to lose its head. Determine which
frame will be the moment of zombie
head destruction. Split the zombie layer
at that frame. There should now be two
clips of the zombie in the timeline, one
prior to the head loss event and one
for after the head loss. On the posthead event clip, use the video editing
application’s masking tools to mask out
the zombie’s head. In the visual effects
world this technique is known as rotoscoping. As a result of the rotoscoping,
there should be a “hole” in the top layer
where the zombie’s head was and the
underlying clean plate should be visible.
If done correctly, there will be a headless zombie on the screen.
Add In the Explosion
Zombie heads don’t just disappear in
the blink of an eye, they’re relentless
undead creatures, not magical beings
capable of teleportation. Find some
stock footage, or create your own, of a
blood and guts explosion. To create your
own, blow up a balloon and fill it with
fake blood. Fake blood can be made by
adding red food coloring to light corn
syrup, this creates a thick liquid that’s
dark red in color. Set the filled balloon
on the top of a stand, or suspend it from
the ceiling, in front of a green screen.
Let the camera roll and pop the balloon.
The footage of the resulting explosion
can be chromakeyed, leaving behind
a gruesome mess. Cut this clip so the
starting frame coincides with the moV IDEOMAKER >>> OCTOBER 2013
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ment the balloon ceases to exist and
the explosion begins. Place the clip in
the timeline, above all the other footage,
and timed to line up with the disappearance of the zombie’s head. Make sure
the position of the explosion matches
up with where the zombie’s head was.
When played back there should be a
zombie head that suddenly explodes
into a mess in front of the camera.
Don’t Just See It, Hear It Out Loud
Zombies often sneak up on you at
night, not making a sound until you’re
too deep in the woods to escape their
horde. The audience isn’t in the woods,
though, they can’t just see the exploding head, they have to hear it too. Find
some sound effects, one for the initial
explosion, one for the resulting splatter, and one for the thud of dropping
zombie pieces. Place the sound effects
in the timeline to coincide with the visual and your audience will feel the gut
wrenching nerves of those brave souls
who battle the undead for survival.
There are plenty of movie actions
that are examples of “don’t try this at
home.” Fortunately, exploding heads
is one you can try, all because the effects wizards behind movie magic are
willing to share some of their techniques with us. With a little creativity,
a bit of effort, and whole lot of fun, we
can capitalize on this cinematic knowhow to have a happy Halloween.
Contributing editor Chris “Ace” Gates is an Emmy Awardwinning writer and editor.
For comments, email: [email protected], use' article
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Videomaker Magazine October 2013 Issue

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