Transcript DSLR`s & Other Advanced Shooting Situations

Chapter 10

DSLR’s are being used more in Filmmaking
 Good option for filmmaker on a budget
▪ Good image quality
▪ Low price
▪ Great low-light performance
▪ Huge selection of lenses

DSLR’s are being used more in Filmmaking
 Challenges
▪ DSLR’s were not designed for shooting moving images
▪ Using them can be challenging and complicated
 However
▪ DSLR’s make advanced filmmaking technology
affordable for indie filmmakers

What’s Different with a DSLR
 Structure of the camera
▪ Still cameras are designed to be gripped with one hand
▪ And adjusted (Lens zoom, focus, etc.) with the other hand
▪ Pro video cameras are designed to sit on the shoulder
▪ Helps with stabilization and movement of the camera
 Rigs have been designed to help with use of
DSLR’s for video

DSLR’s have many interchangeable lenses
 Provides many custom shooting options
▪ Wide/Extremely wide angle
▪ Telephoto
▪ Low light (f1.2/f1.4)
▪ Excellent for night shooting with little or no extra light
▪ Shallow depth of field
▪ (DSLR’s designed for it)

DSLR’s
 Shallow depth of field feature
▪ Increases need for careful focus
▪ DSLR’s usually require manual focus
 No motorized Zoom
▪ Users will dolly or use tracks to move closer to subject
▪ Zoom lenses are an option
▪ Look for lenses with manual zoom option
 Poor audio recording option
▪ Use “Double-system sound”

Guerrilla Shooting
▪ A form of indie filmmaking characterized by
▪ Low budgets,
▪ Skeleton crews
▪ Simple props using whatever is available.
▪ Scenes are shot quickly in real locations without warning
 Often by filmmakers that don't have the budget for
▪ Permits,
▪ Location Rental
▪ Set building
 Studios avoid guerrilla filmmaking tactics because they
could be sued, fined, or get their reputation hurt.

DSLR Camera Settings for HD Video
 Video mode
 Frame rate & size
 Shutter speed
 F-Stop
 Set the focus
 White balance
 Image stabilization

Working with Interchangeable Lenses
 Offers for a customizable camera
 Allows use of High Quality lenses
▪
▪
▪
▪
Canon L-Series
Nikon
Zeiss
And more
▪ Also allows prime lenses
 What lens do I need?
▪ Three basic lenses to have on hand
▪ Wide Angle
▪ Normal Lens (Human eye field-of-view)
▪ Telephoto lens
 How to get a shallow depth of field
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
Shoot in low light
Use ND filters
Use a longer lens
Increase shutter speed
Decrease the gain/ISO

Importance of focus
▪ Images in focus on a small LCD Screen
▪ May be out of focus when presented on a larger screen
 Measuring Focus
▪ Using the focus ring (if applicable) on camera
▪ Indicates distance from camera to subject for perfect focus
 Pulling Focus
▪ When focus is adjusted as actor move
▪ Rack Focus
▪ An intentional visible shift in focus

Camera rigging & support
▪ Base plate
▪ Rods
 DSLR Camera riggings
 Glidecams/Steadicams
 Dollies
 Sliders
 Jibs & Cranes
 Aerials, car mounts & shotmakers

Viewing video on set
 Enhanced viewfinders
 Camera-top monitors
 Field Monitors

Double-System Audio Recording
▪ When audio is recorded on a separate device
 Despite potential for good audio
▪ Reasons to use separate device are
▪ Using small camera with movements not good for external mics
▪ Multiple microphone use (when multiple inputs aren’t available)
▪ When camera and dialogue are in different location
 Camera is on roof, actors are on street
▪ Multi-Camera shoots
 All cameras will share audio in post

Multi-Cam Shooting
 Standard for televised broadcast video
▪ News, Sports, Sitcoms, etc.
▪ Good for capturing spontaneous action
▪ With little editing required in post

Multi-Cam basics
 Cameras need to be synched
▪ So footage will line up with time code for all cameras
 Cameras should be matched
▪ Including:
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
Camera model/type
Lens/focal length
F-stop, White balance
Shutter speed, Frame rate, frame size
Codec, filters,
Other features that affect output

Multi-Cam Challenges
 On set
▪ Lighting
▪ (outdoor natural light may ease challenge)
▪ Framing shots
▪ Shots need to be different enough to avoid a jump cut
▪ Location of boom operator
▪ So they are not in the shot

Going Tapeless
 Newer cameras are using media cards
▪ Less of a hassle
▪ Risk of accidental deletion
▪ Keep multiple cards on hand
 Tape & media card combo
▪ Some cameras offer use of both
▪ To have a back up tape for archiving