Production Skills #6

This session we looked at the AVC cameras (hurray no more tape camcorders!!). I'm going to do the same with my notes as I did when we learned about the Cannon and Panasonic cameras and just type up my words in note form because ain't nobody got time for full sentences.

• iris button= auto or manual. Scroll below it= aperture.
• focus and iris button changes ring on lens
• Zoom= manual or servo. Servo= buttons. Manual= rings on lens. Rings lock when switched to servo. Do not force rings. 
• Focus button= auto, manual, ∞. 
• ∞ can focus anywhere and fast.
• Focus assist= quick one button focus.
• Bars button= turns off display and shows colour bars
• Input 2= mono sound. Channel 2 select= input 2 and inside mic only. 
• Counter button, then reset. 0:00.00 for production log.
• OIS= optical image stabiliser
• LCD= brightness of screen. Doesn't effect footage.
• EVL DTL= electronic viewfinder detail. Sharpness. Doesn't effect footage. 
• WVF= waveform. Changes LCD screen.
• Headphone vol.= audio near the eye piece.
• Very top zoom servo= same speed no matter how hard you press. Turn this on at the top of the camera.
• Don't force the SD card slot.
• Scene file= F1 standard. Changes how sensor sees light. Can make more filmic.
• Interlaced and progressive record format. Keep on PH.
• PC mode= playback. Format card before shoot.
• 50htz= British standard.

We then looked at three point lighting again but this time first hand as we got set loose on the lights and gels. We first learnt how to calculate wattage. 

volts x amps = watts

When recording in the studio, the sockets each hold 13 amps. The extensions can hold 10 amps unwound. The UK standard of volts in the circuits is 240 volts. So that means we can have 3120 watts maximum. Each red head is 800 watts.  The generator at Green Lane has 9.5 amps inside. 

We then looked at the actual studio lights on the ceiling. The blue toggle (is that the word?) on them is to pan the lights, white is to tilt them, yellow is to focus and red is on and off (red toggle are only on the 2k lights). Do not rig/put up lights with lights on (common sense really). We were most impressed with the blinds in the control room being inside the glass and the magnets that control how they go up and down.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/dbaumann/25-times-family-guy-was-spot-on-n002

We then experimented with the red heads and also the blonde since one of our red heads was dodgy. We put a red gel on the blonde and a green gel on the fill light which gave a really spooky and 3D feel to it. The back light did not have one on to give the characters some colour and highlights.