music video 101 from red#0031

[dino g]

1. use a sync slate from the playback guy/gal

2. make sure the sync slate is in focus and in the frame every time you roll

2a. don't let them take it away from the camera until you see the red numbers moving.

3. be a genius, ask the 1st & 2nd nicely if they will kindly place the slate in front of the camera and in focus before the run buttom is pushed.

3a. label the slates with the drive letter and number, the format (2:1, HD, 16x9, 4.5k, 3k 16:9.....), frame rate (tricky with multiple cameras running various rates).

3b. if it is dark use a flashlight to illuminate the slate, backlight slates only kinda work some of the time, spend 9 bucks at home depot and get 5 led lights, they work pretty good and will last between the 5 at least a year.

4. spend $500.00 and buy a wireless mic or spend a couple of hundred dollars and get a small boom mic.

5. place the wireless mic transmitter in the playback board and connect the receiver to the camera.

6. or place the boom mic on the camera and connect it to the camera (make sure it has a battery that has juice, check it often to make sure it still has power)

7. if you have more than one camera, make sure to do step 1-3 for each additional camera.

8. if you have more than one camera, find a way to share timecode. (buy a 5 pin to 5 pin lemo at coffey sound or location sound or joe bob the internet sound guys website and use that cable to jam each camera - [take the cable and place it in one camera, make sure that camera is set to output, place the other end in each additional camera and make sure those cameras are set to jam ( and not to output)], or bring lock-it boxes)

9. make 1/8 res prores files with timecode & filename burned in

10. take the 1/8th prores files and drop them into fcp

11. push out an exported quicktime

12. drop that into idvd and burn a dvd for the director so he/she has something to start watching immediately.

13. if the content is longer than 100 minutes, make sure you have either DL dvd's or you know how to use dvd studio pro...if the content is longer than 150 minutes, put it on multiple disks.

14. create higher res transcode if you have the machine power to do so.

15. did i mention to put the slate in front on the camera each time you roll and to make sure it is in focus.

these little tips may sound ridiculous to some of the vets out there, but you would be surprised at how many people do not know these basics.

yes you can get away with it and not do 90% of this and still get hired again from the producer or prod mgr. but the director and editor will think twice about hiring you if you do not do these basic things.

without following these basic rules you will make it harder on the director and editor. (that's a period)

good luck and happy shooting.

dino georgopoulos


p.s. these tips and tricks are free of charge because i can not be on every job, if you screw up your job, then maybe that producer, director, editor, production manager, label, agency, client; will think all red cameras and camera owners/tech are as retarded as you and will never want to work with the camera system again. and that sucks for all of us.

learn it, practice using it, know it, be confident and stay educated, this stuff changes constantly.

 

[Brandon Fraley]

Thanks again D.

 

[Brain S]

quick and dirty style:
play the playback - sync in post ;-)

 

[Greg Ephraim]

quick and dirty style:
play the playback - sync in post ;-)

or even iPhone slate it, works like a charm.

ps-wouldn't believe how many videos the directors say after the 1st take "F$%K THE SLATE!!"
then again, these are the directors that edit themselves....and let's face it, with music video budgets these days, that's mainly the case, hehe

 

[Eirik Tyrihjel]

quick and dirty style:
play the playback - sync in post ;-)

My style!

 

[Vince K]

Great tips!!
If I showed up on a music vid set without my slate, I'd get my balls chopped off.
Syncing in post is okay I guess, and ONLY if it was my own production, but I wouldn't recommend it. It only takes a few seconds to slate a shot. It's worth it in the long run, especially if you're the one sitting in front of the computer trying to sync up shots....no slate = massive headache.
.....not to mention that it's the normal protocol on any professional production.

But I gotta ask since I'm out of the loop on this one.....iPhone slate???

****EDIT****
Just youtubed the Slate and iSlate apps...pretty cool tools if you're in a pinch, I guess. Better than nothin'.

 

[Jay A. Kelley]

I use the master song with it's own timecode.. Then run playback AND timecode from the song back to the RED when shooting. No slate needed. It's already there!

Simple, and keeps the inexperienced directors happy. If case anyone asks I use a Cantar X-2 for playback.. Overkill? perhaps, but worth every penny on a music video

Jay

 

[Julio Quintana]

Dino has more RED production credits than he does REDUser posts. Take his advice seriously.

 

[CJ Roy]

I'm sure this is helpful for some, but a lot of these duties should be falling on the AC's, VTR & Playback, not the DIT/Red Tech. I agree that a lot of these ideas should be happening, and you wouldn't believe that even on the largest scale videos they don't, but any production blaming some of these on the Red Camera/DIT/Owner/etc is ridiculous.
I hate to disagree with you Dino, but I just want to make sure that we're assigning the blame of any particular problems to the appropriate departments.

1. use a sync slate from the playback guy/gal

Absolutely agree, without a smart slate it's essentially guesswork for the asst. editors/editors in regards to any performance. I can't remember the last non-micro budget music video that didn't have one. Any production supervisor with a small bit of experience should know who to hire, and a smart slate is certainly a prerequisite of that.
If post, which usually has a nightmare turnaround (some labels being more notorious than others), has significant trouble syncing footage because of soft focus, the DP/AC is blamed.

2. make sure the sync slate is in focus and in the frame every time you roll

It's just common sense that the slate be in focus, and that falls on the focus puller/1st AC, not the DIT.

2a. don't let them take it away from the camera until you see the red numbers moving.
3. be a genius, ask the 1st & 2nd nicely if they will kindly place the slate in front of the camera and in focus before the run buttom is pushed.

This is usually a symptom of rush/panic mode late into the shoot. Long hours, quick setups and a trigger happy AD who fires off orders before anyone's ready. Or sometimes on occasion, it's a DP, very used to film and shooting on short ends, and yells at the 2nd to "Pull the slate!" a millisecond after roll camera is called. But again, this is not a DIT's responsibility.
Production's usually have some sort of relationship with AC's. It's impossible not to cross paths in the music video world. After all, a Director represented by Production has their short list of DP's and those DP's have their short list of camera crew. Point being, soft focus problems and rumors travel fast, and if the AC's have a consistent problem of not getting the slate, then they're not going to get hired again.

3a. label the slates with the drive letter and number, the format (2:1, HD, 16x9, 4.5k, 3k 16:9.....), frame rate (tricky with multiple cameras running various rates).

2nd's responsibility, along with Scripty (if there is one).

3b. if it is dark use a flashlight to illuminate the slate, backlight slates only kinda work some of the time, spend 9 bucks at home depot and get 5 led lights, they work pretty good and will last between the 5 at least a year.

2nd's responsibility. Although a lot more of these shoots don't have a 2nd, it falls on the 1st and whoever the PA is that has to slate. And since PA's can't really be blamed for not knowing much, it falls on the 1st AC.

4. spend $500.00 and buy a wireless mic or spend a couple of hundred dollars and get a small boom mic.

5. place the wireless mic transmitter in the playback board and connect the receiver to the camera.

6. or place the boom mic on the camera and connect it to the camera (make sure it has a battery that has juice, check it often to make sure it still has power)

7. if you have more than one camera, make sure to do step 1-3 for each additional camera.

This can certainly be a nice addition but 9/10 times it's not required or expected. Make sure your DP/Op/1st AC wants any more crap on their camera. A small wireless receiver is small, but the gear starts to add up on the camera and it can become a mess and make the camera hard to handle.
If you're the camera owner, I'd certainly suggest charging for your equipment that WILL get banged up and tossed around.
Otherwise, if just serving as the DIT, the camera rental house or playback should provide this if required.

8. if you have more than one camera, find a way to share timecode. (buy a 5 pin to 5 pin lemo at coffey sound or location sound or joe bob the internet sound guys website and use that cable to jam each camera - [take the cable and place it in one camera, make sure that camera is set to output, place the other end in each additional camera and make sure those cameras are set to jam ( and not to output)], or bring lock-it boxes)

Agreed. This does fall on the AC's/DIT/Playback.

9. make 1/8 res prores files with timecode & filename burned in

10. take the 1/8th prores files and drop them into fcp
11. push out an exported quicktime
12. drop that into idvd and burn a dvd for the director so he/she has something to start watching immediately.
13. if the content is longer than 100 minutes, make sure you have either DL dvd's or you know how to use dvd studio pro...if the content is longer than 150 minutes, put it on multiple disks.

Immediate playback falls on VTR.

14. create higher res transcode if you have the machine power to do so.

Talk with post and find out what they're cutting on and what their requirements are. Specifically, DNxHD for Avid (which A LOT of music videos are cut on) or ProRes for Final Cut. An offline transcoded on set isn't a necessity, but a luxury which DIT's should be charging for. You are saving post time and money by doing this, and you'll need an 8-Core at minimum to pull off the average music video. Charge your kit fee. Any decent production should be expecting it.

these little tips may sound ridiculous to some of the vets out there, but you would be surprised at how many people do not know these basics.

yes you can get away with it and not do 90% of this and still get hired again from the producer or prod mgr. but the director and editor will think twice about hiring you if you do not do these basic things.

p.s. these tips and tricks are free of charge because i can not be on every job, if you screw up your job, then maybe that producer, director, editor, production manager, label, agency, client; will think all red cameras and camera owners/tech are as retarded as you and will never want to work with the camera system again. and that sucks for all of us.

And here's where we disagree. While these things should be done, a lot of them should not be done by DIT's. If you're the most experienced person on set noticing everyone else's job, then there might be bigger issues at play.
Production should be hiring qualified people in all departments and they should KNOW their jobs, and DIT's should know theirs.

I apologize if this was meant for just general music video knowledge, but the last statement seems to indicate that a DIT is responsible for all these duties, which is not fair or standard.

Thanks.

-CJ

 

[Liam Hall]

1
these little tips may sound ridiculous to some of the vets out there, but you would be surprised at how many people do not know these basics.

I'm always amazed how few people from the camera department have been in an edit suite, an online, sound studio or a grading suite. A little knowledge of post-production would really help a lot of folk in production.

 

[C.H.Haskell]

Good advise, thanks for sharing.

 

[dino g]

yikes i wish i had the time to go through all of cj's points. bottom line for me personally is i want the director to have the best possible experience and often times the ac's dont know how to use redcine and they are used to having a telecine where the start of a take can start at where the slate is in.

if you are an owner operator or a person that just rents your camera or just a dit, watch out for these things, they may be an issue for you and the director. that is all i am saying.

good luck shooting.

 

[CJ Roy]

Dino-

I certainly meant no offense with my reply, just counterpoints to some of the listed duties you stated. I hope all directors are going to have the best possible experience with the RED and it can be an amazing and painless experience, with the right crew. We've both worked on some of the biggest music videos in town, and I think we can agree there are distinct lines in the sand between departments for a reason. Anyone with a vendetta against RED is probably going to be able to find a reason to dislike it until they realize it's not going away, or have to do a job with another video/digital camera and then come back to a RED production and realize its benefits.
2009 has been a dramatic difference in temperament to the camera than 2008. Hopefully it'll continue along that path.

In any case, any production that has Dino as a DIT/Red Tech is in great hands.

 

[Steve Sherrick]

Good tips all around Dino and CJ. Always good to get it right on set, saves a lot of time later on. I've had to edit some music videos that were not shot with respect for editorial.

I'm directing a music video this weekend, finally taking some time away from the technical side of RED (not entirely because I'll still be heavily involved with the camera) and focusing on the creative.

 

[dino g]

And here's where we disagree. While these things should be done, a lot of them should not be done by DIT's. If you're the most experienced person on set noticing everyone else's job, then there might be bigger issues at play.
Production should be hiring qualified people in all departments and they should KNOW their jobs, and DIT's should know theirs.

I apologize if this was meant for just general music video knowledge, but the last statement seems to indicate that a DIT is responsible for all these duties, which is not fair or standard.

let me just address this, i am a producer with 22 years of experience in this business at every budget range for every genre. i do go into jobs with a team mentality, not a "it's not my job" mentality. while that later mentality may work for some people, it certainly does not work for me. i dont try and do other people's jobs, but i certainly let those in my department and those related to what is captured with my camera know in a subtle way where things could be improved. as everyone knows, the DP is in charge of the composition of the shot, by definition everything in the shot is within his expertise and he/she has jurisdiction in making it known when something is out of place. therefore as we are, first, there to support the DP, then it is certainly within our job description to raise red flags when we see something out of place. which is the beauty and benefit of an experienced filmmaker that works as a DIT.

meaning, we have the luxury of sitting back and watching every set up and using our golden eyes to catch things like blown highlights, moire, under/over exposure and generally things that are out of place. the dp although tasked with those same responsibilities sometimes may be challenged by the directors demands and may be focusing on 90% of what is happening and that other 10% maybe what we are able to catch.

should we shut up and let that person fail? and if so, then when that person doesn't work again, then you may not get a job, too.

we are a safety net for everyone involved. i take that responsibility very seriously, we know more about the Digital Image than everyone else on set. that is why we were hired. we should be able to tell in a moment when something is wrong, and then communicate it in an appropriate manner at the appropriate time.

if you do not agree with that and want to sit in a tent reading posts on reduser and downloading files then perhaps that job is better described as a download manager. i am involved with each and every set up and take the words "last looks" to mean; hey DIT have you signed off on this because everyone else has taken their best shot. if i see something, then i speak into my walkie and let the 1st know what i see as a problem, he can whisper in the ear of the dp and make the dp look like a hero. that is how i like to work.

you may have a different style and or a different frame of reference. i used to be responsible for everything, now i get to just be a critic and use my expertise to help make the day run smoother for everyone without the headache of writing checks at the end of the night.

good luck.

dino

 

[Steve Sherrick]

let me just address this, i am a producer with 22 years of experience in this business at every budget range for every genre. i do go into jobs with a team mentality, not a "it's not my job" mentality. while that later mentality may work for some people, it certainly does not work for me. i dont try and do other people's jobs, but i certainly let those in my department and those related to what is captured with my camera know in a subtle way where things could be improved. as everyone knows, the DP is in charge of the composition of the shot, by definition everything in the shot is within his expertise and he/she has jurisdiction in making it known when something is out of place. therefore as we are, first, there to support the DP, then it is certainly within our job description to raise red flags when we see something out of place. which is the beauty and benefit of an experienced filmmaker that works as a DIT.

Dino, I agree with this, but I think it comes with only one caveat. Those who are far less experienced than you have to also know when they've crossed the line and said too much. It's a delicate balance and one that comes much more natural for someone who has many years in the business and knows set protocol inside and out, as you do. I've heard some horror stories, especially early on of RED Techs/DITs going a bit too far in telling DPs what to do. Obviously, this doesn't apply to the experienced DITs who know how to conduct themselves on set and establish good relationships with DPs and Assistants.

meaning, we have the luxury of sitting back and watching every set up and using our golden eyes to catch things like blown highlights, moire, under/over exposure and generally things that are out of place. the dp although tasked with those same responsibilities sometimes may be challenged by the directors demands and may be focusing on 90% of what is happening and that other 10% maybe what we are able to catch.

should we shut up and let that person fail? and if so, then when that person doesn't work again, then you may not get a job, too.

we are a safety net for everyone involved. i take that responsibility very seriously, we know more about the Digital Image than everyone else on set. that is why we were hired. we should be able to tell in a moment when something is wrong, and then communicate it in an appropriate manner at the appropriate time.

I have found some DPs relying heavily on my judgement, and others who appreciate the advice but may choose to do something different. But being there to support them is a key thing as you say. Communication and building trust makes production go much smoother. When everyone is in sync, life is good.

if you do not agree with that and want to sit in a tent reading posts on reduser and downloading files then perhaps that job is better described as a download manager. i am involved with each and every set up and take the words "last looks" to mean; hey DIT have you signed off on this because everyone else has taken their best shot. if i see something, then i speak into my walkie and let the 1st know what i see as a problem, he can whisper in the ear of the dp and make the dp look like a hero. that is how i like to work.

Nothing wrong with multitasking right?

But I understand your main point. I'd much rather be involved with how the images look, than to only be a data guy. With some jobs, the pendulum can swing more towards the data side, but I'm much happier when I am involved with the camera team.

you may have a different style and or a different frame of reference. i used to be responsible for everything, now i get to just be a critic and use my expertise to help make the day run smoother for everyone without the headache of writing checks at the end of the night.

Hopefully you are getting better sleep at night now.


dino[/QUOTE]

 

[CJ Roy]

let me just address this, i am a producer with 22 years of experience in this business at every budget range for every genre. i do go into jobs with a team mentality, not a "it's not my job" mentality.

I don't think one can successfully serve as a crew member without being a team player, although it does seem to be a common attitude on certain sets. On every job, I'll usually go above and beyond my duties as the situation dictates. But that's not what we were initially discussing. We're talking about where the duty lies, and where blame might be set improperly by production.

while that later mentality may work for some people, it certainly does not work for me. i dont try and do other people's jobs, but i certainly let those in my department and those related to what is captured with my camera know in a subtle way where things could be improved. as everyone knows, the DP is in charge of the composition of the shot, by definition everything in the shot is within his expertise and he/she has jurisdiction in making it known when something is out of place. therefore as we are, first, there to support the DP, then it is certainly within our job description to raise red flags when we see something out of place. which is the beauty and benefit of an experienced filmmaker that works as a DIT.

Absolutely agreed. Perhaps I didn't communicate this well in my initial reply, but in no way am I condoning an "every man for himself" attitude or a lack of communication to problems on set. Everyone should be notified of a significant problem as quickly and tactfully as possible.

meaning, we have the luxury of sitting back and watching every set up and using our golden eyes to catch things like blown highlights, moire, under/over exposure and generally things that are out of place. the dp although tasked with those same responsibilities sometimes may be challenged by the directors demands and may be focusing on 90% of what is happening and that other 10% maybe what we are able to catch.

should we shut up and let that person fail? and if so, then when that person doesn't work again, then you may not get a job, too.

Again, no we should not shut down communication whatsoever. It's absolutely vital to a working environment and it's crucial that our department succeeds. But where duty lies, is where blame should be given if there is a problem.

we are a safety net for everyone involved. i take that responsibility very seriously, we know more about the Digital Image than everyone else on set. that is why we were hired. we should be able to tell in a moment when something is wrong, and then communicate it in an appropriate manner at the appropriate time.

I agree to an extent. Such as, if #2 - #3b does not happen, something should be said following the appropriate protocol. However, it is not the DIT's responsibility for proper focus. I just want to make that absolutely clear. Notification should always be given if there is a problem. That is your job, as a "safety net". However it is not your responsibility if someone's a shitty focus puller or a 2nd doesn't know to open the slate.

I think this is where we're getting our signals crossed, unfortunately. Production blaming a RED owner, as you suggest, for this is ridiculous. As a producer, you would have found fault with the DIT's or the AC's for soft focus on a slate? You would hold the DIT utterly responsible?

if you do not agree with that and want to sit in a tent reading posts on reduser and downloading files then perhaps that job is better described as a download manager. i am involved with each and every set up and take the words "last looks" to mean; hey DIT have you signed off on this because everyone else has taken their best shot. if i see something, then i speak into my walkie and let the 1st know what i see as a problem, he can whisper in the ear of the dp and make the dp look like a hero. that is how i like to work.

As Steve said, different DP's take different amounts of feedback. Some rely on you, some don't. When working with a DP, I'll gladly share my thoughts on what could be problematic down the coloring pipeline, but it's their job to utilize that information as it suits them. Those decisions, are what makes them a DP. Those that don't take any feedback, or don't need it, can essentially make anyone into a data babysitter. But that's no reason not to invite them to the station/tent/van down by the river/etc and try to show them a little of what can be done with just metadata or more.

you may have a different style and or a different frame of reference. i used to be responsible for everything, now i get to just be a critic and use my expertise to help make the day run smoother for everyone without the headache of writing checks at the end of the night.

good luck.

dino

My disagreement was with what duties should fall on the DIT on the average music video, and what blame could be given to a DIT for soft focus, slates not being recorded, etc.

Again, I meant no offense and I hope none was taken.

 

[dino g]

no offense taken. the genesis of the post was a specific situation that happened a couple of days ago, whereby i was unable to do a job, i gave it to someone else that i trusted, and still trust. the producer called me and asked me to make some dvd dailies from the footage. in watching the footage, i found most of the problems that i discussed. so, in my frustration, i came up with those little rules. more for the newbies than someone like cj whom i would trust with my very best clients.

however, i do like the healthy discussion about a dit's responsibilities, in my opinion the job description is a moving target and that it is what makes it so exciting. i am giving probably too much to production for what i charge, but my justification is that i am developing relationships first and learning second and making money third, because for me, i bought this camera for myself to use and any money i make as a dit/rental house is really gravy.

good luck.

dino

 

[CJ Roy]

I'm sorry some of the footage came out like that, and with an editorial background, I totally sympathize with your frustration. The audio reference track would definitely be a life saver if the slate was missed.

I just happen to always carry a wireless Sennheiser receiver and transmitter for that reason, but the idea to use it is usually rejected as not being necessary. I might change my approach a little now and be a bit more forceful in my suggestions with it, starting tomorrow. I think those with a lot of 35 experience are a little reluctant to have sound on camera, sometimes myself included.

Another help in this situation would be if we had some sort of notification that the Red was recording, while the EVF & LCD were being used. (hint hint, wink wink) It's a complaint as old as the EVF, but we have no idea if the camera is rolling other than hearing the AC yell "speed".

The role of the DIT, specifically in regards to RED, should definitely be openly discussed more. As you say, it's a moving target and changing constantly. At least it's never boring! (except for maybe 3 days on a green screen)

Every production is different, and sometimes producers and DP's expect different things from us, with or without our own cameras. Sometimes it's used against us, sometimes it benefits us. But we can all agree, it's a damn exciting time to be a filmmaker. Never has there been such quality options available.

 

[Pedro Guimaraes]

Nice recommendations...basic yes but often overlooked especially when your behind on schedule.

My only addition would be to remember to re-sync the camera to the slate(or TC generator device) often... in my experience even after as a little as 30 mins I already start seeing 1-2 frame drift from whats on the slate and what's being recorded.

I've worked with an audio guy that used this slate,

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=Ambient Slate&N=0

and we connected his wireless TC reciver to the camera and left it always plugges into the camera. This made sure we had no timcode drift.

If I remember the slate will actually measure TC drift as well......very nice.....

Best smart slate I've used.