HOW do you keep GLARE off the Monitor IN THE FIELD ?? Sunshade does NOT work.

[George D.]

We did our first boom shot OUTDOORS with our Red-One yesterday and noticed a problem I'm hoping someone on this forum can help me with.

We got glare on the face of the monitor that even the sunshade could not eliminate.

Since we have to mount the 7" LCD Monitor on the back end of the boom arm, and the arm moves during the shot, there is also no way to keep our faces pressed up against it while the shot happens. The sun shade does no good and the glare makes the image almost impossible to see.

I know Hoodman makes monitor sunshades that are long and where you have to press your face up against the end of them to see the image. These are good, but there is no way we can do this WHILE the boom is moving.

If any of you know a solution or a different technique that works, please let me know.

I would be most grateful.

Thanks.

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[Justin Marx]

Have a grip hold a 4x4 floppy over the monitor, or use a monitor that doesn't move (on a stand).

 

[Meryem Ersoz]

you can build a longer snoot for your LCD out of Cinefoil or blackwrap.

or run a longer cable or add a wireless receiver to an external monitor which can be kept under shade for viewing purposes.

 

[George D.]

Sorry guys, but neither one of those suggestions will work. First of all, we don't have a grip. There is only the two of us doing wildlife and we can't afford assistants running along with us. Second, a longer snoot out of foil will not work because it's not strong enough, and shade is not always an option either.

Thanks anyway.

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[Kennan Ward]

I use a LCD hood.

Made by: .-.

| O-+- cinetactics.com

`-´

tactical DV products

Kennan

 

[Will Keir]

Can you get a EFV?

 

[Glen Powell]

Have a grip hold a 4x4 floppy over the monitor, or use a monitor that doesn't move (on a stand).

Amend this to:
Have a magic arm attached to the jib hold a 4x4 floppy over the monitor...

Also what monitor are you using? Some of them are Shite out in the sun - even with a shade.

 

[Blair S. Paulsen]

On some jibs you can mount the LCD on a self leveling arm that moves in concert with the camera head. You could also try mounting the LCD to a gobo arm attached to the jib support rather than the back of the arm. You could have one person hand hold the LCD and keep it oriented to the jib op as they move about.

Cheers - #19

 

[Glen Powell]

There really are probably a million solutions to this problem, and all of them come from the experience of frankensteining grip equipment on the go (either on your own or from watching others on set).

Some of it also opening your mind and thinking 'I can' and not 'I can't' - You don't need an assistant to set a flag (could be a crappy piece of cardboard you grab at the grocery store)

 

[Bob Gundu]

You'd be surprised what a young assistant costs for the day.

Sorry guys, but neither one of those suggestions will work. First of all, we don't have a grip. There is only the two of us doing wildlife and we can't afford assistants running along with us. Second, a longer snoot out of foil will not work because it's not strong enough, and shade is not always an option either.

Thanks anyway.

.

 

[Glen Powell]

Second, a longer snoot out of foil will not work because it's not strong enough,

.

I don't know why I keep coming back to this - not sure why it bothers me so - But are you using Cinefoil / blackwrap? That stuff is strong enough to make a snoot over 2 feet long, and if you double it up…

Mind you by the time you buy a roll of that stuff you could hire a P.A. for a week.

 

[Brian F Kobylarz]

On some jibs you can mount the LCD on a self leveling arm that moves in concert with the camera head. You could also try mounting the LCD to a gobo arm attached to the jib support rather than the back of the arm. You could have one person hand hold the LCD and keep it oriented to the jib op as they move about.

Cheers - #19

I would say the suggestions by Blair make the most sense - matches my experiences.

Consider the Jimmy Jib for example - with the monitor support on the side of the pivot point, it does not move up & down when the camera does.
Going left to right, the monitor travels with the operator. Good design.

In the situation you describe, a snoot is better than a flag.

What would help in your search for a solution is a bit more information:
What equipment are you using? A small jib arm like a Seven or Losmandy or something with a lot more reach?
Remote head or static?

A trick I did once or twice with a Seven jib was employing video game goggles that accepted a VGA signal - That was an AC power available job so I used an Extron box to convert the HDSDI signal to VGA and the "shot monitor" remained with me no matter how I moved in relation to the jib. You can probably find an inexpensive battery powered portable equivalent with a search.
A side benefit to the goggles versus pressing your face into a monitor hood is that you retain visibility of your surroundings - which can save you from a fall or other safety issue.


Been meaning to try that with a Teradek and HDMI goggles - but the wireless option would likely be outside your budget.

 

[Marc Wielage]

Sorry guys, but neither one of those suggestions will work. First of all, we don't have a grip. There is only the two of us doing wildlife and we can't afford assistants running along with us.

You can't afford another $100 a day for a student? But you can afford a crane?

I have worked on low-budget shoots where they took some black duvatine, made kind of a square cloth hood out of it, and gaffer-taped it to the monitor. The director was able to see the picture just fine. I assume a crane monitor could be fitted the same way, provided it didn't throw the balance off.

Don't forget, crews did this decades ago, even before digital, when the images coming out of film cameras was fairly dim and monitors weren't too bright. (Though you can make an argument that old CRT monitors don't have the washed-out problems in direct sunlight that LCD monitors do.)

 

[George D.]

You can't afford another $100 a day for a student? But you can afford a crane?

I have worked on low-budget shoots where they took some black duvatine, made kind of a square cloth hood out of it, and gaffer-taped it to the monitor. The director was able to see the picture just fine. I assume a crane monitor could be fitted the same way, provided it didn't throw the balance off.

Don't forget, crews did this decades ago, even before digital, when the images coming out of film cameras was fairly dim and monitors weren't too bright. (Though you can make an argument that old CRT monitors don't have the washed-out problems in direct sunlight that LCD monitors do.)

A "crane" ?? Who has a crane? We just have a small boom arm.

Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions, but I think what I will do is just make a long, extended, homemade viewing snoot out of black foam-core.

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[Bob Gundu]

jib, crane, boom... same thing.

A "crane" ?? Who has a crane? We just have a small boom arm.

Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions, but I think what I will do is just make a long, extended, homemade viewing snoot out of black foam-core.

.

 

[George D.]

jib, crane, boom... same thing.

Well, yes, true, it's just semantics here.

What I mean is, we do not have some big, expensive rig, and there is ONLY the two of us as I have said before. We are very low budget, cannot afford assistants, and must do the best we can with what we've got. It's as simple as that.

Thanks again.

Over and out.

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