Make Red footage look like video

[Dolph van Stapele]

Hi,

Tomorrow I'm going to shoot a short film. One scene is a 'late night' kind of show. It has to look like it was shot on video camera's in a studio. So interlaced video stuff. I have a studio but the camera's are 4:1:1 camera's which can't do a really good green screen job, which is the backdrop of the late night show. I want to record it with the Epic instead. Is there a way I can make it look like video. Maybe shoot it 59,98 in 23,98 timeline?

Some tips would be awesome.

 

[Julio Quintana]

Setting your project to 29.97 fps and shooting at 29.97 will give you the look you're after. Are you planning to cut that footage into a 23.98 timeline?

 

[David Mullen ASC]

I'd try something like 59.94P for playback on a CRT monitor on set as NTSC, and turn off the shutter (360 degree shutter)... but if this not for playback on a set monitor, then it may be a bit more messy to convert 59.94 to 23.98 to cut directly into the short film. Even cutting real interlaced video directly into 24P video tends to not be as clear to the audience that this is supposed to be a switch to "video" unless you add film grain to the 24P stuff.

I'd consider shooting 59.94P / no shutter and rephotographing the footage off of a CRT monitor, and then any direct cut in of the talk show footage should be shot in the "real world" frame rate of 23.98P.

Another trick besides turning off the shutter is to shoot at a very low ASA so that you have clippier highlights and a super clean image. But use a lot of light so you can also stop down -- part of the look of studio video is that it is shot on 2/3" sensor cameras.

 

[Nick Morrison]

I'd consider shooting 59.94P / no shutter and rephotographing the footage off of a CRT monitor, and then any direct cut in of the talk show footage should be shot in the "real world" frame rate of 23.98P.

Such a great idea!!

 

[Dolph van Stapele]

Yes Julio Quintane, I cut it in 23.98 timeline.

 

[Dolph van Stapele]

I'd consider shooting 59.94P / no shutter and rephotographing the footage off of a CRT monitor, and then any direct cut in of the talk show footage should be shot in the "real world" frame rate of 23.98P.

Another trick besides turning off the shutter is to shoot at a very low ASA so that you have clippier highlights and a super clean image. But use a lot of light so you can also stop down -- part of the look of studio video is that it is shot on 2/3" sensor cameras.

Thanks David Mullen, great idea. Do you think I'll see the lines of the crt monitor, if so would that be it bit odd?

 

[Dolph van Stapele]

I'd try something like 59.94P for playback on a CRT monitor on set as NTSC, and turn off the shutter (360 degree shutter)... but if this not for playback on a set monitor, then it may be a bit more messy to convert 59.94 to 23.98 to cut directly into the short film. Even cutting real interlaced video directly into 24P video tends to not be as clear to the audience that this is supposed to be a switch to "video" unless you add film grain to the 24P stuff.

I'd consider shooting 59.94P / no shutter and rephotographing the footage off of a CRT monitor, and then any direct cut in of the talk show footage should be shot in the "real world" frame rate of 23.98P.

Another trick besides turning off the shutter is to shoot at a very low ASA so that you have clippier highlights and a super clean image. But use a lot of light so you can also stop down -- part of the look of studio video is that it is shot on 2/3" sensor cameras.

Thanks David Mullen, great idea. Do you think I'll see the lines of the crt monitor, if so would that be it bit odd?

 

[Dr. Sassi]

The aesthetic of "video" is normally set as ENG camera style. If that is the target here, use a very wide lens, but go not higher than 3k.
Close the lens as much as you can, you need a wide depth of field to simulate this.
I would go then with a small camera light to work, to get that non-filmic feeling of ENG footage.

Use a 270º or even a full open shutter.

In post I would reduce it to 8bit/c and 16-235. If that is done, over-sharpen and saturate the footage. Then bring it back to normal saturation to get some tiny banding.
There a some cameras who claim to do HD but stretch from 1440 to 1920, which introduce a little horizontal blur. 0.3 pixels, but before sharpening.

Crashed blacks and clipped highlights are typical as well. Perhaps you can introduce a slight auto-expusere change.

A side idea, to increase a lens distortion and chromatic aberration is based on the art direction, perhaps on the start and then pull it down slowly, after the point is made, and the audience "knows" we look through a different camera now.

The effect works best when compared to the "normal footage".

A stronger use was OK some decades ago, as TV sets were in SD, todays screens have "trained the audience eyes" otherwise and I guess it needs less these days.
A great example is in "Swing Vote", just noticeable enough to not throw one out of the movie.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Thanks David Mullen, great idea. Do you think I'll see the lines of the crt monitor, if so would that be it bit odd?

If you think the lines are too distracting, you could start with them in and then dissolve them out as if you were "entering" the TV set. Then the lines themselves could be added in post and then removed as an effect, or you can try a match dissolve between the image on a monitor and then cut straight in. The trouble with playing 59.94P footage in a 23.98P timeline is that it will be slow-motion, it has to be played back at 59.94P to stay normal speed, so you'd have to convert the 59.94P footage to 23.98P so it can play in a 23.98P timeline as normal speed.

 

[Dolph van Stapele]

Thanks everyone, very helpful.

 

[Jeffery Anderson]

I'd echo a lot of what's being said, large depth of field with high key lighting, using a higher frame rate(could try 48fps) and stopping the lens down.

For me, the video look is achieved by zooms and what really sells it is the punch in or pull out... looks so much different than a dolly, jib or crane. Maybe a Fujinon Cabrio?

 

[Marc Wielage]

A great example is in "Swing Vote", just noticeable enough to not throw one out of the movie.

Ah, I'm the guy who handled all the footage in Swing Vote, which was an interesting experience. Shane Hurlbut did a dynamite job lighting both the scripted sequences and the "video" material for the film.

 

[Dr. Sassi]

Ah, I'm the guy who handled all the footage in Swing Vote, which was an interesting experience. Shane Hurlbut did a dynamite job lighting both the scripted sequences and the "video" material for the film.

Great work, Marc. He certainly knows how to get things working, and that includes, with no doubts, to find the right people to work with.

I currently follow his ideas even a little bit closer: https://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/innercircle-home/