Anamorphic (2.39:1) with Panasonic HVX200

[Yoshanka]

Hi,

 

I am a film student and I'm going to shoot a movie very soon on the Panasonic HVX200. I would like to shoot it on anamorphic (2.39:1) but we don't have enough budget to rent a lens. I would like to know if there is any setting on the Panasonic HVX 200 that allows you to know where the two "black bars" are going to be if I want it to be anamorphic. And if not, I would like to know how much gaffer tape I should put on the monitor and on the LCD Screen. I might use either a small portable monitor or a regular size monitor.

 

Please send me a reply as soon as possible.

 

Yoshi

[Pete Von Tews]

Hi,

 

My suggestion would be to shoot in 1080 for more "resolution" then crop it in post. Make cropmarks on the lcd or the monitor you will be using, but be careful not to damage the display surface. Gaff tape might work if its gentle. Also maybe a light line with a grease pencil, or make a clear plastic overlay (with crop marks) and put that over the lcd.

 

-pete

[Yoshanka]

Thanks for replying so soon. What do you mean by 1080? And where exactly on lcd screen should I put the cropmarks?

Edited June 20, 2008 by Yoshanka

[Pete Von Tews]

Thanks for replying so soon. What do you mean by 1080? And where exactly on lcd screen should I put the cropmarks?

 

Hi!

 

If you plan to frame and work with a 2.39:1 format, then I would record in a higher resolution recording format like the 1080 so you have more image data, because to get the 2.39:1 aspect ratio, you will have to discard a lot of the image data in the frame. I usually shoot in 720PN which gives me great quality and gives me more recording time, but If I wanted to go with the 2.39:1 aspect ratio, I would shoot in 1080.

 

As far as where to put the cropmarks, I would print out a page that has the different aspect ratios (like 16:9 and 2.39:1), put it on the wall, set the hvx on a tripod and when you frame up the 16:9 ratio to be aligned with the display, then you should see the 2.39:1 as well, then make a guide like I mentioned in the earlier posting.

 

Here is a reference for aspect ratios:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspect_ratio_(image)

 

-pete

[Paul Bruening]

I've done the gaffer's tape to soft screen and it can go badly. It's too sticky when left on for a few days or more and either tugs on the surface or leaves gunk on it when you pull it off. Blue painter's tape does great. Actually, it tends to fall off all on it's own. So, I notched the plastic edges of the monitor for the correct taping points from the first tape application. Then, when the tape has to be replaced, I had reference marks for where to put it. Even if it sticks well you should replace it every few days in case it gets a bad habit of sticking too well. You sure don't want to screw up the surface. Now, if you've got a glass surface then you do dang near anything to it. I had an old TV that I loved to use for FX. I'd mark all over that thing with different colored grease pencils. That old cow of a CRT would take anything short of a hammer.

 

Just an idea.

[Joe Walker]

Don't use tape, just use one of these stickers here:

 

http://www.aspectcorrect.com/

 

Just look under products, they have one for the HVX200 that has both clear and black overlay markings for 2.35:1, which is not far off at all from 2.39:1. And they're cheap too!!!!