Jay Gladwell

Wow, I've neither heard nor seen such a thing. That's enough to make you sick! Like you, I too am AR about my equipment. Something somewhere had to happen along the way. Things don't just break (do they?).

Seems to be one major item missing from this Eagles music video trailer. Do I need to be specific?

I've been using Sony mini-DV tapes (DVCAM) for 5 years and I've not had one single problem. Using the "consumer" tapes can, and will, lead to a problem sooner or later. As in all things... You get what you pay for.

Herbert, do a search using the keyword "greenscreen" and you'll find what you need.

Maybe from where you're standing you can't see the door behind me.

First of all, you miss quoted me, so don't pull that kind of crap! What I said was "most" and I stand by that. Most beginners (the vast majority of those who ask such questions) run out and buy a great deal of unnecessary equipment because they think it looks cool, when in fact it will not have any immediate impact upon their film. Their story sucks, their actors can't act, they know nothing about lighting, their compostions in the frame are none existent, they can't edit, the sound is horrible, and on and on and on, but they've got $2,000 dollars or more tied in a matte box and filters. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I never said do not use any device to shade the lens. I never said do not use filters. I said there are cheaper ways for beginners to go about it. And that's a fact! Read what David said. At least he's willing to honest (frank) with these people.

Tim, you forgot to tell him he needs a matte box!

If anyone is slinging BS, it's you two. If a person has to ask how to use a matte box then they don't need one. The vast major of people making "digital movies" are people who have never operated a camera, directed an actor, or lit a set. These people DO NOT "need" a matte box, especially on camcorders. Professional users under professional conditions is a whole other story!

Don't be fooled. The biggest reason most people use matte boxes is because they think it looks "cool." Using a matte box will not make your movie any better. By the same toekn, not using a matte box will not deminish the quality of your movie. Matte boxes are expensive, as are the filters that fit inside them. Save your money. Figure out which filters you'll really need and buy or rent the ones that fit on your camera.

Chris, you're kidding, right?

Gee, with less than $1,000 you're going to be pretty limited (I would think). What level of experience do you have as a cameraman? How familiar are you with operating video cameras? Jay

I don't have the answer for you, but I would be afraid to put anything that didn't belong on the back of the lens for fear of messing up all the electronics. It will be interesting to see if anyone has an answer for this. Jay

Who was it that said, "Listen to what I mean, not what I say."? Jay

I believe that is what he was asking about. Jay

What you're describing is a fog filter, not a "color desaturating" filter. There would be a big difference between the two images! Too, he's shooting on video, not film. Jay

No one was hijacking anything. The man made a statement in the course of the conversation and I was interested in hearing his thoughts. Jay

I am not aware of any filter, i.e., that would fit onto the lens, than can/would "desaturate the picture." Frankly, I don't see how it could be done using a filter. Jay

Wow, Leo, in a world where everyone is screaming "shallow focus" you prefer deep focus. How refreshing! I'm curious as to why this is your preference. Do not misunderstand, I'm not trying to bait you. I'm truly interested in your thinking. I can remember reading, and talking with other young filmmakers many years ago, how we longed for deep focus. Now that we have it, most want shallow focus. Go figure! Jay

Check this out for independent, indepth information on the GL2. http://www.dvinfo.net/canongl2/index.php Jay

The XL2 is native 16:9--far superior to the DVX100a in any case. Jay

It's very good. However, most NLEs today will do a comparable job. Jay

Shooting in B&W is not just a matter of dumping the color. Lighting for B&W is different from lighting for color, as you well know. If I were in your shoes, I'd sit down with the director and have a long discussion with him about it--all the whys and wherefores. Pick his brain. After all, he's the director. This is supposed to be his vision. If he selects color or B&W you both need to know why. What will one accomplish that the other won't? What will one underscore that the other won't? What might shooting both accomplish? What might shooting both undermine? Going into any project with a vague idea will result, more often than not, in a finished piece that is equally as vague. Jay

You can use whatever camera you want or can afford. We're using the XL2 (16:9) for a music video, not unlike the one you're planning to shoot! Jay

If you have a video camera that has an Interval Timer, like the XL2 for example, you can shoot intervals from 30 sec., 1 min., 5 min., and 10 minutes with a recording time of .5 sec., 1 sec., 1.5 sec., and 2 seconds. The one time I played with this, the results were not at all "smooth" insofar as the motion was concerned. Some have suggested it requires additional tweaking in post. Jay

Some cameras have condensation sensors that will shut down the camera if the level gets too high. Another option, if you don' t have a hair dryer, is to put the camera and tapes in a plastic bag before you leave the hotel. Let the bag set outside once you reach the location and allow the camera to reach amibent temperature before taking it and the tapes out of the bag. That way there will not be any fogging or condensation problems that may set off the condendation sensors. Good luck! Jay