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Monitoring Red


Zachary Vex

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I discovered damage to my 2-perf Techniscope Cameflex this week and have a shoot scheduled for Sunday. I had a flat-screen 1080p monitor set up for an HD video tap system on that camera and I'm hoping to use it with Red, but being unfamiliar... what are my options for monitoring using this screen, which has HDMI and composite inputs? Here's my setup... it's a crane that flys the talent around inside a circular set (seen partially assembled here) where the camera operator can easily sit and watch a large screen in what amounts to a very static shot.

 

craneandset1.jpg

 

craneandset2.jpg

Edited by Zachary Vex
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The Red outputs a proxy image @ 720p via HDMI and/or HD-SDI outputs, so the monitor you're using (which, from the image, looks like a computer-type monitor?) should be able to handle the signal.

 

There are 2 caveats to this though: the physical HD-SDI connection on the camera is not a standard BNC-type jack, but a sort of mini-jack that requires either a flimsy adapter cable or a breakout box made by Element Technica. If using this output, be sure that the rental house can provide you with the proper connections.

 

It looks to me that you're more likely to use the HDMI-out though based on the specs you provided. As you probably know, this can provide a very nice image, but HDMI cables are not production-quality, and can be extremely flimsy. Be sure to have 2-3 back-up cables on set, as the cables connections are prone to snap at the jack, and the cables themselves are generally not very flexible and will start distorting the image with any amount of wear-n-tear. I did a feature using HDMI monitoring, and I'll never do it again!

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Non-standard HDMI? Ack! So it won't work with a consumer tv?

 

No, I've been there before. If you can, get the breakout box they're talking about. It works fine and you get normal BNC outs. Also, while on this topic, note that you need a downconverter if you're doing any steadicam. Most steadicam ops have SD systems and the RED doesn't output any SD signal.

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Just looking at the picture of your setup I immediately have concerns about how to run cable from the camera without having it twist and twist around the base of the crane. I suggest you rig some kind of hook directly above the base of the crane and hang the cable from it so that it doesn't twist.

Cool idea for a shot by the way.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Just looking at the picture of your setup I immediately have concerns about how to run cable from the camera without having it twist and twist around the base of the crane. I suggest you rig some kind of hook directly above the base of the crane and hang the cable from it so that it doesn't twist.

Cool idea for a shot by the way.

 

Thanks. If you look carefully, you'll see that I dropped a couple of stingers down to the rotational center of the crane. In the end, we dropped 5 stingers because there were 6 lights mounted on the crane's end with the talent, his chair, a table, and the camera setup. After each take, we unwound by backing the entire rig up several turns. It took 1000 pounds of lead in the bucket to offset the load. Also, we couldn't locate a Red on such short notice, but we managed to shoot it anyway. Before post, rough cut, showing the 3 edits. Lots of green screen post to come. Melismatics are a popular local band who played Lollapalooza this year as well as 6 shows during SXSW.

 

This was shot at two locations. In the studio as shown above, and at a small theater for the closing segment. The crane was phenomenal to use... the track and dolly/jib arm were comparatively limited later in the theater.

 

VERY rough cut:

 

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...kOW4wMEhIRGc9PQ

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