When documenting a performance, itโs important to have as much information ahead of time. The where, when and how long can change the technical requirements for your video.
1. Scope
Scope refers to the area that needs to be covered.
| Is it a large or small area? | A large area will require a wide angle lens and enough distance to set the camera far away from the performance. |
| Will the subject be moving locations? | You might need to use a handheld camera and use stabilization. Add extra space in the frame when shooting a moving shot. Adding stabilization will crop the video by 10% – 20% Monopods can be useful to quickly move a camera and steady it on the go. For hand held shots, it is a good idea to increase the shutter speed to 1/125 to 1/250 to reduce motion blur. The lighting might change as the subject moves. It is difficult to change exposure on the fly. Perhaps using the auto-exposure setting may help, or getting skilled at using the iris wheel. On-the-camera lights are available. Make sure to match the white balance setting on the camera to the white balance of your light sources. Changing locations might mean different white balances. |
| Will there be obstructions between the camera and the subject? | Pick a good vantage point and if there is no way around reducing obstructions, use multiple cameras set at different points. |
| Will there be noise that will interfere will audio recording? | Use a wind cover on a windy day. A wireless lapel mic keeps the audio close to the subject. |
| Is there sufficient light in the area? | Use portable lights. Does the location have power outlets? If not then you need batteries for light kits. Batteries in the light kits last 30 – 45 minutes. In dark settings, increase camera ISO to 1600 or 3200. Increasing ISO will increase noise in your video image. |
| Will you need simultaneous coverage close up and far away? | Have two or three cameras set up. With tripods and other gear, you will need a buddy to assist you with carrying an watching equipment. Never leave equipment unattended! |
| Are power outlets available? | If you want to plug into power, take extension cords and power bars. If no outlets: take lots of batteries and charge them up before shooting. Keep them in your pockets for quick replacement. |
| Does the recording device need to be hidden? | Can you find a place for the camera that is hidden but not too far away? If a bodycam-like situation is needed, use the Go Pro or a phone. |
2. Recording Distance
| Will camera be stationary or following subject? | If the shot is stationary, use a tripod. If not, use some kind of stabilization device. Following a moving subject will require changing focus. Get good at pulling focus. Autofocus can work, but will make mistakes. A static shot can be plugged into power. A moving shot must use batteries. |
| The camera will be placed far away and audio is important | Either use a wireless lapel mic, or place a recorder close to the subject / on the subject and sync the audio to the video in editing – syncing can be tricky, so if itโs possible to record audio straight to video camera, it will save you time and problems. |
3. Performance Duration
| How much battery time do you need? | 1 fully charged battery will give you about 30-40mins. Batteries run out faster in the cold. Two larger power packs are available. |
| How much recording time do you need? | Different resolutions and recording formats offer a trade off between quality and recording time. See recording table below. |
| If outside, lighting might change over time | Watch for exposure and be ready to change it. Keep an eye on histograms to ensure exposure is correct. |
| Capturing an extremely long recording (2 hours +) | Record to an external SSD drive. Consider shooting a timelapse video. |
Recording Format and Time Table
Choose a resolution, format (Braw or ProRes)
Higher resolution and compression formats will let you grade colour, scale up, sharpen, and hold up well under lots of effects. Lower resolution and compression will break down under lots of effects.
If you plan on using a lot of stabilization, or resizing (ie. โzooming inโ) make sure to use UltraHD resolution (3840×2160).
| Resolution | Compression Format | Time on 64GB card | Quality |
| Ultra HD (3840×2160) | Braw, 12:1 | 42 mins | High |
| Ultra HD (3840×2160) | ProRes, 422 | 18 mins | Very Good |
| Ultra HD (3840×2160) | ProRes, 422 LT | 25 mins | Very Good |
| Ultra HD (3840×2160) | ProRes, 422 Proxy | 1 hour | Good |
| HD (1920×1080) | ProRes, 422 | 1 hour, 11 mins | Good |
| HD (1920×1080) | ProRes, 422 LT | 1 hour, 41 mins | Fair |
| HD (1920×1080) | ProRes, 422 Proxy | 3 hours, 41 min | Okay |
Note: avoid ProRes Raw. It is new and not completely compatible with video editing software.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.