CAMERAS
With so many different cameras to choose from these days, how do you decide on which one to invest in? Full Frame? Super35 (APS-C)? Micro Four Thirds? 1080p? 720p? 24fps? 60fps? If you don’t have the faintest idea of what these things mean, you’re in luck. Check out the camera page for some of the technicals of the various cameras we use and how we use them.
AUDIO
Many say that at least 50% of the user experience when watching a film is determined by the audio. It seems a bit contradictory, but just try watching a scary movie with muted audio and see how scary it still is. When I initially chose to purchase my first T2i I had no idea just how deficient it was in capturing audio. The audio section we look at how to create a sound experience for our audience.
STORAGE
You have your camera, your audio recorder and your computer, now what do you do with the data? If class 10 or RAID are unfamiliar terms to you, then check out the storage page to get a better understanding of how to record, edit and archive your digital data.
CAMERA SUPPORT
When it comes to video work, the second major component that people often invest money in is a camera support. Whether you shoot locked off on sticks (tripod), semi steady on a tripod or more guerrilla (run & gun) style with a shoulder mount, you need to find a way to stabilize your shot. One of the quickest ways to boost your production quality is to invest in a solid tripod.
LIGHTING
Lighting is one of the most critical factors in creating the visual aesthetic you’re trying to achieve. Now that consumer level cameras are capable of capturing professional quality imagery, the detail that often differentiates amateur from professional looking work is the operators understanding and application of lighting. I recently asked a local ad agency director what qualities he looks, for in a DP and his response was simply: “Lighting. It’s all about his/her eye for lighting.” It is a difficult task to master but is an essential and fundamental concept to understand.
