Preparing for 1st shoot !

[Jim276825]

Hi guys

I've got my cameras, sussed out the basics, and have been working on my lighting for the set where I'll be filming some actors reading from a script. It's not the most important thing ever filmed but I want to get some decent results from it. I've read that it's a good idea to record over your new blank tapes, in order to set up the time coding on them - is this good advice, and is it necessary ?

As usual, any advice is much appreciated.

Jim

[Andy Lockwood]

Hi Jim. On other boards I've actually seen people fall out with each other over this subject. Opinion is polarised. I think it's a waste of time, but I don't doubt at least 42 people will disagree with me.

[Alan Mills]

Originally Posted by Jim276825 Hi guys I've got my cameras, sussed out the basics, and have been working on my lighting for the set where I'll be filming some actors reading from a script. It's not the most important thing ever filmed but I want to get some decent results from it. I've read that it's a good idea to record over your new blank tapes, in order to set up the time coding on them - is this good advice, and is it necessary ?

Well, I think you're bordering on 'religion' with this question. there are those in favour and those not on this one.

When I got my first camcorder I researched on the internet about it's use and happened to find an article that advocated this 'striping' of tapes prior to use. I took it at it's word and got into the habit and enjoyed the fact that I had no breaks in my timecodes on my tapes. very handy indeed for batch capture.
However, as time has gone on I've read more and more opinions claiming it is a bad thing to do. Citing extra wear and tear on the camcorder and the fact that by the time you are recording your movie you are actually using a 'used' tape rather than a new one. Now I think that the wear and tear on the camera is the worst crime here and I've slowly (by surely) slipped out of this practise. Given that I make 'movies' rather than record 'events' which means that my camera is active for minutes at a time rather than hours and I do review the shots made I do tend to get breaks in the timecode on my tapes nowadays. I can live with this although I prefer not to have them.
So, in conclusion. I prefer not having break in the timecode because I do like to set up batch captures when I can so I can recapture the same stuff exactly as before. However, I consider the extra use on the camera as a worse crime and so live with the breaks when they occur.

Originally Posted by Jim276825 As usual, any advice is much appreciated. Jim

Best advice for a first shoot i can give is to know your camera. Practice and then practice again. Make sure every setting that can be set manually is set manually. Turn off all auto-settings. i.e. make sure you are in controll of things and not the camera.

Just my 2p

[Jim276825]

Guys, thanks for this advice, it's really appreciated. I've got 7 days of non-stop preparations followed by four days of non-stop filming, and I'll return with an account of my experiences after this "in at the deep end" jaunt !