Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Enthusiast Zone > Art & Graphic Design > what do I need for multi-camera setup?

what do I need for multi-camera setup?
Thread Tools
SeSawaya
Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: in a weapons producing nation under Jesus
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 14, 2004, 06:39 PM
 
I may be getting a chance to make videos of our Midwest colorgaurd championship in March. I make DVDs for our marching band and such using iMovie. They look great and the kids love them. Amazing how impressed people can be with something that Apple gives us.

Anyway, my delema. This could be a huge project for me. 250+ orders possibly so I want them to be good. How/what would I do for a 2 angle camera set up. One would be the "high camera" angle and the other would be the colse up view. Both recording at the same time and all.

Now I'm thinking definatly FCE for editing. I have access to a GL1 camera (and could use one of my ZR80s for the high camera vantage. Now to mix and edit these should I jiust record to minitape then import them into my (G5 probably) mac and line up everything? There is no way to time code is there? Also, what about a stand alone DVstorage device? Then its already on a HD right? Easier to work with?

Theres going to be a LOT of work involved in this project if I get it. I wonder if its worth all the hassle & money I might have to invest?
     
scottiB
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Near Antietam Creek
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 18, 2004, 08:24 PM
 
My approach, strictly as an amateur, would be to use one of the ZR-80s dead center and high for the overhead shots. Use another ZR-80 for mid-range (half-way down the bleachers) shooting left (or right) diagonally across the front, and use the GL-1 handheld for tight shots on specific CG members (pairs or whathaveyou) if something intricate is being done.

Import all of the tape into the Mac and use FCE. The overhead shot will be the bed track (syncing to that audio), and you'd cut to that. I wouldn't worry too much about time code.

Rhetorical questions/comments:
  • If you're just shooting you own HS band's routine, not the entire competition, I'm sure one tape for each camera would be fine. If you're shooting beyond an hour, you'll have to worry about changing tapes. Stagger the record times by a few minutes, so all cameras don't end simultaneously, and you can get to each camera.
  • You could beg, borrow, steal friends and family members DV cams (or analog cameras) and place them around for more angles. Minding them in a crowded area is another issue, though.
  • I'd practice shooting them as they practice for the competition to get good angles and have a rough story board of what you'd want to shoot and edit. As well you could use the footage as a little documentary.
  • Use tripods and duct tape them to the stands. And get there early to land the high spot on the fifty yard line

Actually, the hardest part seems to be burning 250 DVDs. Good luck--it seems like a fun gig.

scottiB, drum line captain, THS '85
I am stupidest when I try to be funny.
     
tooki
Admin Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 18, 2004, 09:44 PM
 
Unless you have some way to synchronize the cameras (like a clapboard), it'll be tough to sync up the audio to the video.

But basically, choose one camera for audio (or separate DAT or MiniDisc for audio). Then import all the footage into separate tracks in Final Cut, and align the footage and audio tracks. Then you can just snip out which tracks you don't want at a given moment.

tooki
     
k_munic
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 19, 2004, 03:20 AM
 
on a consumer level, I don't know any external time code technology to synch two/many cameras�- some very cheap trick is, to find a "natural time code generator" on location: the best would be a digital clock (witch seconds), sometimes seen in sport arenas; every take has to film a few frames of this watch, and then go to business; reason: in editing you have hint, where you are; propellers, constantly moving objects can have the same function� a bit tricky.

you have to have use FCE - it can handle multi-tracks.
if this is your first FCE project - welcome to the jungle!! FCE is totally different to iM� you should do a "test project" first� get some Tom Wolfsky Books about the app, make a 5min test recording with your cam/mic set up on a playyard and try to edit it.-

what you badly need is a constant stream of audio� think about using an external audio device (another camcorder with an external mic/connection to any mixer)

to spice-up your project: get some helpers with cheap digital still-cameras. you have your overall shot, you have some close-ups - AND you can place "impressions" - that is to vanish some bad edits! in case, you have no moving image to cut to, you can add some stills (the nice girl smiling, the crowd making whooo, the dog running around, the guy selling hotdogs), just some "fillers"; make them b/w, add a "flash light effect" etc.pp. you can use stills from your camcorders either

real huge, what you have in mind - I wish you the best

btw: buy a bigger harddriver
     
SeSawaya  (op)
Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: in a weapons producing nation under Jesus
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 20, 2004, 01:33 AM
 
thanks guys, I really apperciate it.

Well if it DOSE happen I may end up getting a G5 tower just to try to handle whats all going on. great tips through out. The DVD burning would be the easy part. If I left it as burned DVDs, I have 3 machines right now that can run it, but if I mass replicated it, I'd have DiscMakers take over. I'd have 1000 of them but then I could offer them much cheaper down the road.

Yah I would need help. lots of it! I guess it would really come down to how BIG of HD would I need, and could FCE/G5 handle 8+ hours of video files. I know that iMovie carshes like crazy with anything over 30 mins (with lots of edits).

Kind of scary but I think I could do it. I may be back!!!

Kent
     
JB72
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: L.A., CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 22, 2004, 03:14 AM
 
With a two camera setup, I would think it would be fine if the it didn't match up exactly on a strict timecode basis, since there probably won't be that much sync dialogue. Basically, just think of them as different takes from different setups (angles.)

Assuming you're using FCP or FCE to edit, one nice trick is to get both tracks (cameras) synced ( on top of each other in the timeline) and then shrink the images so you can see them both in the canvas simultaneously. Then you'll get a good feel for when you want to later cut back and forth between the shots.

Good luck an have fun!
     
JB72
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: L.A., CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 22, 2004, 03:24 AM
 
Originally posted by SeSawaya:
Now I'm thinking definatly FCE for editing. I have access to a GL1 camera (and could use one of my ZR80s for the high camera vantage. Now to mix and edit these should I jiust record to minitape then import them into my (G5 probably) mac and line up everything? There is no way to time code is there? Also, what about a stand alone DVstorage device? Then its already on a HD right? Easier to work with?

Theres going to be a LOT of work involved in this project if I get it. I wonder if its worth all the hassle & money I might have to invest?
Don't bother with an HD storage device in production. Having tapes will be a good backup.

Setup a master camera and a b-roll camera, which will be moving more, grabbing a larger variety of footage.

Good question re: money. Would you be happy to break even just to have the experience? Or the credit for your reel? Consider all the the time and costs involved. And maybe get an enthusiastic film/TV student to shoot b-roll and help digitize.
     
SeSawaya  (op)
Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: in a weapons producing nation under Jesus
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 25, 2004, 07:50 PM
 
Originally posted by JB72:

Good question re: money. Would you be happy to break even just to have the experience? Or the credit for your reel? Consider all the the time and costs involved. And maybe get an enthusiastic film/TV student to shoot b-roll and help digitize.
Yah I may have to get some people (or my brother) to help. I would HAVE to make money on this, its a big gig.
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:46 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,