Ready For Action: Sony Pxw-Fs5

Lets Play: Essential Gear page 52
YOUR GUIDE TO CREATING AND PUBLISHING GREAT VIDEO
JULY 2016
READY FOR ACTION

Why the FS5 is the Complete Package
reviewed
SONY PXW-FS5
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ContentsJuLy 2016
Volume 31 Number 01
www.videomaker.com
Features
18
22
28
Reference Monitors Buyers Guide:

Finding the Right Reference Monitor
38
Forecasting the Future at NAB
44
Videomaker Best of NAB 2016

Award Winners
Reference monitors are helpful tools for capturing and

creating exactly the images you want.
by Erik Fritts
Mobile Apps Buyers Guide
It seems like theres an app for everything and making

video is no exception.
by Jeff Chaves
Finding Paths into (and out of)

a Changing Hollywood
We sat down with four filmmaking pros to get their advice.

by John McCabe and Tina Hoffman
28
38
On the Cover
Sony PXW-FS5
Columns
2
50
52
54
56
When to Cut and When Not To
How to Design a Character
Prevent Directors Disease
How to Land a Corporate Video Gig
58
On Sale: July 26, 2016
61
ribe
Subsc
From the mountain of new products we encountered

at NAB 2016, weve selected our favorites in each of 12
categories.
by The Videomaker Editors
48
48
Next Month
NAB has long been the place to see new technologies

and workflows that will drive the industry into the future.
With thousands of new products and services promoted
at the show, this year was no exception.
by Odin Lindblom
Viewfinder
The Spherical Frontier

by Matthew York
Shooting
How to Shoot a Long Take

by Sky Scholfield
Editing
How to Edit a Long Take

by Sky Scholfield
Online Video
Lets Play: Essential Gear

by Wland Bourne
Legal
Can you Record the Police in Public?

by Roman Zelichenko and Mark Levy
Lighting
5 Ways to Not Suck at Lighting

by Terry ORourke
Audio
Dealing with Audio Mistakes

by Blag Ivanov
Directing
5 Fixes for On-set Emergencies

by Stephen Mandel Joseph
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up to 76% off the newsstand price!
50
Departments
4
5
59
Whats On Videomaker.com
New Gear
Ad Index
Opinion
60
In Defense of Reality TV:

Reality TV as Documentary
by Erik Fritts
64
Dr. Strangeedit: or How I

Learned to Stop Worrying
and Love the Jump Cut
by Peter Zunitch
Reviews
by Chris Monlux
6 Sony PXW- FS5

4K XDCAM
10 Azden SMX-30
Mono/Stereo Switchable Mic
12 Rhino Slider EVO
With Rhino Motion and Flywheel
14 Jungle Software
Gorilla Scheduling 6 And Gorilla

Budgeting 6
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16 Light & Motion Stella 2000
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contents
VIEWFINDER
b y Ma t t h ew York
The Spherical Frontier
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Spherical video, often called 360-degree video or VR, is the latest innovation to make its way into the
media-making mainstream, and with
YouTube enabling viewer-controlled
pan and tilt interactivity for videos on
their platform, the technology is starting to find a following.
The concept is simple enough to
understand. Overlapping video footage is recorded simultaneously using
either several cameras in an array
or one of the dedicated off-the-shelf
spherical cameras making their way
to market almost daily.
Models like the Bublcam, Giroptic or the 360fly are pre-configured
specifically for capturing spherical
panoramas and are low cost, outof-the-box solutions for would-be
spherical shooters.
After capture, the footage is processed using software to blend the
separate shots into a seamless scene
that results in an immersive viewing
experience within which the viewer
can explore by rotating the perspective
side to side and up and down.
Theres no doubt the ability to create interactive spherical video is cool.
Many a technophile will no-doubt
geek out over this futuristic foray into
viewer controlled video. The question
at the moment, however, is this: How
practical is spherical production from
a storytelling point of view?
Traditional TV, film and video production is built upon the premise that
the producer controls where viewers
look, at what pace they are moved
to the next shot and what things are
purposefully left outside of the frame.
Traditional video tells stories through
shot sequences that move from
extremely wide establishing shots to
extremely close-up inserts to reveal
important things to the viewer or to
conceal those things that the producer chooses to hold back.
In traditional shot sequencing, continuity of motion relies upon established
Videomaker empowers people to make video in

a way that inspires, encourages and equips for
success. We do this by building a community
of readers, web visitors, viewers, attendees
and marketers.
publisher/editor
associate publisher
director of content
associate editor
multimedia editor
art director/photographer
contributing editors
rules of camera position relative to the

subject moving within the scene, and a
behind-the-scenes look at any traditional set reveals a world of lights, mic
poles, camera gear and crew just outside the visible frame. With spherical
video, theres no place to hide production equipment or crew members. For
all these reasons, producing spherical
video is a new and unique endeavor.
Presently, spherical video is an
excellent tool for providing panoramic
live-action views of outdoor environments; for adventure video, like roller
coaster rides or mountain-bike racing
experiences; and for voyeuristic peeks
into various locales. To a small degree,
spherical is being used by creative,
technology-inspired innovators to create kitschy single-shot cut-free dramas
performed around the camera.
As storytellers continue to experiment with spherical capabilities,
theyll certainly innovate new ways
to create compelling media. Check
out some spherical videos online
and experience this phenomenon for
yourself. Who knows? We may all be
shooting spherical soon. Its literally
all around us.
Matthew York is Videomaker's Publisher/Editor.

You can comment on this article by going online:
www.videomaker.com/article/18689
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Videomaker is excited to be part of the VidCon 2016

experience. We'll be on hand to talk shop with anyone who
drops by. But the best part is we're giving away some really
great prizes to VidCon attendees.
First, we've partnered with SanDisk and Rde to give away
free microphones and SD cards for a few lucky winners.
Second, we're participating in this year's Vidcon Quest:
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booth for a chance to win a Sony PXW-Z150!
Everyone likes to win! Stop by our booth, hang out with us
and enter for your chance to take home one of these prizes.
Full HD and 4K recording

1.0-inch type CMOS image sensor
120 fps HFR Full-HD slow-motion
June 23 -25
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The Anaheim Convention Center
Booth #1817
Built-in advanced networking for live streaming

and wireless workflow.
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Ultra microSDXC
UHS-I cards
RDE VideoMicro
Compact On-Camera Microphones
SanDisk ULTRA microSD UHS-I

card is a great choice for your
Android Smartphone and tablet.
RDE's VideoMicro is a
compact microphone to
improve the audio quality of
your videos.
Incorporates a high-quality
carded condenser microphone
capsule
No battery required (powered by
camera plug-in power min 3V)
Capacities up to 200GB1 to capture, carry and keep it all
Fast transfer speeds of up to 90MB/s 2
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Waterproof, X-ray proof, temperature proof, and
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Up to a
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1 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. Actual user storage less

2 Up to 90MB/sec (600X) read speed; write speeds lower. Based on internal testing; performance may be
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3 Full HD (1920x1080) support may vary based on host device, file attributes and other factors. See: www.
sandisk.com/HD
4 Card only / Water proof, Shock proof, Temperature proof, X-ray proof / See www.sandisk.com/proof
Deluxe furry windshield included
A $59 value
(per microphone)
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Go Mobile
Reading on the go? Find Videomaker on your mobile device along with apps that help
video producers on location. Go to www.videomaker.com/r/676.
July 2016
Whats on Videomaker.com
Advice Wanted
Question:
bheuther: I am a guitarist who nds
himself getting enticed into the
video world. I want to do a series of
performance videos with a cinematic
eect. For instance, I play some
dramatic stu, like Bach, Beethoven,
Paganini. Especially with Beethoven,
I want the videos to be dramatic.
Not just me sitting and playing in a
continuous take. So I imagine a lot of
camera movement I know this is
ambitious. All I have so far is a GH4
and 12-35mm 2.8 lens, and a lot of
energy and passion Would love to
hear thoughts on how you would pull
this o
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Reply:
WesJT: From my experience the big
thing is making the sound work rst
and foremost for this kind of performance video, or else the eort put
into the visuals will seem moot
I've known plenty of classical musicians and it seems there is great
pride in authenticity of musicianship
and performance. That said, avoid
treating this like a music video with
overdubbing and over-stimulated
visuals. People will appreciate you
actually performing more than a
fancy video.
If you take the video step by step
and start by just experimenting, then
I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun and
make something good of it. I think
you have some good ideas, and you
could certainly make a good piece
with the gear you have if you just
learn to work with what you've got.
See more at videomaker.com/r/846
Film Festival Round-up
Highlights from NAB 2016

Though surprisingly few cameras were
released this year at NAB, we still had
a great time checking out new releases
from major brands and discovering hidden gems on the show oor.
videomaker.com/r/847
Festivals do three things for

aspiring lmmakers: deliver audiences for your lm, connect you
to the industry marketplace and
provide learning opportunities
for improving your craft. Because
of this, we love lm festivals and
try to support the ones we nd
the most worthy by passing out
copies of Videomaker to attendees and/or providing subscriptions of Videomaker to festival
entrants. We're proud to support
the following upcoming festivals,
and we hope you'll attend those
in your area.
Big River Film Festival
bigriverlmfestival.com
July 7-9, 2016
Boca Black Film Festival
Bbocablacklm.org
July 21-23, 2016
Blackmagic Design Micro Studio

Camera 4K Video Review
The Blackmagic Design Micro Studio
Camera 4K is little more than a sensor
with a lens mount, but it packs quite
a punch. With its ability to control iris
and focus remotely, this little camera is
perfect for a select few.
videomaker.com/r/848
Videomaker Live
Catch Videomaker Live on Facebook
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We chat about shooting and editing
technique, do live product reviews
and analyze scenes from our favorite
movies, all while taking questions and
interacting with viewers. Dont miss it!
VIDEOMAKER >>> JU LY 2016
Fanboy Film Festival

fanboylmfestival.com
July 15 - August 26, 2016
Web Series Festival Global
webseriesfestivalglobal.com
August 5, 2016
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NeW geAR
Developments from NAB
by Nicole L aJeun esse
DJI Announces Surprisingly Affordable New Ronin MX at NAB 2016

Following the lightweight Ronin M announced at
outfitted with an
NAB 2015, the new DJI Ronin MX, brings even more
increase in tilt axis
functionality to the Ronin gimbal platform with only
range from 90 de-
a modest increase in cost. With a maximum load of
grees straight down
4.5 kilograms, or nearly 10 pounds, the Ronin MX is
and beyond to 135
capable of supporting a wide range of cameras from
degrees. In addition
Arri, Blackmagic, Canon, Panasonic, ReD, Sony, Nikon
to the DJI Matrice
and others, and offers gimbal-tuning for various cam-
600, the Ronin MX is
eras for faster setup.
also compatible with
The Ronin MX is powered by a 4S Ronin M battery,
video cranes.
and third-party cameras mounted on the gimbal can
Complementing the Ronin MX, DJI also announced
be powered by an optional onboard DJI battery. The
the Matrice 600, the next-generation aerial platform
Ronin MX also features a built-in, independent IMU
replacing the Spreading Wings series. The Ronin MX,
module, a Bluetooth module and a 2.4gHz receiver.
which can be mounted directly to the new Matrice 600,
It operates through the DJI gO app and has settings
uses a CANBUS port to allows flight controller data to
for SmoothTrack and multiple shooting modes, includ-
pass through to the gimbal, and an optional accessory
ing aerial, vehicle, underslung, upright and briefcase.
allows the Ronin MX to transmit video from a mounted
The Ronin MX can rotate 360 degrees continuously
camera, making full use of the M600s Lightbridge 2
when mounted to aircraft or vehicles and has been
capabilities. The DJI Ronin MX is available for $1,600.
Blackmagic Design Upgrades Video Assist Monitor and Recorder with

4K Capabilities
The Video Assist 4K upgrades the previously released Blackmagic Design Video Assist. While the
original Video Assist features a 5-inch display and
SD and HD recording, this new model expands
recording options to include UHD while also offering a larger screen. The Video Assist 4K features a
7-inch touch-screen monitor with a resolution of
corders can handle two streams of Ultra HD video up to
1920x1200, which allows for a clear view of a 16:9
2160p30 and record to SD cards, where files are saved
image without interference from the displays status
as broadcast quality 10-bit 4:2:2 video in either ProRes
bar. An array of useful shot assist tools are also
or DNxHD formats.
available. Focus peaking and focus zoom ensure
Recording can be triggered to start and stop using
proper focus while histogram and zebra overlays
LANC or over HDMI or SDI from the camera. For captur-
tell you when your shot is properly exposed.
ing audio, the Video Assist 4K offers two XLR mic inputs,
More than a simple field monitor, two high speed
contents
a built-in speaker and more. Mounting points on the top
recorders allowing non-stop HD and Ultra HD
and bottom and a built-in kickstand, allow for flexible
recording are built into the unit as well. The dual re-
mounting. The Video Assist 4K retails for $895.
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RevIew
Sony
PXW-FS5
4K XDCAM
by Chris Monlux
The FS7s Mini Me
What can it do?
Sony
www.pro.sony.com
EDITORS
CHOICE
StrengthS
Grip has great function
Portable size
WeakneSSeS
Internal UHD only 8-bit 4:2:0
No DCI 4K
ReCommeNDeD UseRs
event videographers
News gatherers
Documentarians
marketing agencies
contents
sUmmaRy
The sony Fs5 is a lightweight camera with loads of options. shooting
in UHD 4K with its super 35 image
sensor, its image quality is superb.
If its a video-centered interchangeable-lens camera you are after, the
Fs5 is best in its class.
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$6,700
print
n September 2015, at the International Broadcasting Convention,

Sony Professional released the PXWFS5, a Super 35 interchangeable-lens
camera. The FS5 is the FS7s little
brother, offering many of the same
options with a more compact formfactor. There are a few notable changes between the two cameras, namely
recording in XAVC Long, 4K shooting
in UHD only without the option for
DCI 4K and a built-in variable neutral
density (ND) filter with the addition of
linear adjustment from 1/4 to 1/128.
The FS5 is far lighter than the FS7,
coming in at 1.76lbs. Its perfect for
a small gimbal and light enough for
hours of hand-held shooting. With its
adjustable grip, its reminiscent of the
Canon C-100 and C-300 form-factor.
Its amazing how just a few adjustments differentiate the feel of this
camera so much from that of the FS7.
Before we get into our experience

with the FS5, lets rundown some of
the noteworthy specs. The FS5 has a
Super 35 Exmor CMOS image sensor
the same size as the FS7. The sensor
delivers 14 stops of dynamic range and
can shoot up to 960 fps in burst mode.
With 960 fps being its fastest frame
rate, it also offers 240 and 480 fps. That
gives you the option for 40x slowmo
impressive! It offers wireless file
transfer at full resolution via Wi-Fi to
an FTP server, plus wireless streaming
to MPEG TS receivers and computers
for remote monitoring. It records via
SD card and is equipped with two card
slots. When loaded with two cards, the
Record to sD cards
Introducing Blackmagic URSA Mini, the lightweight Super 35

4.6K digital film camera with 15 stops of dynamic range!
Introducing URSA Mini, a handheld Super 35 digital film camera with
an incredible 4.6K image sensor and a massive 15 stops of dynamic
range! The super compact and lightweight design is perfectly
balanced, making it comfortable enough for all day shooting. URSA
Mini lets you shoot at up to 60fps, features a 5 foldout viewfinder,
dual RAW and ProRes recorders, and more!
Incredible 4.6K Sensor

URSA Mini can capture images at a resolution and dynamic range that
goes well beyond that of traditional motion picture film so you can shoot
your own epic, cinematic masterpiece! You can capture images up to
4608 x 2592, which is larger than 4K DCI, with 15 stops of dynamic
range so you get incredibly clean pictures with amazing detail in
everything from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights! URSA
Mini can record 4.6K at up to 60fps, or 1080 HD at up to 120fps.
Lightweight and Portable

URSA Minis perfectly balanced body is made out of space aged
magnesium alloys so its rugged, yet lightweight and comfortable
enough to be used all day. You get a super bright 5 fold out touch
screen for on-set monitoring, that can also display overlays for
timecode, histograms, audio meters, focus peaking and more! URSA
Mini features full size, professional connectors, even 12G-SDI, so you
dont need custom cables, plus high quality stereo microphones and
a side grip mounted on a standard rosette.
www.blackmagicdesign.com
Electronic Viewfinder, lens and accessories sold separately.
Completely Customizable
Blackmagic URSA Mini is completely customizable so you can create
a rig thats built specifically for your production! Add accessories like
the Blackmagic URSA Viewfinder and Blackmagic URSA Mini Shoulder
Kit, or choose from hundreds of third party accessories. URSA Mini
has 9 standard threaded mounting points on the top and bottom
of the camera so you can mount it directly to a tripod as well as add
accessories such as rails, matte boxes and more.
Non-Stop Recording
You never have to stop recording because URSA Mini features two
CFast 2.0 recorders! When one card is full, recording automatically
continues onto the next. URSA Mini uses the latest, incredibly fast CFast
2.0 technology for recording speeds up to 350 MB/s. Wide dynamic
range images are saved as 12-bit RAW files, which are perfect for high
end grading and effects work, or as broadcast quality ProRes, for easy
post production workflows with minimum storage requirements!
Blackmagic URSA Mini 4K EF

$2,995
Blackmagic URSA Mini 4K PL
$3,495
Blackmagic URSA Mini 4.6K EF
$4,995
Blackmagic URSA Mini 4.6K PL
$5,495
Blackmagic URSA Mini Shoulder Kit $395
Blackmagic URSA Viewfinder
$1,495
All models include DaVinci Resolve 12 Studio
for editing and color correction.
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REVIEw
Sony PXW-FS5
TECH SPECS
Sensor: Super 35mm Single-Chip

11.6MP Exmor CMOS
Effective Picture Size: (H x V) 3840 x

2160
LCD Monitor: 3.5 / 8.8 cm

Viewfinder: 0.39 / 0.99 cm OLED
ND Filter: Variable: 1/4 to 1/128 Presets: Clear, 1/4, 1/26, 1/64
Sensitivity ISO Rating: 3200 (S-Log3

Gamma)
Recording Format: XAVC Long, XAVC

Proxy, H.264 / AVC, 4:2:0 8-bit, MP4
Shutter Speed: 60i: 1/8 to 1/10,000

Gain Selection: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18,
24,27, 30dB,
Media Card Slots: 1 x MS/SD (dual
Memory Stick/SD)
Audio Input: 2 x 3-pin XLR

SDI Output: 1 x BNC HD/3G-SDI
HDMI 2.0: 1 x Type A
USB: 1 x Multi/Micro
Headphone: 1 x Stereo mini jack
AC Adapter: 12 VDC
Weight (Body Only): 29.2 oz /
wrapper, AVCHD
827.8 g
Long, Linear PCM 2, ch, 24-bit, 48kHz,
2.23 kg (with 18 to 105mm lens, lens
Audio Recording Format: XAVC
AVCHD, Linear PCM - 2 ch, 16-bit,
Body, Lens & Accessories: 4.9 lb /
hood, large eyecup, LCD viewfinder,

48kHz, Dolby digital - 2ch, 16-bit, 48kHz top handle, grip)
FS5 can simultaneously record proxy

files along with your desired resolution
with the same name and timecode. For
this review we shot on two Sony U3
Class 10 SDXC I SD cards.
Feel and Shooting

Experience
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We started our FS5 experience packing the camera up for a trip across the
country where we had the distinct
pleasure to shoot in New York City
for some of our tests. The size of the
camera made it easy to pack and carry
onto our flight. The adjustable LCD
screen was easily rotated into a storable
position. Once in New York City, we
shot around and in the High Line urban
park area. The location offered many
beautiful shooting situations. Shooting
from midday to about dusk, we were
able to challenge the dynamic range
in situations that had dark shadows
and bright sun light. Walking around
with the camera, we shot buildings, the
water, onlookers and cars in traffic.
We first noticed the cameras ergonomics, influenced by both its weight
and the grip integration. It felt nice
in-hand, allowing simple shooting at
both low and high angles. At first, the
grip felt strange because it requires
multiple fingers to operate. This was

a temporary setback, however, as we
quickly adapted our muscle memory
and found it to be very intuitive. Rotating the grip was easy, which made it
possible to quickly find the optimal
grip no matter the shooting angle. The
grip can be rotated with the press of a
button, so the left hand remains free
for focus control.
We were especially happy with the
weight of the camera. Toting it around
the city for hours was no problem.
Because of its handle, it was easy to
carry when not shooting.
Once we began our tests, there was
no avoiding what we experienced
when shooting in S-Log3: a minimum
ISO of 3,200. Thats a lot of light to
compensate for. Its good that the
FS5 has a variable ND filter because
without it that minimum ISO would
be a huge problem. Once shot, all we
needed to grade the S-log3 footage
was a simple LUT. It made the footage look great and got rid of the little
noise we experienced.
Back at Videomaker world headquarters, we tested the FS5s low light
capabilities. We shot in the picture profile 1 one of the six standard picture
profiles on the camera. It didnt perform
poorly, but it wasnt mind-blowing either. Everything above ISO 4,000 needs
some noise reduction and everything
above ISO 8,000 is not salvageable. An
unfortunate aspect of the FS5 is that
the minimum ISO for non S-Log picture
profiles is still high at 1,000. A native
ISO that high is a big bummer.
Because the camera needs to operate at a high ISO all the time, applying
the ND in more than just a step at a
time is very nice. The ND is linearly
adjustable, making getting the right
exposure not only possible but easy.
The location of the ND is the same in
the FS7; its easy to find and the grip
is textured for an easy turn. We felt
that the ND being linearly adjustable
is a great feature and a no-brainer.
Wed love to see every camera offered
with this option. Its just so convenient
when shooting run-and-gun video.
We shot with the Sony E PZ 18105mm f/4 G OSS, the kit lens for the
FS5. The 35mm equivalent is 27158mm. It has a power zoom function
with a consistent aperture through
the throw of the lens. It also offers
Optical Image Stabilization. Overall,
the picture quality from the lens was
nice, but its functionality was not so
impressive. The focus ring was slow to
respond and offered very few degrees
of rotation, making finding focusing
difficult. It was just too touchy. The
FS5 and lens use Sonys E mount.
If we were to buy this camera, wed
buy it without the kit lens. Sony offers
a few better lenses for run-and-gun
Accessible controls
Review
Sony PXW-FS5
shooting and many other options
for more controlled shooting situations. The value for us was just not
there with the PZ 18-105mm f/4 G
OSS; wed just rather spend the saved
money on a better piece of glass.
The LCD for the FS5 is the same as
the FS7. However, unlike with the FS7
where it felt lightweight and cheap
considering the cost of the camera, the
LCD fit the smaller form factor better
and felt more in line with the value of
the camera. It also rotates and moves
very easily, with just a few knobs to
loosen before the location of the LCD
can be personalized. Because the camera is smaller, the LCD appears larger
in scale. It was just far more usable
on the FS5. Another great improvement with the FS5 is that there is now
a viewfinder. The viewfinder is OLED
and, in times where the LCD fell short,
it was nice to have another option.
A big problem with the FS7 was the
menu operation. It was very slow to
respond and not conducive to changing any menu option quickly. With the
FS5, the speed of the menu operation
is a non-issue. It operates fast enough
that you dont think about it. It wasnt
till we went back to our FS7 review
that we considered it worth mentioning. The slow menu of the FS7 was a
big problem for a camera at its price
point. Sony did a lot of things right
with the FS5 that, in our opinion, they
got wrong with the FS7.
If youre used to DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, then you might also
be happy to find that the FS5 is not
bogged down by a 30 minute record
time limit, a short battery life or any
overheating issues, and it has 2 XLR
inputs. Its really everything that would
improve photo-first cameras. Plus, the
FS5 will shoot UHD 4K in 24 and 30
fps at 100Mbps.
Another big improvement over
using DLSRs or mirrorless cameras
is that all of your controls are at your
fingertips and not in-menu. Want to
change the white balance? A flip of a
switch and you are ready. This is big
for shooters who need to use muscle
memory and shoot by feel instead of
flipping through menus. Switches and
knobs are not valued highly enough
when evaluating many small form factor detachable-lens cameras.

The nice thing about this camera is
that it doesnt require overly-expensive media. All you need are SD cards.
The FS5 doesnt have a short battery
life like many mirrorless cameras and
doesnt have any overheating issues,
so continuous recording can last till
the battery dies or your media fills up.
SDi and HDMi output
Overall Thoughts
Its easy to love this camera. The picture

quality is superb and the form factor
is easy to use but those things dont
come cheap. The FS5 is $6,700; thats
not chump change. What we wed
have really loved to see is the low light
capabilities of Sonys a7S II put into a
better form factor with easier controls
and XLR mic inputs. Alas, that might be
Sonys next camera, but for today well
just have to stay in want. We were discouraged at the minimum native ISO of
1,000, and even more unwelcome is the
minimum ISO of 3,200 in S-Log3. Itd be
nice to not have to deal with that much
light. Lastly, itd be awesome for Sony to
give this high-end camera a full frame
sensor, but now were just dreaming.
Who is it for?
Because of the cost, we would most

definitely label the ideal users of the
FS5 as professional. If you are an
event videographer, news gatherer,
documentarian, marketing agency or
studio, then this camera is for you. The
expanded flexibility of having onboard
XLR inputs, a grip that makes handheld
shooting easier and linearly adjustable
ND will make catching the right moment easier, allowing for better results.
This camera really excels at run-andgun shooting. Low budget filmmakers,
semi-pro videographers or hobbyists
probably wont get enough benefit out
of the FS5 to justify the cost. A camera with fewer high-end options and
a lower price tag might fit the bill a
lot better. There are several mirrorless
cameras that would get you into UHD
4K at less than half the cost of the FS5.
However the drawback of a small form
factor mirrorless camera is that accessories are almost always needed to get
the most from your camera.
VI DE O M AKER >>> j uly 2016
Value in the Marketplace
At release, the MSRP of $6,700 puts the

FS5 in the same space as the Canon
C-100 Mark II at an MSRP of $5,700 and
the Blackmagic Design URSA Mini 4.6k
at $4,995. The C-100 Mark II is a bit
cheaper but doesnt offer 4K. The URSA
Mini is also cheaper and does shoot 4K
4.6K in fact but has a huge drawback of weighing about 5lbs and lacks
the ease of use of the FS5. It seems
that, with this release, Sony intended
to make a camera that feels more like
the C-100 Mark II. Compared to these
two cameras in this price range, the
FS5 is a greater value and offers very
few weaknesses compared to both the
C-100 Mark II and URSA Mini 4.6K.
Recommendation
The Sony FS5 has great build quality,

image quality and value compared to its
competition. We most definitely recommend it if youre in the market and it
fits your needs. With little investment
needed for accessories, flash memory
and batteries, its good to go straight
from the store. Is it everything you
want? Maybe not, but it might just be
everything you need.
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Chris Monlux is a native of Northern California

and is Videomakers Multimedia editor.
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REVIEw
Azden
SMX-30
by Chris Monlux
Mono & Stereo

in One
Azden
www.azden.com
StrengthS
Robust build quality
Mono/Stereo switching
WeAkneSSeS
Stereo image not fluid
reCoMMended USerS
YouTubers
Corporate Videographers
Independent Filmmakers
Event Videographers
Jack of All Trades
SuMMARY
The Azden SMX-30 is a mono/stereo
switchable video mic which has a
robust build and performs well for
its price.
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PRICE: $250
10
ith the increased popularity of

small form-factor interchangeable-lens cameras comes the need
for better audio. The internal mics
on mirrorless cameras and DSLRs are
typically only good enough for audio
sync. That said, most using those
cameras dont have the capacity for a
recordist or a boom operator.
The Azden SMX-30 is a video microphone with both mono and stereo capabilities, offering two separate capsules
for switchable function. Have some dialogue to capture? Put it in mono mode
and you will have a camera-mounted,
super-cardioid shotgun mic. Need to
capture the atmosphere for your scene
to come alive? Switch it to stereo mode
and youll record a stereo image with
120 degrees of coverage via two cardioid mic capsules working in tandem.
Features
The SMX-30 is really two mics in one.

Switching between stereo and mono
operation is done by flipping a switch
on the back. Also on the back is a level
adjustment for +20db, 0db and a pad
of -10db. For our tests, we set the level
adjustment to +20 and decreased the
gain on the camera as low as it would
go to ensure we were hearing what
the mic had to offer rather than the
preamp in the camera. There are two

more switches on the back: the on/off
switch and a 120hz low-cut filter.
The overall build quality of this mic
is nice; its made from hard plastic
and doesnt feel cheap. Based on the
look and feel, it appears that it could
last a good amount of time. With that
assumption, Azden does back the mic
with a 10 year warranty, so it seems
they are confident about its construction as well.
The Testing Process
For testing, we wanted to contrast the

Azden with other mics on the market. Being that its both stereo and
mono, we compared it to two different
products. For the stereo tests we put it
up against the Rde Stereo Videomic
X, and for the mono tests we used the
Rde Videomic Pro.
One big thing to keep in mind for
the comparison is that the Stereo
Videomic Xs MSRP is $800 and the
SMX-30 is just $250, so take this comparison with a grain of salt. A more
fair heads up is with the Videomic
Pro at $230, where the cost difference
between them is only $20.
For our tests, we also felt it important to test both stereo and mono options and contrast them against what
REViEw
Azden SMX-15
TECH SPECS
there were no other sound sources,

you could hear the reflections of the
Form Factor: Shotgun & Stereo Mic
room hardly ideal.
Pickup Pattern: Mono: Super-CarOn the other hand, when using the
dioid, Stereo: Cardioid (120)
Azden SMX-30 in mono mode, the
sound was now coming from a distinct
Powered: 48V phantom, 44V-52V
direction: forward. The A/C could be
Connection type: 3.5mm Stereo
heard, and the hubbub of the room was
mini plug
still present, but far less so. It sounded
good, though subtly different from the
Battery type: (2) AA
Videomic. We felt the Rde had a bit
Mute switch: Yes
more presence, but still suffered from
Frequency Response: 40Hz - 20kHz
the uncontrolled space. The same result
Sensitivity: -36dB @ 1kHz
came when in the controlled studio,
but with even more subtle differences
between the Azden and the Rde. Dethe camera could do with its internal
ciding which is better is too subjective
mic. For all shooting, we used the
for us to rule on, so we encourage you
Panasonic Lumix GH4.
to watch our video review and judge for
yourself: www.videomaker.com/r/845
For stereo tests, we went in expectTesting Results
ing the Videomic X to outperform the
For mono tests, we did the same set up
SMX-30. It has larger mic capsules in
in two different environments. The suba different configuration. However,
ject was five feet away, directly in front
it gave us a baseline for evaluating
of the camera, speaking to the camera.
the value you get from the far more
The first of the two locations was an
affordable Azden mic. The two stereo
office with loud air conditioning and a
situations we tested were the inside of
small amount of chatter in a large open
a noisy, busy cafeteria and outside in
space. The other was in a controlled
the center square during lunch time at
studio with no other outside noises.
a local university.
As expected, the cameras built-in
The cameras built-in mics performics sound was not captured from a
mance inside was muddy and without
focused area, but rather from everyfocus, but in this situation, the built-in
where; the mic captured anything
mic would actually be a viable option
making sound. In the office, it picked
because it did get the feel of the room.
up conversations but not enough to
It was just not as pleasing as the reknow what was being said, and it
sults from Azden or Rde. The Azden
caught the A/C humming loudly. Only
had a nice stereo image, but the two
because of proximity could you hear
channels felt very separate from each
the subject speaking. In the studio, we
other. It produced more of a left, right
had the same experience, but because
and center experiTwo separate capsule configurations for mono and stereo
ence, whereas
audio from the
Stereo Videomic X
felt more natural
and had great
clarity, providing
a more immersive
experience. It even
captured the highfrequency hum
of an ice maker
the other two
mics didnt pick
that up.
Outside, there was a booth set up

playing big band versions of 90s
grunge music along with people having conversations. However, it was in a
big square where very few reflections
could be heard. Overall, we had the
same experience as when we recorded inside, but the differences between
all three were harder to distinguish.
Again, we must stress the extreme
cost difference here. The two Rde
mics have a combined price of $1,030
while the mono/stereo Azden SMX-30
is only $250.
Things to Consider
Its key to choose the right product

when making any equipment purchase. However, its also key that you
operate whatever tool you have to its
and your own best ability. A lower
quality mic properly placed almost
always records better audio than a better mic that is poorly placed. Sure, you
could get lucky, but its best to use your
ears to find the best place from which
to capture the sound so that you have
the highest fidelity. That being said,
these mics are all designed to be placed
on the shoe of your camera and have a
short cord. Because of this, youre limited to that location. Keep this in mind
because your expectations for what
these products can do could be more
related to their placement rather than
the actual products themselves.
Final Thoughts
Compared to both of the other products, the Azden performs well and
provides a good value. For $20 more
than the Videomic Pro, the Azden
SMX-30 adds a stereo mic option. Although the stereo performance didnt
keep up with the $800 Videomic X,
it did a fine job for its price. Because
its nicely built with smart options, we
feel it would be a good investment for
anyone looking to add an external mic
to their production setup.
contents
Chris Monlux plays the guitar, piano, drums

and bass. He is also Videomakers Multimedia
Editor.
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11
REVIEW
camera not included
Rhino
Slider
EVO
by Chris Monlux
Rhino in Motion
to the slider using the same connection point, so you can use either, but
not both at the same time.
Rhino Camera Gear
www.rhinocameragear.com
STRENGTHS
Easy set up
Intuitive design
WEAKNESSES
Feet on legs can add drag to the
Flywheel
Short shutter cable
RECOMMENDED USERS
Independent filmmakers
Corporate videographers
Event videographers
SUMMARY
Starting as a Kickstarter campaign,
the Rhino Slider EVO and Motion Control system is an affordable and fully
capable addition to any production
arsenal.
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Rhino Slider EVO Carbon (24) - $500

Rhino Motion for EVO Sliders - $600
Rhino Flywheel for EVO Sliders - $75
12
he Rhino Slider EVO first debuted

on Kickstarter and started shipping in August of 2015. The EVO
comes in a few different configurations with your choice of length and
material type, ranging from 24 inches
all the way to 48 inches. The weight
limit ranges from 15lbs to 100lbs, depending on if you go with the carbon
fiber or stainless steel rails. The flywheel can be partnered with the slider
for better inertia, giving better control
for a smoother outcome, or use Rhino
Motion for motorized live motion or
time-lapse with motion control.
How It Arrived
The configuration for this review is

the carbon fiber rail 24-inch Slider
EVO, Flywheel and Rhino Motion. Arriving in 3 boxes, it was like Christmas morning. None of the three had
outside packaging, just plain white
boxes. We assume the retail packaging provides more to look at, but the
lack thereof made the unpacking that
much more fun.
The slider came fully assembled
with rails, slider, belt and connecting
appendages. The Flywheel box felt
like a brick, weighing 1lb 7oz. Lastly,
we unpacked Rhino Motion. Both the
Flywheel and Rhino Motion connect
The Flywheel
The Flywheel was simple to attach.

It takes only one thumb screw to get
it ready to go. Having used many different sliders from different manufactures, the Flywheel made smooth
and slow movement very easy. For
only $75, its a great value. Because
of its cost, and how nice it makes
any movement, wed recommend it
for all manual use of the slider; its
benefitt for the money
just too big a benefi
to pass up.
Rhino Motion mounts to Slider EVO
REviEW
Rhino Slider EVO
TECH SPECS
Rhino SlideR eVo CaRbon (24)

Rail Material: Carbon fiber
Rail length: 24" (61 cm)
load Capacity: 15 lb (6.8 kg)
Mounting Screw: 3/8"-16
Mounting Threads: 1/4"-20 and
3/8"-16 (center and ends)
Weight: 4 lb (1.8 kg)

Sliding System: Belt-Driven
Rhino Motion
Its quite nice that the Slider EVO comes

ready for motion attachment. Being
that the slider we tested the Rhino
Slider EVO Carbon 24-in is just $500,
some brands would have made a more
expensive version instead of making
their most affordable option expandable. There are two thumb screws that
firmly attach the motor to the slider,
making assembly painless. The motion
controller itself, or the brain, attaches
with magnets to the side of the motor.
The brain communicates to the motor
via a 8P8C connected cable. Straight out
of the box, the brain was fully charged,
so we got right to using it.
Outside of the 8P8C connection, the
brain has a microSD slot, shutter control port and a place to connect the AC
adapter. If it needs a firmware update,
download the update to a microSD card
and plug it into the module. Then in
the settings, choose update from SD.
Going through the process of setting
up the motion control unit takes just
a few steps. You choose the model of
slider you are using, then choose if you
are going to shoot a motorized video
slider move or a time-lapse. If you are
doing time-lapse there are two options
to choose from: either simple timelapse, which just controls the slider, or
advanced time-lapse mode where the
brain controls the camera as well. In the
case of advanced time-lapse, you'll need
a shutter control cable that matches
the manufacture of your camera. We
tested the time-lapse control with both a
Canon 5D mk III and a Sony a7.
Tests and
Experience
Flywheel enables smoother manual movement
Within minutes of unpacking the equipment,

we were ready to go
shooting. When shooting
with a slider, especially
one with a span of only
24 inches, its important
to choose shots with multiple layers of depth. An
object in the foreground
will give more context to
the movement.
We first shot video with the Flywheel attached. Because of the carbon
fiber rails, the whole assembly was
light and easy to move around. Even
the slowest move was smooth, and we
were able to get the shot the first time
with almost every setup attempted.
The only issue we came across was
that the legs for the slider have feet
that pivot and can sometimes get in
the way. When the legs are stowed
away under the slider, the feet can
pivot into the Flywheel, giving unwanted drag. Once we determined the
problem, every time we felt it happening, we just moved the foot out of the
way. However, just about every time
we moved it, we had to check, so if
shooting fast is part of your gig, then
make checking the clearance for the
Flywheel part of your set-up process.
We then moved on to shooting some
time-lapse. The art of time-lapse is one
that requires time and patience, as not
all ideas come out as planned. With the
commitment to getting the shot regardless, we got to work. Using the same
technique we used when shooting
video, we shot time-lapse pulling away
from something interesting in the foreground. We started with a short time
commitment time-lapse and exposed
for one second for each frame.
When setting the exposure time
and the amount of time it takes the
camera to cover the span of the slider,
Rhino Motion gives you the duration
of the shot when finished and how
long it will take to shoot. This is very
handy, as many intervalometers just
give you the exposure controls, requirVI DE O M AKER >>> j uly 2016
ing you to do the math on your own.

This feature was one of our favorites
because it made a complicated task
like motion time-lapse into something
most anyone could handle. We quickly
learned the best way to achieve our
artistic vision with just a 15 minute
time commitment.
Lastly, we used Rhino Motion to control the movement of the slider when
shooting video. There are two options
for live motion control: create a move
by putting in how long you want the
move to take or manually control the
move with the dial of the brain. Both
are easy to set up and work flawlessly.
We see no need to manually control
the slider yourself without the motor;
with Rhino Motion, you can get flawless moves with precision every time.
Final Thoughts
The Rhino Slider EVO is lightweight

and easy to use. When paired with
Rhino Motion, you have a very strong
storytelling tool for $1,100. Its an
affordable option for those looking to
invest in a slider or motion controller.
If a motion controller isnt for you,
the Slider EVO and Flywheel make a
great team for $575 together. We recommend the Rhino Slider EVO with
either the Flywheel or Rhino Motion.
The added production value will outweigh its cost in the long run.
Chris Monlux named his dog after the band
Wilco. He is also Videomakers Multimedia Editor.
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13
RevIew
Jungle
Software
Gorilla
Scheduling
& Budgeting 6
by Chris Monlux
Budget and
Schedule like a Pro
Jungle Software
www.junglesoftware.com
StrengthS
Built-in video tutorials
Deep detail control
WeakneSSeS
Too complex for smaller productions
UI isnt very attractive
RecommenDeD UseRs
sUmmaRy
overall, both Gorilla scheduling and
Gorilla Budgeting 6 are great tools
for complex projects. They arent for
every production as some shoots
arent complicated enough to require
these tools, but they are worth looking into for larger productions.
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Gorilla Scheduling 6 - $250

Gorilla Budgeting 6 - $250
Together: $430
14
rganizing a big production is no

easy task. Balancing cast, crew
and equipment while also trying to
keep within a budget can be just about
impossible unless you have the
right tools for the job. Gorilla Scheduling 6 is a traditional film scheduling software with breakdown sheets,
stripboards, calendars and cast and
crew contact information, along
with integration of information like
locations, shot lists and storyboards.
Gorilla Budgeting 6 is a traditional
film budgeting software that includes
tools like globals, fringes, subgroups,
tax credits, determinants, 4th level
budgeting, ratebook integration and
expense tracking.
Gorilla History
The founders of Jungle Software, makers of the Gorilla production tools,

started out as programmers by day
and filmmakers by night, so it was a
natural fit to use their day jobs as a
tool to advance their passion of filmmaking. After making enough modules, in 2002 their products became
available to the world. Since then the
suite of software that Jungle offers has
expanded to many different facets of
filmmaking. Born from this were Gorilla Scheduling and Gorilla Budgeting,
now in version 6.
Scheduling
Features and Options
With Gorilla Scheduling 6, you can

import screenplays directly from your
favorite screenwriting software, such
as Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter, and you can even import story
outlines and index cards from Jungle
Softwares StoryO.
If youre used to a traditional production board, Gorilla Scheduling 6
has a stripboard where you can drag
and drop strips over the stripboard
and customize its appearance by
adding labels, changing to vertical or
horizontal view and saving design presets. It can even automatically email a
board to the cast or crew.
Keeping your calendar straight for all
of the moving parts of a production can
be a logistical nightmare, but with Gorilla Scheduling 6, you are able to track
the shooting schedule, rehearsals, meetings and location scouts, as well as print
cast and crew call sheets. It has an easy
to read monthly calendar where you
can create blackout date alerts for cast,
crew and equipment availability. Youre
also able to sync screenplay scheduling
from a schedule within a screenplay.
With Gorilla Scheduling 6, you are able
to show your screenplay and organize it
by actions, characters or dialogue. Also
within the program are over 40 different
REVIEw
Jungle Software Gorilla Scheduling & Budgeting 6

TECH SPECS
Minimum System Requirements:

Mac: OS x 10.7-10.10, Intelbased Mac, 1GB RAM, 512MB
available hard disk space,
1024x768 or higher resolution video adapter and display,
Safari 5.1 installed, internet
connection (for location maps &
weather features)
Windows: Ver. 7 (Ultimate, Professional, Home Premium), 8
(Pro and Standard), 8.1 (Pro and
Standard, and 10)
video tutorials for just about every part
of the software.
Say youre building a storyboard to
help with production planning or for
better communication for your crew.
Gorilla Scheduling 6 has a built-in shot
library to create a storyboard with shots
for each scene. You can also attach cast,
equipment and other breakdown elements to each shot. Going one step further, to assist with location organization,
you can add location pictures, location
maps and other location information.
Getting all of your human resources
together through a normal contact
sheet is one thing, but Gorilla Scheduling 6 can sort contacts by job or organization type. For example, you can
label a contact as cast, crew, agent,
manager or company and email them
directly from within the program.
Budgeting
Features and Options
Gorilla Budgeting 6 is an industrystandard budgeting software with topsheets and account detail levels. Going
deeper, it offers special budgeting like
globals, fringes, subgroups, 4th level
detail, international currency support
and customizable captions.
One cool feature with Gorilla Budgeting 6 is that you dont have to start
from scratch with every new budget.
Rather, it has over fifty templates for
whatever type of production youre
making no matter if its a feature, a
short or even a documentary.
Youre able to set-up tax credits for
different locations, attach them to
groups or create individual tax credits.
Plus, you can add an amount, be it a
flat rate or percentage, to any production total. It supports multiple currencies and can globally change the
currency of your entire budget.
Track your expenses against a budget and get a real-time balance, so you
know when youre on track or over
budget. Theres even a ratebook integration that covers over 13,000 union
labor rates, so youre sure to know
what things are going to cost. There
are over 30 video lessons for Gorilla
Budgeting 6 alone, and you can access
them within the program. Both Gorilla
Scheduling and Gorilla Budgeting are
integrated to work well together.
Whos it for?
This suite of products isnt for everyone. It has many parts and gives deep
control over just
Offers robust storyboard and scheduling tools.
about every piece
of information regarding the logistics of filmmaking.
However, for a big
project, these tools
can be a huge
asset, improving
efficiency and
saving time and
money. In some
cases, the money
saved could pay
for the cost of the
programs and
then some.
Overall, the interface is not very attractive; the UI could be better looking
and more intuitive. There are so many
parts, that it could be very easy to create
more data than is needed. But if that
level of detail is required, these are very
strong options. A spreadsheet could
work just as well for small projects, but
the level of detail would be minimal and
creating reports would be more difficult.
Value in the Marketplace
There are options out there, like Celtx,

that are free and offer screenwriting
formatting and management tools
like contacts and client organization.
For a monthly charge, you can get a
full range of options similar to Gorilla
Scheduling and Gorilla Budgeting with
Celtx. Depending on your needs, that
could cost $10 or $20 a month.
The value comes with how long you
might use any program before you
need to pay to upgrade. It all depends
on your workflow and project needs.
Together, Gorilla Scheduling 6 and
Budgeting 6 are $430, and individually,
they are $250 each.
If a one-time purchase is less expensive considering the time you will
use the software, Gorilla Scheduling
and Gorilla Budgeting are surely robust
enough to cover many if not all needs.
Keep in mind, itd take around two
years of leasing Celtx to match the cost
to buy the Gorilla 6 suite, though you
may not get the wealth of features.
If a scheduling and scriptwriting
tool is all you need and you already
subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud,
Adobe Story can also coordinate a
schedule and format your screenplay.
Summary
The price for Gorilla Scheduling and

Budgeting is good, but there are lease
options out there that are similar. However, these could be costly if charged
monthly for too long. Would we
recommend it? Yes, but only for more
advanced projects.
contents
Chris Monlux has a large PEZ dispenser collection, but hasnt added to it for over a decade.
He is also Videomakers Multimedia Editor.
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15
rEVIEW
Light & Motion

Stella 2000
by Chris Monlux
Tiny but Powerful

Light & Motion
www.lightandmotion.com
StrengthS
High light intensity at 2000 lumens
Easy to use
Lightweight
Waterproof to 100m
Can be safely dropped from
one meter
WEaknEssEs
Must be off to be safely dropped
Battery is not removable
reCoMMended USerS
Event Videographers
Corporate filmmakers
Jack of all trades
Travel videographers
Journalists
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suMMary
The stella 2000 by Light & Motion is
super bright, offers nice light quality and is small enough to be toted
around. Being drop-proof and waterproof is a cool party trick for some
and a big value for others. The light
has good intensity and some cool,
exclusive features at a good value, so
if you need a compact, robust, bright
underwater light, the Light & Motion
stella 2000 might be for you.
$850
16
hen choosing lights, many times

the choice is between power or
portability. If you need run your light
off a battery or mount it on your camera, it typically means it will be low
power. On the other hand, if it plugs
into the wall, the choice is more about
quality of light than intensity. The
Stella 2000 by Light & Motion resolves
those issues with a high powered light
that runs off of a battery.
Whats in the box?
Light & Motion provided the Stella

2000, along with some light modifiers and a mount kit for this review.
The light comes with two mounting
options: a -20 mount and cold shoe
mount. With the additional mount
kit, three more options are available:
a pistol grip, a C-stand mount and a
bar or pole mount. Moving on to light
modifiers, the Stella 2000 comes with
barn doors and 50-degree Focus Optic
lens. Within the optional modifier kit,
youll find a 25-degree Fresnel lens,
glo-bulb and a 3-inch speed ring and
gel holder.
The light is battery powered by an
internal lithium-ion battery that cannot be swapped out. Depending on
the intensity being used, the battery
can last from 50 minutes to nearly
7 hours. Rated at 2,000 lumens, the
light is very bright when at full intensity but can be dimmed all the way
down to 300 lumens. The Stella 2000
achieved a 90 CRI and TLCI rating and
operates at 5000K.
Use and Experience
When first powering up the Stella

2000, we were taken aback by the
brightness. It even has an eye hazard
warning printed on it. For being a
small, very portable light, it packs a
punch but also offers a range of intensity if its full power isnt needed.
We did find it to be a bit difficult
to use when shooting an interview
in a news production setting. The
light was so bright that the subjects
300-2000 lumen adjustable intensity
REviEw
Light & Motion Stella 2000
TECH SPECS
Model: Stella 2000

Bulb Type: LED
Accessory Mount: -20, C-Stand,
Pistol Grip, Bar or Pole Mount,
Cold Shoe
Spot/Flood Adjustable: 120
native, 50 Optic lens, 25 Fresnel lens
Barndoors: Yes
Gels: optional 3 gel mount
Softbox: gol-bulb
Total Weight of Kit (lbs.): 1.1lb
Intensity: 2000 - 300 Lumens
Color Temp: 5000K
CRI/TLCI: 90/90
experienced a bit of discomfort.

Just looking in its direction with
any modifier except the glo-bulb
was blinding. Even when shooting
without a modifier, it left a flashbulb
effect in the subjects eyes. Its good
theres a warning on the light, because its very easy to turn it on. We
experienced a few accidental looks
down the barrel as the light fired on;
dont make our mistake.
The quality of the light was quite
nice. We loved to use the glo-bulb
whenever we were shooting people.
Of the modifiers we tried, it offers
the softest, most flattering light.
However, by itself, in extremely dark
shooting scenarios, the light wasnt
bright enough when fitted with the
glo-bulb modifier.
Its size was perfect for run-andgun shooting. We used it for our NAB
coverage, and in most cases, it fit the
bill. Other than occasionally blinding our subject, the shots turned out
great. Oddly enough, in this situation,
we found the light worked the best
without any modifiers. The tight beam
of the fresnel was nice for a highlight
or back rim light, and the 50-degree
focus optic lens

was nice when
combined with
the control of the
barn doors.
Rated for underwater use up to 100 meters
Robust or
Busted?
What really
caught our eye
on this light was
the fact that it
was rated for 100
meters underwater and can
supposedly withstand multiple drops from one meter
onto cement. These are not normal
features of video gear, so we felt it was
necessary to test them.
Although we werent able to dive
with the light, we did submerge it
while it was on, filming the results
with a GoPro HERO4 Black. It performed great and was very bright,
even when in cloudy water. If used for
underwater shooting, this light would
offer ample power to get the shot you
need. This isnt an option that every
video producer needs, but is nice to
have for those interested in underwater videography.
Next, we put the lens to the durability test. Light & Motion says it can
drop from one meter onto concrete.
Its important to understand that
the rating is based on the light not
being on. They do not recommend
the light being powered on when
dropped, but we know you dont
have that choice, as most do not
intentionally drop their lights. However, Light & Motion did state that
even if you had the light on and it
happened to drop and malfunction,
they would guarantee it under their
warranty though the light would
likely need to be fully replaced.
We wanted to test it out, so we
dropped it from just a bit below its
1 meter threshold, and sure enough,
after being dropped, it turned on,
and all was good in the world. Note,

however, that we dropped the light
onto short industrial carpet over a
cement slab. Because we wanted to
get multiple takes for a video of the
drop, we dropped the Stella 2000 a
second time with our camera at a
different frame rate. Again, it performed as stated.
Recommendation
The Light & Motion Stella 2000 is

$850. Light & Motion also offers a
5000 lumens option for more than
twice the cost at $2,300 and many
smaller options for different video
applications that cost less than the
Stella 2000. We feel its a good value
because of the quality and intensity of
the light, plus you can drop it and use
it underwater.
Our recommendation is based on
your personal usage. While the light
is intensely bright, there are cheaper
lights that are just as bright and have
comparable color rendering. What
youre paying for with this light is durability and submersibility. If you need
these two features, the Stella 2000 is a
very safe buy.
contents
Chris Monlux talks a lot, so its good that he

mostly has good things to say. Hes also Videomakers Multimedia Editor.
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17
Reference
Monitors
Buyers Guide
Finding the Right Reference Monitor

BY ERIK FRITTS
eference monitors are helpful tools

that allow video producers to ensure
theyre capturing and creating exactly
the images they want. Utilizing high quality
displays, accurate color space, image layovers
and scopes for digital signal readout, reference monitors provide accurate information
about your image with more precision than is
possible with the naked eye.
There are two main types of reference
monitor, each used in video production in
its own way. On set, field monitors give the
crew a better way of seeing what is being
shot compared to just looking in the cameras
viewfinder. In post-production, color-accurate
monitors are key to editing and color grading.
While there is some overlap in functionality,
there are differences in features that make
each better suited to its own type of work.
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Field Monitors
full screen
Field monitors help ensure great shots by

providing information as images are captured.
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18
Field monitors are best served by features including high resolution, contrast, color gamut,
LUT implementation and brightness. Some
even feature audio monitoring capabilities.
Larger field monitors are used around set, often
in a video village area, where producers, clients
or others can see what is being recorded.
On-camera field monitors are frequently
used by camera operators to ensure quality
in their work. These field monitors are often
smaller, lighter and battery powered. Most will
feature both scopes, such as histogram, RGB
parade and vectorscope, and image layovers,
such as focus assist, zebras and false color.
Battery options and input/output connections
should also be taken into account.
Atomoss Shogun Inferno ($1,995) is their
new flagship field monitor and features a builtin 4K recorder. The Shoguns 7-inch design
offers a 10-bit 1920x1200 resolution touchscreen display. The display reaches brightness
up to 1500 nit and offers Rec.709 color gamut.
Dual battery ports allow for continuous power
and 3G-SDI, HDMI, LTC and XLR inputs are

provided. Its robust recording options pack
even more value into the new Shogun Inferno.
Convergent Designs Odyssey 7Q+
($2,295) is another combo 4K recorder/field
monitor that offers a 7.7-inch OLED touchscreen display with 1280x800 resolution and
3400:1 contrast ratio with full color gamut
for DCI-P3 or Rec.709 viewing. The monitor features a range of helpful scopes and
layovers, plus 3G-SDI and HDMI inputs. The
7Q+ can fit on-camera or finds a useful place
in video village with Multi-Stream monitoring
for multi-cam shoots. Again, the wide range of
recording options add a lot of versatility.
The ikan VX9w-2 ($1,400) is an 8.9-inch
1920x1200 field monitor with scopes and 2K
support. The brightness is rated at 450 nit and
900:1 contrast. It has 3G-SDI and HDMI input/
outputs, scopes and audio monitoring.
Marshall Electronics oers the V-LCD70AFHD ($800) as a 7-inch 1024x600 resolution
on-camera monitor. It has a bevy of inputs
including HDMI, DVI-I, SD-SDI and HD-SDI.
Layovers, scopes and audio metering give shooters the tools they want. The display is 500 nit
with a 700:1 contrast ratio.
Video Devicess on-cam monitor/recorder,
the PixE-7 ($1,595) has a 7-inch, 500 nit touchscreen with 1920x1200 resolution and again,
doubles as a 4K recorder. It has a 500 nit brightness and 1000:1 contrast ratio, as well as two
6G-SDI and one HDMI input. The PIX-E7 is also
a 4K recorder with audio monitoring.
Small HD makes a range of on-camera monitors, but have now entered the space of large
monitors made for video village. Their 2403
HDR Production Monitor ($5,500) is an incredibly durable 23.8-inch IPS Panel that features
1920x1080 resolution at 1000:1 contrast, 1000
nit, 100% Rec.709 gamut and 10-bit color. It has
3G-SDI, HD-SDI, and HDMI inputs and outputs,
and 8 channel audio monitoring.
Editing Monitors
In editing, a reference monitor acts as a second

display that lets the picture editor view a large
version of the video with very precise color
Convergent Design
Odyssey 7Q+
Reference
Monitor
Buyers
Guide
Atomos
Shogun Inferno
Video Devices
PixE-7
ikan
VX9w-2
Small HD
2403 HDR
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Marshall
Electronics
V-LCD70-AFHD
VI DE O M AKER >>> J ULY 2016
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19
Buyers
Guide
Reference
Monitor
representation. Without a dedicated reference

monitor, either the image is full screen and your
tools, effects and bins are hidden, or everything
is squeezed onto the screen, resulting in the
image being just a fraction of the screen size.
Seeing a larger representation of the image can
allow editors to see the fine details that affect
how the video plays to its audience.
The other main reason for an editing monitor is
to ensure proper color space of your images. You
should be editing and color grading on a system
that uses the color space you will be delivering to
your clients or one that can be modified to do so
with LUTs. HDTV is based in the Rec.709 standard,
whereas consumer computer monitors use sRGB
color space. A video that was color graded in
sRGB will not look the way it is expected to when
played on a Rec.709 system.
NECs PA322-UHD-BK-2 ($3,000) has a 31.5inch IPS display with 3840x2160 native resolution, a 1000:1 contrast ratio and 350 nit brightness. It has inputs for HDMI, DisplayPort and
DVI-D as well as an integrated USB hub. Part of
the MultiSync PA series, it comes with five color
gamut presets including sRGB and Rec.709.
The Eizo Color Edge CG318-4K ($5,740) has
a 31.1-inch IPS display with 4096x2160 resolution at 350 nits and 1500:1 contrast ratio.
Inputs include DisplayPort, HDMI and USB. It
offers several color space presets and covers
100% of the Rec.709 gamut.
ViewSonics VP2780-4K ($700) is a 27-inch
monitor with 3840x2160 resolution. It has inputs for HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort and USB. It has
a 1000:1 contrast ratio, is set to the EBU color
space and offers LUT support .
Eizo
Color Edge
CG318-4K
NEC
PA322-UHD-BK-2
ViewSonic
VP2780-4K
Apple
Thunderbolt
Display
READING SHOT ASSIST TOOLS
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Scopes function by reading and displaying signal voltage in a

usable format.
tion is measured by how deep the signal goes into each of

the hue sections.
A waveform monitor is a specialized scope used to get a

precise reading of the luminance, or brightness, of an image.
Waveform monitors display an actual left-to-right representation of the image, but instead of seeing the picture,
you get a signal charting IRE brightness measurements. This
helps make sure the shot is properly exposed and lets the
user easily find under or overexposed portions of the frame.
RGB Parade is another type of scope used to visualize information about the three color channels: red, green and blue.
Parade means seeing all three colors together, side by side,
but you can often monitor a single color channel with its
own dedicated scope. These operate as a vertical scale measuring the intensity of each color channel in a left-right representation of the image.
Vectorscopes, which measure color information, are often

used in conjunction with waveform monitors. Vectorscopes
display the saturation and hue of the image signal. They are
displayed as a circular chart where hue is represented by
the angles of the circle, like sections of a pie, and the satura-
Scopes give readings with precision that cant be matched.

Instead of just thinking something looks right, scopes allow
a quantifiable measurement of the image signal that can
ensure a top-quality product. Understanding how to read
them is a key to professional level video production.
20
The Thunderbolt Display ($1,000) from

Apple is a 27-inch IPS LCD. It has 2560x1440
resolution and 1000:1 contrast. It uses USB,
Firewire and Thunderbolt ports. It is made for
use specifically with Mac computers and OS.
Dells 30-inch UltraSharp 30 Premiere
Color Monitor ($1,250) has 2560x1600 resolution, 350 nit brightness and 1000:1 contrast.
Its wide color gamut and LUT support allow
it to cover Rec.709 standards and more. It has
DVI-D, HDMI, DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort
and USB connections.
The Z27s 27-inch Widescreen IPS Monitor
($700) by HP has 3840x2160 resolution and
support for a wide color gamut suitable for the
Rec.709 color space. HDMI, DisplayPort and
Mini DisplayPort connectors give a range of
inputs. It offers 300 nit brightness and 1000:1

contrast ratio for a rich black color.
Reference
Monitor
Buyers
Guide
HP
Z27s
Dell
UltraSharp 30
Closing
No matter what tools youre looking for as a

video specialist, the ultimate decision is based
around production needs versus budget. Finding the right monitors means balancing features
against cost. Work style, client needs and the
type of video you shoot are all factors in finding
the right reference monitors for you.
Erik Fritts is an award winning writer, photographer and
filmmaker. He has a degree in Film Production from CSU
Sacramento and has worked in tv, film, and corporate video.
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21
MOBILE
APPS
BUYERS GUIDE
BY JEFF CHAVES
It seems like theres an app for everything, and making video is no exception.
However, sorting through the mobile apps market is a lot like digging through dry
sand. The landscape is always changing and new things are added all the time.
Plus, you have to dig with both hands to include Android and Apple apps.
e found some great solutions to

turn your phone or tablet into a
powerful production tool. In most
cases, we tried to limit ourselves
to apps that have been on the market for a while
and have good ratings on the two major app
markets: Google Play for Android and the Apple
App Store for iOS. We suggest that you always
read the reviews before you buy any app and, if
its possible, try before you buy. Some app developers offer free versions with limited functions
so you can take their app for a test drive.
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22
Because the cost of the apps may fluctuate,

weve tried to give an easy cost measurement.
Occasionally, app makers put their wares on sale
or even offer them free for a limited time. And
yes, there are apps to track the price of apps. To
help understand the costs, weve come up with a
simple rating system:
Free No cost (In-app purchase may apply)
$ - under $4.99
$$ - $5-9.99
$$$ - More than $10.00
PRE-PRODUCTION
Celtx Shots
Apple Free
SCRIPTWRITING
Celtx Script
Android/Apple - Free
Celtx has found its way onto
many screenwriters computers simply because of the
cost; its free. Over the last
few years, theyve also developed apps that work on both Android and iOS
devices and allow you to write anywhere. You
can even switch back and forth between phone,
tablet and desktop seamlessly with their cloud
based storage called Celtx Studio.
The basic scriptwriting package, a variety of
production tools and cloud storage are all free.
There are collaboration packages available starting at $8.25 per month.
Final Draft Writer

Apple $$$
Final Draft has been the gold
standard for script writing
programs for some time. They
have only recently added a mobile app. Its currently only available for iOS.
The app has all the features of the full version,
including SmartType, which remembers character names and scenes. You can use Dropbox to
switch between devices. Theres also a free Final
Draft Reader available for anyone who needs to
view the script but not make changes, like actors
and crew.
DubScript
Android Free
If you need to use Final Draft
on your Android device, DubScript is a great solution. This
app will import and export files in FDX (Final
Draft) format. It uses industry standard formatting and, if your device allows, can input with
your voice. DubScript can even read your script
back to you.
Another great free tool from

Celtx is Shots. Its currently
only available for Apple iOS.
This one is also linked to your Celtx Studio, so
it can be used across your platforms. Its a great
storyboarding app, and it also includes a space
to block out shots linked to the storyboard. The
app also features a collection of artwork that
includes actors, cameras and lights for those of
us who cant draw.
ShotPro
Apple $$$
For more detailed pre-visualization of your production,
ShotPro gives filmmakers the
opportunity to use their mobile device to block
characters and props and place lighting and
cameras.
Keyframing movement, the gyro camera and
real-time manipulation make it easy to create dynamic 3D simulations
of your shots. ShotPro is also
available as a desktop app for
OS X and Windows.
Movidiam
Apple Free
Movidiam is a great place to
find crew and for professionals to find projects,
but theres also an app with tools for planning
your project and keeping everyone organized.
You can enter your project, add your team, create a list of tasks and assign the tasks to each
team member. The app also has a calendar that
your team can see and a place to send messages
back and forth.
Kodak Cinema Tools

Android/Apple Free
Yes, this is designed for filming,
but it has a great selection of
tools that can be useful before
you shoot. It has a depth of
field chart to help you select the right lens and a
glossary so you can select the right lingo. In the
Apple app, it also has a sun calculator to find the
best shooting times for wherever youre going.
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23
EDITING
Pinnacle Studio Pro
Apple - $$$
SHOOTING
FiLMiC Pro
Android/Apple - $$
Have you ever thought that
your phones camera would
be great if it had real camera controls? Thats what FiLMiC Pro gives
you. You can change frame rates, exposure,
audio gain and more. Itll even shoot in 4K if
your device can handle it. It has zoom control
with variable speed and there are two different sensor fields one for exposure and one
for focus that can each be
changed on the fly.
8mm Vintage Camera

Apple - $
If youre looking to go a little
vintage, 8mm has the answer.
It includes a variety of different lens and film
looks like Super 8, Flickering Frame and 20s,
60s and 70s look. The developers website
boasts that the app was used in the production
of the Oscar-winning film Searching for Sugar
Man from director Malik
Bendjelloul.
Vintage Retro Camera

+VHS
Android Free
If youre looking for that retro
feel for your Android device, look no further
than Vintage Retro Camera. It also features
nostalgic film looks like 8mm, and the +VHS
adds that great time/date stamp as seen on your
parents old VHS camera.
SloPro
Android/Apple Free
If youre looking for a way to
get a slow motion shot from
your device, SloPro is a great
solution. It features super slow
speeds of 500 or 1000 frames per second; the
iPhone 6s slow motion mode is only 240 fps. The
app also features renderless editing and a variety
of different effects.
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24
There are a lot of quick editing

apps out there that will just
give you the basics. Pinnacle
Studio Pro is not one of them. This is the realdeal editor. It give you a real, frame accurate
timeline that separates audio and video. Youll
also find a great titling tool and professional
looking templates. Some templates, effects and
a royalty-free music library require additional
purchases.
KineMaster
Android - $$
In the Andrioid Play Store, KineMaster Pro has risen to the top of
the serious editing apps. It features a multi-track timeline and great effects. One
unique effect is their handwriting layer, which
allows you to use your finger to draw or write on
the moving video. While the app works on most
devices running 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean MR2) or better,
not all of the features can work on every device.
Check the details before you buy.
Cyberlink PowerDirector
Mobile
Android Free
Cyberlink PowerDirector Mobile
provides a lot of flexibility in a
free app for Android phones and tablets. The app
offers timeline editing in a clean interface with
over 50 transitions and effects, including slow
motion effects, titling tools and overlay capabilities. Plus, once youre happy with your edit,
PowerDirector Mobile can share directly in-app to
Facebook or YouTube.
Adobe Premiere Clip

Android/Apple Free
If you need a simple editor that
easily puts video and still images together, Adobe has created
a solid solution. One great feature is the ability to
add your own music to the timeline, but best of
all, if you use Adobes Creative Cloud, your work
in Clip can all be sent to your Premiere editor.
This can be one more tool in your Adobe arsenal
if you are using this cloud-based solution.
DISTRIBUTION
Facebook
Android/Apple Free
Vimeo
Android/Apple Free
After youve created and
edited your work, you need to
release it to the world. Vimeo is one of the better
solutions. Vimeo boasts gorgeous ad-free HD.
The app allows you to upload from your library
directly to your Vimeo account.
Facebook has allowed users to

upload video for some time,
and it might be a great way to get the word out
on your latest project. Facebook has also added
live videos to their list of features. The feature is
available in the app, so you can you can go live
to your timeline right from your phone.
YouTube
Android/Apple Free
The biggest name on the block,
YouTube is a great place for
your videos but is not ad-free.
The app features basic editing with effects and
music to fine tune your work before you upload.
AFTER YOUVE CREATED AND EDITED

YOUR WORK, YOU NEED TO RELEASE IT
TO THE WORLD.
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Segments include: Legalities, Pre-Ceremony, Audio, Ceremony, Reception and Post-Production.
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25
SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

We also found a couple of new and unique apps
that will take your device to new heights, but these
apps require an additional hardware purchase.
IN-APP PURCHASE
One way app creators make money on free
apps is to offer in-app purchases. They will
often give you an app for free or close to free,
but its use may be limited unless you purchase
access to additional features or elements.
In some cases, the in-app purchases are
simply add-ons like effects or fonts. An in-app
purchase may also remove annoying ads from
the interface. If these offers are for such superficial elements, its easy to continue to work
without them.
In other cases, the free app will be so limited
that you really cant do much until you make
the purchase. For example, you can try a mobile
editing app for free, but you wont be allowed to
create a video longer than 15 seconds without
purchasing an upgrade.
Another revenue method is monthly subscriptions. Some apps will give you limited
functionality but you have to subscribe to get
full use of all features. Be cautious about signing
up for services that charge monthly. Normally,
they charge your account or add the cost onto
your phone bill each month until you cancel
sometimes without any notification
Unity Intercom
Android/Apple - Free
Imagine your crew using their
smartphones as an intercom
system. That is what Unity
Intercom has created. You
download the app onto your phone and plug in
a headset (sold separately) or the earbuds that
came with the phone. Now everyone can be
connected. The intercom will not use your cell
service; it relies on a local Wi-Fi. The drawback is
that the system requires Unitys Server software
for Mac, which starts at $499.
Manfrotto Digital Director

Apple Free
Debuting at NAB 2015, Manfrotto introduced their Digital
Director that turns your iPad
into a complete DSLR controller. Currently available for Canon and Nikon cameras, the app can control shutter speed, aperture
and even focus with just a touch on the screen.
There are also great monitoring features like
audio and histogram. The system requires the
purchase of an iPad cradle that includes a camera
cable. The package starts at $499.
FINAL THOUGHTS
THEY WILL OFTEN GIVE YOU AN APP FOR

FREE OR CLOSE TO FREE, BUT ITS USE
MAY BE LIMITED UNLESS YOU PURCHASE
ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL FEATURES.
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These represent just a few of the many, many

apps on the market today aimed at unlocking the
video production power of your iOS or Android
device. While the apps featured here can be trusted to get the job done, new apps are released or
updated every day. As you search for the perfect
app to increase your phones functionality on set,
always consider cost and reputation before hitting the download button.
Jeff Chaves is the Chief Creative Officer of Grace Pictures Inc.,
which he co-owns with his wife, Peggy. He got his start as an
Army Broadcaster in the 1980s and spent 12 plus years working on broadcasting. Jeff left broadcast television to pursue
full-time ministry.
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Finding Paths Into
a Changing
(and out of)
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Tino Struckmann
David Sterling
Kim Sherrell
Michelle Glavan
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28
By John MccaBe and tina hoffMan
Hollywood
At some point or
Another, weve All
dreAmt of mAking
it big in the movie
industry.
We all have stories to tell and

desire to tell them, but the
movie industry has always
been one of the most difficult
to break into. Between the
unions and the prominent
nepotism driven by the big
studios, Hollywood stardom
has been the most elusive
goal of all. However, things
are changing for the better.
We sat down with four
professional filmmakers to get
their advice.
he allure of Hollywood is a
powerful force and has remained part of the American
Dream since the 1920s. But
ever since the day D. W. Griffith moved
his operations from New York City to
this west coast town, breaking into Hollywood has been notoriously difficult.
Whether its dreamers who want to
change the world, capitalists who want
to make their fortune the easy way
or people who just want to get their
stories told, many have dreams of making it big in Hollywood. But Hollywood
is broken, and thats great news for you
and me and everyone, actually.
Because there are so few job openings and so many people wanting to
create Hollywood Magic, the supply of
filmmakers has always far outweighed
the demand for fresh faces and ideas.
Moreover, nepotism in the business
has traditionally made knowing the

right people more important than having the right skills. Its a known fact
that some of the most sought-after
jobs in the world are driven by cronyism more than competence.
Still, you know that youve got what
it takes to make it, and youre reading Videomaker because you want to
learn more of the fine details. Well,
we have some great news for you! Its
never been easier to get your product
out there, and weve spoken to some
successful filmmakers whove been
getting it done. Theyve been kind
enough to open up to us about their
careers so that you can learn from
their experiences.
Not every success story in Hollywood revolves around big studios;
there are many successful independent
filmmakers and room for more.
29
contents
full screen
print
In the March 2015 issue, we spoke to Lloyd

Kaufman and David Heavener, two independent
filmmakers whose careers have spanned a combined 75 years. But they had to make their way
up through the old Hollywood system. For this
piece, we spoke with four more creators to hear
their varying perspectives on breaking into todays
movie industry. Since theyve all taken different
paths, we fully expected to see some variance, but
there are many parallels in their careers, as well as
some aspects that all four agreed on without fail.
The Filmmakers
Tino Struckmann is a filmmaker who started

his movie career as a military adviser and now
contents
full screen
Tino Struckmann uses his background as a solider to his advantage

when making films. He says, At heart, Im a soldier; I go all out and
plow down anything thats in my way. Its a fight every day.
print
30
primarily specializes
specializes in
in action
action movies.
movies. Hes
Hes also
also
primarily
acted on
on the
the Dennis
Dennis Hopper
Hopper TV
TV series
series E-Ring
E-Ring
acted
in the
the 1990s.
1990s. Working
Working on
on aa movie
movie set
set is
is so
so much
much
in
cooler than
than any
any other
other job,
job, and
and Struckmann
Struckmann was
was
cooler
one who
who appreciated
appreciated itit immediately.
immediately. He
He was
was
one
determined to
to learn
learn more
more about
about the
the business.
business. I
I
determined
like to
to see
see how
how things
things work,
work, he
he explains
explains as
as his
his
like
reason for
for going
going into
into directing
directing and
and producing,
producing, as
as
reason
well as
as acting.
acting.
well
Next we
we spoke
spoke to
to Kim
Kim Sherrell.
Sherrell. Like
Like StuckStuckNext
mann, she
she feels
feels that
that her
her determination
determination is
is one
one
mann,
aspect of
of her
her personality
personality that
that sets
sets her
her apart
apart from
from
aspect
the crowd.
crowd. Sherrell
Sherrell also
also credits
credits her
her participation
participation
the
in social
social media
media for
for aa large
large portion
portion of
of her
her success.
success.
in
Twitters immediacy
immediacy and
and Kickstarters
Kickstarters disdisTwitters
covery engine
engine now
now put
put me
me in
in immediate
immediate contact
contact
covery
with people
people who
who are
are anxious
anxious to
to make
make the
the same
same
with
types of
of projects
projects Id
Id love
love to
to tackle.
tackle. Audiences
Audiences can
can
types
find content
content they
they enjoy.
enjoy. Social
Social networks
networks bring
bring us
us
find
exactly the
the right
right talent,
talent, too,
too, says
says Sherrell.
Sherrell.
exactly
Describing how
how she
she became
became attached
attached to
to the
the
Describing
forthcoming movie,
movie, Dig
Dig Two
Two Graves,
Graves, she
she says,
says,
forthcoming
Its aa gorgeous
gorgeous piece
piece of
of cinema.
cinema. II met
met [writer
[writer
Its
and director]
director] Hunter
Hunter [Adams]
[Adams] through
through Brandon
Brandon
and
Walter and
and Kasi
Kasi Brown,
Brown, aa brilliant
brilliant writer/director
writer/director
Walter
team who
who found
found me
me through
through social
social media.
media. How
How
team
would II have
have met
met these
these incredible
incredible people
people before
before
would
Jack invented
invented Twitter
Twitter and
and Yancy
Yancy created
created KickKickJack
starter? Unless
Unless II went
went to
to the
the same
same university,
university, my
my
starter?
chances were
were ZERO.
ZERO. Of
Of course,
course, Sherrell
Sherrell takes
takes
chances
social media
media very
very seriously,
seriously, which
which is
is exactly
exactly what
what
social
youd expect
expect from
from someone
someone managed
managed to
to get
get the
the
youd
Twitter handle
handle of
of @kim.
@kim.
Twitter
The freshest
freshest approach
approach to
to stardom
stardom is
is YouTube,
YouTube,
The
so we
we also
also interviewed
interviewed Michelle
Michelle Glavan,
Glavan, an
an actor
actor
so
and producer
producer who
who is
is using
using YouTube
YouTube to
to build
build her
her
and
fame, and
and eventually,
eventually, her
her fortune.
fortune. At
At the
the time
time
fame,
of this
this writing,
writing, Michelles
Michelles YouTube
YouTube channel
channel had
had
of
nearly aa quarter
quarter million
million subscribers,
subscribers, well
well on
on
nearly
her way
way to
to her
her goal
goal of
of one
one million.
million. But
But Michelle
Michelle
her
didnt get
get into
into filmmaking
filmmaking to
to be
be on
on YouTube;
YouTube; her
her
didnt
goals at
at the
the beginning
beginning of
of her
her career
career were
were differdiffergoals
ent than
than they
they are
are now.
now.
ent
Glavan explains
explains that
that she
she didnt
didnt take
take her
her filmfilmGlavan
making career
career seriously
seriously enough
enough at
at the
the beginbeginmaking
ning. I
I didnt
didnt expect
expect anything
anything from
from it.
it. II wasnt
wasnt
ning.
monetizing when
when II first
first began.
began. II was
was just
just makmakmonetizing
ing funnies.
funnies. So,
So, to
to have
have people
people subscribe,
subscribe, even
even
ing
though Im
Im not
not in
in the
the millions,
millions, means
means aa lot
lot to
to
though
me. Fortunately,
Fortunately, she
she found
found the
the growth
growth potential
potential
me.
and financial
financial success
success that
that YouTube
YouTube can
can afford
afford an
an
and
artist and
and businessperson.
businessperson. Glavan
Glavan has
has taken
taken her
her
artist
career by
by the
the reins
reins and
and is
is using
using YouTube
YouTube as
as her
her
career
vehicle to
to success.
success.
vehicle
David Sterling, having produced over 130

films to date, is the most tenured filmmaker
on the panel. Sterling began his career in the
early 1990s under the old Hollywood system,
so he is able to provide extra insight into how
the filmmaking industry has changed over time.
Although Streling and Glavan are two very different people, they also have much in common.
Sterling also came to Los Angeles in hopes of
a different career. He was looking to make it in
the music business. Along with DJing, he worked
with over 2,000 bands, filming their concerts and
says that he had to grow into the movie industry.
For that reason, he also feels that he shouldve
treated it like a business long before he did.
Although they all forged different paths, these
filmmakers have one major theme in common:
Success is all about commitment. If you dont
commit to making it in the movie industry,
youre not going to. There are many thousands
of people who want to be great filmmakers, and
theyve done more than polish their Academy
acceptance speech: theyve dedicated their lives
to making it happen. If youre going to give
up the first time you lose a contest, you dont
belong here. Believe in yourself, believe in your
concept and believe in those around you. With
talent, some luck and the right people, a determined filmmaker will most often be a successful filmmaker.
Michelle Glavan concurs with Sterling. She

also emphasizes the importance of keeping your
brand fresh and the videos rolling. My first few
years, I buckled down and made a video a week
and I think thats the best way to grow. The next
step for me is one million subscribers, and I
believe persistent hard work, posting a video a
week and working with other creators will get
me there. Consistency is key.
But you dont want to make just anything
that pops into your head. You will build a fan
base better by branding yourself. To do this,
you need to stick to your brands identity. If
youre making action films, you dont want
to suddenly switch to comedies or romance.
It will confuse your audience as to who you
are and what they can expect from you. If you
choose to change your brand, youll end up
Branding
With determination comes commitment to the

process and to the identity you are crafting for
yourself as a filmmaker. David Sterling explains
that you must go all in if you want to be successful.
Its 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Sterling
explains, especially in the beginning. Im older
now and Ive only made five films so far [in 2015],
but when I was younger, I was making a movie
every eight to 12 weeks.
This comes from a guy who gave up every weekend of his high school years to DJ and record
concerts. Hes spent thousands of hours shooting
concert footage. Although Sterling will lead you to
believe that hes slowing down, he spends many
hours each day working on his Video on Demand
(VOD) site distributing dozens of movies. Sterling feels that it is necessary to keep adding new
material as people will forget you if you dont stay
fresh, so he is constantly adding to his site. He also
explains that, in order to keep his brand out there
for all to see, he is constantly updating on social
media, even on holidays.
contents
full screen
Kim Sherrell credits a lot of her success to her active Twitter and
Kickstarter presence. In fact, her recent project, Dig Two Graves, is
the result of connections made on social media.
print
31
having to regrow your audience. So go ahead

and take the time to think about what you
want to make; write it down and reference
your notes as you proceed.
Sterling advises looking for the type of movies that nobody is making and to look to the
future; dont make whats already been made!
Thats what the big studios are for.
Although the two are related, brand is not the
same as genre. For example, Tino Struckmann
doesnt exclusively make World War II movies.
One of his current projects is Men of Thor, a
project that he is making to honor his grandmother who was a Viking historian. Just like his
World War II movies, Struckmann is telling the
stories from history that need to be told.
We are also in pre-production on a Holocaust movie about my grandparents. Like most
of Struckmanns movies, the foundation of the
story is real.
Expendable Assets, another film that he
is currently producing, is being made to bring
the subject of human trafficking to light. This
is a subject that Struckmann addresses in his
2006 book, Stalked, and the cause behind his

Struckmann Foundation. All of these movies stick
to Struckmanns brand, even though the genre
changes. They are all movies with a lot of action,
heroes and villains, and they are based on true
historical events.
Commitment and Determination
Struckmann is a man who is very determined in

everything he does. Whether its bodybuilding,
soldiering or making movies, he goes full force all
the time.
At heart, Im a soldier; I go all out and plow
down anything thats in my way. Its a fight every
day. But Struckmanns story is one of success. As
he explains, most people in Hollywood, whether
theyre actors, producers, gaffers or PAs also have
at least one other job to pay the bills. Because
he now makes his living exclusively through his
work in movies, he is one of the more successful
auteurs in the independent film world. Being able
to have a career that you love while still paying
the bills is considered a success in any industry.
Sherrell agrees, stating that, Getting here was
extremely difficult at times, but I have a stubborn
nature that allows me to stay committed to goals.
Grad school took years. Becoming tenured took
years. I decided a film career might take decades
or essentially until the end of my life to accomplish, but I made that commitment.
These filmmakers have had to learn a lot. While
Sherrell learned quite a bit of her craft in school,
Michelle Glavan has learned by doing. Ive always
been a writer/actor/singer/performer, since I was
little, but I had to learn the other side of content creation on my own, for example, editing,
graphics, color, audio mixing, producing and the
business/marketing details that come with having
a YouTube channel.
The New Hollywood
contents
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Michelle Glavan uses YouTube as her primary distribution platform.

She emphasizes consistency as key to success and promotes persistent
hard work, posting a video a week and working with other creators.
print
32
One of the biggest deterrents to movie creation

is funding. Crowdfunding levels the playing field
tremendously. Until Melvin Van Peebles came
onto the scene in 1970, movie making was open
exclusively to white men who had connections.
Although Van Peebless breaking down of the
color barrier helped open the door to women and
minorities, Hollywood has always been known for
its epic resistance to change. Even though Penny
Marshall became a big studio director (Big,
Jumpin Jack Flash, A League of their Own), it
certainly didnt hurt one bit that shes Tony Marshalls daughter and Garry Marshalls sister. But
that was the old days; theyre part of

the past. The present and the future are
the internet.
Kim Sherrell observes, I hadnt
anticipated things becoming easier
for women, but they have. Women are
enjoying remarkable success with the
new funding and distribution models.
For me thats been the most surprising
thing about being a producer in the
year 2015. She makes the most of the
internet and social media in particular. I struggled for a number of years.
Then, something surprising happened.
With the advent of social networking
and crowdfunding, I found a lot of the
hurdles were disappearing. Suddenly I
had loads of opportunities.
Traditionally, there have been three
ways to become a producer or director:
The easiest and most certain way was to
have a relative in a position of power at
a movie studio. Then theres the George
Lucas route, which is to go to an accredited film school and work on student
projects until you get discovered. And
the third way was by getting yourself on
the set of films and learning from the
directors whom you admire.
Fortunately, the internet has added
new methods for you to reach your
goals. Make no mistake about it.
Social media is filled with opportunities to become a great filmmaker, but
you have to work hard to make it.
Every so-called overnight sensation
on YouTube has put years of effort
into audience building and branding,
whether theyre making horror films
or simply filming themselves while
playing Minecraft.
Sherrell has strong feelings for the
power of social media and what it
has done for her career. Not only has
she backed 84 other creators using
crowdfunding, but shes also making a movie, due out this year, called
Kickstarted, which Sherrell describes
as a beautiful documentary about this
awesome phenomenon thats occurring right in front of our eyes. There
is not a single element in the film that
does not owe to startup culture and
network building.
Kickstarted follows the experiences of a musician, a filmmaker

and an inventor, all of whom use
crowdfunding to pursue their lifelong dreams. Each creator puts their
reputation, their financial future and
their creative lives on the line in order

to convince the crowd their dreams
are worth funding. The project raised
a good chunk of production money
from an audience who wanted to see
the idea realized.
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33
The filmmakers on our panel distribute their movies in different manners,

and this is probably the biggest dissimilarity between those who entered Hollywood through the old system versus
those who came in through the new
methods. In the old Hollywood system,
you used distributors to proliferate
your films, whereas the Internet Age
allows you to do your own distribution
without having to leave your basement.
Both methods have their advantages
and disadvantages.
The best case to be made for
working with distributors is that
you can get some of your financing
up front and you dont have to put
up your own money. However, this
money comes with a price, and that
price is creative freedom.
The main reason that you became
an independent filmmaker, rather than
try to make it in the studio system, is
partially taken away in order to get
your masterpiece out to the public.
Not only can distributors force you to
change the content of your opus, but
they can even force you to change
the title. Oftentimes, theyll make
you change it to a name similar to a
current hit film to improve sales, even
if it is deceptive. Sterling explains
that making the deal is an art. The
endgame is making money, so you
always have to think of it as a business. He goes on to warn that dealing
with distributors can be very tricky,
especially the getting paid part. Most
distributors are underfunded and if it
contents
comes down to paying you or keeping

the lights on theyre going to pay
you last if at all.
However, if youre distributing
through your YouTube or Vimeo
channel, the project is entirely yours.
Sherrell explains, We dont need
anyones permission. Its okay to
make exactly the sort of creative projects we all want to make and viewers
want to enjoy.
Glavan concurs with Sherrells conclusion, stating The thing I love about
having my own channel is I get to have
creative control. I get to do everything
how I want it done. What it comes
down to is this: if you want complete
control over your work, you not only
need to make it yourself, but distribute
it on your own, too. While youll have
to find more creative means to fund
the project, youll be able to make it
the way that you want within your
budget, at least.
Glavan feels that her channel
will one day pave the road to much
bigger Hollywood success, The key
to getting there is making an awesome pilot and getting support from
the right people and production
companies by constantly producing
content that they believe in. Consistently creating good work will get
me where I want to be. To that end,
she and her partner, Natalie Lander,
released a pilot in spring of 2016
that, after more than three years
of preparation, they hope launches
them to the next level.
David Sterling has produced

over 130 films to date. The
sheer volume of projects
undertaken has given him
some valuable insight. He
advises us to stay current
and adapt to keep our work
relevent to viewers.
full screen
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34
Its also much easier and less expensive to make movies these days. David
Sterling, explains that hes worked with
all the different types of film and video,
from 16mm and 35mm film to digital
video and now 4K, which he has decided hell continue to use going forward.
The access to available formats and the
lower costs that come with them make
it easier for todays filmmakers to break
in without needing distributors to cover
their costs.
Success in any profession requires
that you dedicate yourself. The movie
business is one of the most difficult; try
not to forget those who are most important to you. Struckmann, tells us that he
would get so busy working on scripts
that he would forget about his own dog
ironic since his production company
is named Almighty Dog Productions.
He sat there for so long, holding
the ball in his mouth; waiting for me
to play with him. I just couldnt break
away from the script I was writing.
When I finally did get up, he was lying
in the corner, looking sad. I looked at
my feet and saw that hed left the ball
next to me. That was when I realized
how much Id given up for success in
Hollywood. I never had a wife or kids.
I left my family in Europe and came to
America. All I had was my dog, and I
realized how my work made me neglect
him... Whats an Oscar worth if I have
no one to share it with?
But dont let him fool you; Struckmann is in it for the long haul. Hes a
successful Hollywood professional be-
cause, even though Hollywood makes

it hard to break into the community
of friends and family, it can be done.
There are a lot of people out there
that could make great stuff if theyre
allowed to do so. There are too few
people making movies. Its still going
forward for me You need to take an
optimistic approach to get you to the
next level.
David Sterling has been through
a lot in the industry. Hes been very
successful but, like everyone else, has
also made mistakes.
With decades of experience under
his belt, he understands what his
audience wants. He advises us that a
filmmaker should make movies that
people want to see today, not the
ones that they wanted to see in the
past. Staying current and adapting
are keys to surviving in the industry
over the long term. Make movies for

the time. He advises us to look for
the movies that no one else is making, citing the example of his movie,
Lizzie Bordens Revenge. At the
time, nobody was making any movies about Lizzie Borden. Suddenly,
theyre all over the place.
Struckmann feels that movies
should motivate the audience. Money
has to be a component, but make
movies to move people. He also
advises, Remember who you are
and where you came from. When we
compete, we lose sight of who we are.
We leave behind those who matter
I wish Id spent more time with my
family. Although Struckmann feels
some regrets for the amount that he
dedicated to his career, he certainly
has no intention of stopping, telling us
that the best has yet to come.
Demystifying Hollywood
To people around the world, Hollywood

is an enigma and a fantasy. To those of
us who live here, its a town. The magic
is what comes from the people who
make it magic. There are thousands of
people who want to make it big in the
industry; with hard work, some friends
and a little luck, you too can make
it. Although everyone profiled in this
feature lives in the L.A. area, Hollywood is diversifying all over the world,
thanks to the internet and all the new
distribution models and the opportunities for connections that it brings.
John McCabe is a Los Angeles based Scriptwriter
and Director. He is also the founder of Never
Say Cut Productions. Tina Hoffman is a Freelance Producer and Graphic Artist.
contents
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35
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Forecasting
the Future
at
NAB
2016
ByOdin
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By
Recently,over
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LasVegas
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Recently,
NationalAssociation
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(NAB)Show.
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NABhas
haslong
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beenthe
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tosee
seenew
new
National
technologiesand
andworkflows
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thatwill
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thefuture.
future.With
Withthousands
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productsand
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servicespromoted
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new
Mol e Pro
ts never easy to go to a show like NAB and

figure out the new paths that content creation
will take; as NAB has continued to grow in
size and complexity, the task has become
more daunting. In the past, the show focused
on products for television and radio; in recent
years, its expanded its definition of broadcasting to include motion pictures, internet,
contents
full screen
print
38
mobileand
andvirtual
virtualreality.
reality.Because
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VIDEOMAKER >>> JU ly 2016
Photograph courtesy of Robb Cohen Photography and Video

http://www.nabshow.com/news/photos
HdR and 8K in your Living Room
Weapon isnt what most of us would call cheap,

its not a half-million dollar camera body, so a
rental at least may be affordable, especially for
filmmakers needing the higher resolution for
VFX shots.
Ang Lee and the Future of Cinema
Oscar award-winning director Ang Lee (Life of

Pi, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) showed
footage from his latest feature, Billy Lynns Long
the most dramatic aspect of the

footage shown was a result of the
120 fps frame rate.
Halftime Walk, which is set to release later this
year. The film was shot with Sony F65 cameras in
4K 3D, at 120 frames per second. Two prototype
Christie laser projectors were used to screen the
footage at 4K for both left and right eyes at 120
Ang Lee
At this years NAB, no longer did we hear the

question of when 4K would come; 4K is definitely here. This year the most talked about new
advancements in motion picture technology for
both the cinema and the living room viewing
environment were High Dynamic Range (HDR)
and 8K resolution; thats 16 times larger than
1920 x 1080.
Many cameras can produce video with a
higher dynamic range or greater variation
between light and dark in the image than
that of the rec. 709 standard for HDTV. Until
recently, only a handful of monitors and digital
cinema projectors were capable of reproducing
a dynamic range that was substantially larger
than the HDTV standard. At this years NAB, not
only were many of the professional monitors
and recorders on display HDR video capable,
there were also consumer TVs that were 4K
HDR ready. Whether or not manufacturers can
market HDR technology to consumers remains
to be seen, but it was the hot new feature that
everyone wanted to talk about.
Because the general attitude was of inevitable
conversion to 4K for those who have not already
converted, the idea of 8K TV didnt seem that
shocking to those at the show. Japanese camera
maker Ikegami showed off an 8K TV camera
with an ENG-style Canon zoom lens, and it was
not a prototype. An Ikegami representative said
the camera and lens were actually production
models ready for order if you could afford the
million dollar price tag.
On the cinema camera side, RED Digital Cinema has begun shipping their Weapon camera
with 8K sensors, although at NAB they said if
you ordered now, youd get a 6K Weapon and
probably have to wait until sometime between
September and November for delivery of the
8K sensor upgrades, which are proving to be
much more difficult for them to manufacture than they had expected. While the RED
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39
fps. The viewing experience was similar to, but

much more intense than, seeing 70mm IMAX
film footage for the first time.
Digital cinema in 3D has been traditionally plagued by the light loss caused by the
3D glasses, which created images that were
often noticeably darker and had less dynamic
range then the same footage in 2D. The laser
projectors delivered substantially more light
than traditional cinema projectors, so no
loss of dynamic range was noticed in the 3D
footage; however, the most dramatic aspect of
the footage shown was a result of the 120 fps
frame rate.
In the past, Peter Jackson and other filmmakers experimented with footage shot and
screened in 48 fps or 60 fps; these images
often still showed motion blur. The footage
from Lees film, when viewed at 120 fps, had
virtually no motion blur at all. Unlike footage that was shot at a lower frame rate and
converted to 120 fps, which often suffers from
an increase in contrast and loss of detail from
digital filtering, the native 120 fps footage had
more natural looking contrast and an amazing
amount of detail. The result was a picture with
startling realism that was very compelling,
particularly for the battle scene shown. Some
in the audience described it as virtual reality
on the big screen.
Lees editorial team intended to cut the film
at its native resolution and frame rate, monitoring with two projectors for 3D. After running many tests with different software, they
found that Avid Media Composer allowed them
to monitor the edit with 4K feeds going to both
left and right projectors but only with a fram-
Photograph courtesy of Robb Cohen Photography and Video

http://www.nabshow.com/news/photos
Forecasting the Future at Nab 2016
erate of 60 fps, so the post team had to render

out footage to view it at 120 fps. While many of
todays cameras have no problems acquiring 4K,
6K and even 8K images, post-production obviously has a way to go as far as real time monitoring of high frame rate footage in resolutions
of 4K and higher.
With many consumers buying large 4K
televisions for their homes, cinema exhibitors
are looking for ways to get customers back
into theaters. Ang Lee believes Billy Lynns
Long Halftime Walk can help do just that. He
believes the future of theatrically released films
is not limited to the new look of the high frame
rate and highly detailed footage. He sees it as
an exciting addition to traditional 2D, 24 fps
films. Additionally, Lee believes the use of HDR
can also enhance the viewing experience of
traditional projects. The Christie laser projectors used for the NAB screening are still prototypes, but the hope is that at least five theaters
in the US will get the new projectors in time
for the November release of Lees film in 4K 3D
HDR at 120 fps.
Nokia OZO
Spherical Gets Real
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Spherical video got a lot of interest at this years

NAB with educational sessions and an entire
programming track on spherical production.
Exhibitors showed off cameras, camera rigs and
post-production software specially designed for
spherical. There were options available to help
you through production and post-production,
but not a lot of solutions for distribution. Even
with all the knowledge available on spherical
video, monetization is still one of the vital missing puzzle pieces. YouTube recently launched
experience will be from platform to platform

or if youre footage will even be viewable
at all. One of the advantages to a company
like Reality Lab setting up a distribution
platform for content creators is that they are
Ricoh THETA S
a spherical video feature that allows you to

upload content to be viewed on VR headsets.
However, if youre trying to make money on the
production or if your client doesnt want the
project released on YouTube, your only alternative is to place the video in an app for something like Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR
or Oculus if you want it to be easily available
for the public to view.
CNET founder Halsey Minor was at the show
with his company, Reality Lab, with a prototype
of their new Quantum Leap VR camera. The
camera is specifically being designed to capture
and stream live events from sports to concerts to
reality shows. Perhaps more interesting is Reality Labs work on a distribution network for live
spherical streaming that will make content available to viewers watching on systems powered by
mobile devices and PCs.
Part of the challenge right now in creating
spherical content is that there are no standards
for distribution. Without shooting test footage
and viewing it on different spherical platforms,
theres no real way to be sure what the viewing
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41
performing tests on the different platforms

and establishing their own standards to which
content creators will have to adhere in order
to place content on the Reality Lab network,
much like traditional broadcasters have standards for the video files that theyll put on air.
This allows content creators to concentrate
on creating content without having to figure
out how to optimize video for very different
hardware platforms.
Most of the spherical content that was
talked about or shown at NAB was either promotionals, commercials or art pieces. Theres
a lot of interest in creating scripted spherical
the omni is expected to ship in august

for $5,000 with cameras or $1,500 for
the rig and software alone.
GoPro Omni
content, but there isnt a curated distribution

platform for it. Internet-based distribution of
traditional 2D scripted content wasnt really successful until the rise of original and
exclusive programming from platforms like
Netflix, Amazon and Hulu. YouTube was one
of the first to post video content on the web
and allow creators a way to monetize, but
very few productions have found that distribution on YouTube brings in enough money
for their productions to turn a profit. Additionally, consumers are not in the habit of,
nor do they seem very interested in, looking
through an app store in search of scripted
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42
content. If youre hoping to make a huge indie

film breakout hit like Paranormal Activity but
as spherical video, its probably going to be a
while before theres a distribution platform for
you to send it to.
As more big companies and studio film
productions continue to release short promotional spherical films, you can expect interest
from smaller companies and consumers to
increase. Luckily, you no longer have to strap
a dozen cameras or more together, figure out
how to get them to sync, and then try to figure
out how youre going to stitch all those video
frames together to make a single spherical
video file. There are individual cameras and
pre-built camera rigs now available as well as
post-production software to help you along
with process.
There were many all-in-one spherical video
cameras and camera rigs on display at NAB.
Often with video cameras, you might think that
spending a lot more on a camera would get you
noticeably better image quality, but at NAB we
found that thats not always the case.
The new Nokia Ozo, which features eight
images sensors, was released just before NAB,
and its $60,000 price tag caused quite a stir.
Nokias booth at NAB got a lot of attention, as
did the cameras design. The Ozo looks more
like a spaceship than a camera, but the footage
that the Ozo produced was, sadly, less compelling than its body design. The all-in-one
spherical camera can be used for streaming
spherical video or for recording at a higher
quality, but even the recorded video lacked the
quality one would expect from a camera at a
third of the price.
On the other end of the spectrum was the
Ricoh Theta S which retails for $350. It has
two image sensors that capture 360 degrees by
180-degree fields of view that are recorded to a
1920 x 1080 video file that can be converted to
a spherical video file with the included software.
The camera had surprising color and contrast
reproduction, although detail did suffer from the
1080 30 fps recording format. However, the Theta
S is a great option for anyone looking to test the
waters of spherical video content.
GoPro also showed off their new Omni
camera system. It consists of six GoPro HERO4
Black cameras in a custom rig that synchronizes the cameras with included mounts, accessories and post-production stitching software.
The Omni offers recording in 8K 30 fps or
5.6K 60 fps video. The unit is a very compact
120mm cube. The Omni is expected to ship in
August for $5,000 with cameras or $1,500 for

the rig and software alone.
Final Thoughts
If youre still holding out on upgrading your

lighting gear to LEDs, nows a great time to start
looking to buy. The same could be said of 4K
cameras. Most of the leading manufacturers now
have very affordable models. Its hard to say how
far away 8K adoption is, but whats probably most
important to keep in mind is that not all technology is developed for the masses. 8K might not be
for everyone, just like not everyone is a PC gamer
or owns a Blu-ray player, but its a technology that
will continue to become more available and more
affordable in the not-too-distant future.
Theaters will possibly have to upgrade their
projectors to accommodate 120 fps playback,
but the conversion for bringing the same experience into consumers homes may not be as
costly. Many TVs are being made with LED panels that run at 120 Hz even though most of them
currently wont accept inputs over 60 Hz. Additionally, there are consumer monitors and video
cards built for PC gaming that can accommodate

frame rates up to 120 fps out on the market.
For VR and spherical video, it seems that
distribution platforms that monetize content and
provide standards for uniform viewing across
multiple headset brands are whats lacking.
Hopefully, these platforms will launch and take
root while theres still so much interest in the
technology so content creators will not only
have the technical standards they need to ease
their workflows but the ability to monetize their
videos so they can continue to create.
Technology for the creation of content has
never been more accessible or affordable. This
years NAB showcased everything you need to
make a low budget, independent film in 4K HDR
or a spherical video wedding app for your highend clients.
Odin Lindblom is an award-winning editor and cinematographer whose work includes film, commercials and corporate
video.
Videosum Recordia
Stellar Gear for Video Professionals

AJA
Canon
BlackMagic Design
Panasonic
contents
800 - 356 - 5844

fullcompass.com
The Center of the Gear Universe
Pro Audio Video Lighting Musical Instruments

43
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BY THE VIDEOMAKER EDITORS

This year in mid-April, like every year, Videomakers
editors flew down to spend a few days in Las Vegas
not in the casinos or by the pool, but in the crowded
halls of the annual National Association of Broadcasters
(NAB) Show. From the mountain of new products we
encountered at NAB 2016, weve selected our favorites in
Best of
each of 12 categories.
NAB
2016
One category, however, is notably absent Best Camera.

With all the amazing new gear announced at NAB this
year, we were surprised by how few cameras made their
debut. Most of the cameras we saw were either slight
AWARD
WINNERS
BEST LENS
Canon COMPACT-SERVO 18-80mm T4.4
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There are always lots of new lenses

announced at NAB every year, but
the new Canon COMPACT-SERVO
18-80mm T4.4 lens was truly special.
Most of us cant even afford to rent
some of the lenses on the show floor,
let alone the camera to use them.
Canons COMPACT-SERVO 18-80mm
T4.4 is the exception. While the
$5,225 price tag is nothing to scoff at,
its a steal when compared to Canons
other EF servo zoom lenses, which approach $30,000.
An optional add-on to the COMPACTSERVO 18-80 is a zoom rocker grip.
44
iterations on a previously released model or priced well

out of the average shooters budget, so we decided to
bypass the Best Camera category all together to make
room for other releases to be recognized.
With that said, were excited to present

Videomakers Best of NAB 2016 award winners.
When combined with a C100, the

setup begins to feel like a true ENG
camera great for shooters who want
to combine run-and-gun shooting techniques with a Super 35 camera.
While not without its flaws, most
notably the minimum T4.4 and lack
of hard stops on the focus ring, the
COMPACT-SERVO 18-80 is primed to
be an exceptional offering.
BEST MONITOR
Atomos Shogun Inferno

The Shogun Inferno is Atomoss newest flagship monitor and recorder. It
features a bright, 7-inch, 1500 nit,
10-bit touchscreen display and 4K
recording at 60p and HD at up to 240

fps in 422 ProRes or DNxHR, with
RAW to RAW CDNG recording up to 4K
DCI/UHD 30p or 2K/HD up to 120p.
On top of the HDMI and SDI input/
output options, the Shogun Inferno
also includes PQ input and output for
monitoring in post-production.
The key feature of the Shogun
Inferno, however, lies in the facilitation of an HDR workflow. The Shogun
Inferno uses AtomHDR image processing to display more realistic colors
in the image from cameras shooting
in Log. At the same time, the original
Log image is captured for grading and
manipulation in post-production. The
ability to apply 3D LUTs also brings

the image displayed on location even
closer to the final product, as do options for de-squeezing anamorphic
content. The Atomos Shogun Inferno
is available for $1995.
BEST DRONE
DJI Matrice 600

DJIs reveal of the Matrice 600 was
certainly a surprise for us, considering DJIs dominance in the consumer
drone industry. We were beginning
to suspect they may begin to favor
the quadcopter category over hexacopters, but not only did they prove
thats not the case, they announced a
hexacopter that appears both highly
capable and highly approachable.
The Matrice 600 is the nextgeneration aerial platform, replacing
the Spreading Wings series. The new
platform integrates DJIs new A3 flight
controller and features Lightbridge
2 video-transmission technology for
precise control and high frame rate
HD live-streaming capability at distances up to five kilometers.
The six-rotor M600 can support a
maximum payload of 6 kilograms or
about 13 pounds, so in addition to the
Zenmuse gimbals, the M600 can also
support the new Ronin MX gimbal.
Six smart batteries power the M600
with flight times estimated at between
16 minutes for heavier cameras and
36 minutes when flying with the
Zenmuse X5.
The tech-specs of the Matrice 600
are impressive, but its the price that
caught our attention. At the reveal
event, an audible gasp swept across the
room when the price $4,600 was
announced. Whats the catch? Time
will tell, as we hope to get some flight
time with the Matrice 600 soon.
BEST SUPPORT
BEST LENS Canon

COMPACT-SERVO 18-80mm T4.4
edelkrone JibPLUS
The edelkrone JibPLUS is a jib add-on
that automatically tracks a user-selected target, allowing the operator to be
concerned only with the movement
of the jib body itself. The JibPLUS
automatically pans, tilts and focuses to
keep the target in frame and in focus
while the operator controls only the
jib arm.
Up to three separate targets can be
stored within the control module for
easy switching between subjects. With
the touch of a button, the JibPLUS
can retarget and refocus to any of the
saved targets on command.
The kit includes a controller, a sensor module, the 2-axis motorized head
and the focus motor, and it can be
attached to any jib. Likewise, the focus
motor is compatible with all lenses.
Though we only saw a prototype of
the technology, we were impressed
with the ease of use and expect even
more usability from the production
models when the JibPLUS is released.
BEST SPHERICAL VIDEO RIG

GoPro Omni
The GoPro Omni holds six GoPro

HERO 4 Blacks in a camera cage
specifically designed for capturing
immersive video. When combined in
post-production, the six individual
video files produce a 360-degree
spherical video file with a resolution
of up to 8K.
Doing more than simply hold the
cameras in the correct arrangement,
the Omni uses smart synchronization
between all six cameras, promising
precise camera positioning and easy
identification of the source camera
for each video file. This ensures that
the six video streams can be easily
BEST MONITOR
Atomos Shogun Inferno
BEST DRONE
DJI Matrice 600
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BEST SUPPORT
edelkrone JibPLUS
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45
Best of NAB 2016 Award Winners
BEST SPHERICAL VIDEO RIG

GoPro Omni 360
stitched together in post-production

for a seamless spherical image. The
120mm cube is compact enough for
a variety of shooting scenarios, while
aluminum construction makes for
lightweight durability. The Omni is
powered using in-camera batteries, or
you can use an external power supply
for longer recording sessions.
The GoPro Omni will be available
in August for $1,500, or as part of an
all inclusive bundle with six HERO4
Blacks, microSD cards, an external
battery and more for $5,000.
BEST LIGHT
Kino Flo Diva-Lite LED
BEST LIGHT
Kino Flo Diva-Lite LED
The Kino Flo Diva-Lite LED 20 and 30

represent the first time Kino Flo brings
LED technology to the popular DivaLite lineup. With a CRI of 95, Kino Flo
promises a bright, color accurate white
light that will not flicker or suffer color
shifting when dimmed. The DivaLite LED lighting system features an
adjustable color temperature range of
2700K to 6500K and includes controls
for green and magenta correction, as
well as adjustable dimming between
approximately 1 and 100 percent.
In addition to a rear control panel,
users can also adjust the light remotely using Kino Flos wireless DMX
control. The Kino Flo Diva-Lite LED
comes in two versions, the LED 30
and the LED 20. Both are set to be
available starting in September 2016.
BEST MICROPHONE
BEST MICROPHONE
DPA d:screet Slim 4060
Omnidirectional Mic
contents
BEST MOTION
GRAPHICS SOFTWARE
Adobe Character Animator
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46
DPA d:screet Slim 4060

Omnidirectional Mic
Next up is the DPA d:screet Slim 4060
Omnidirectional mic. This thing is
tiny nearly invisible in fact. DPA is
known for high-quality mics, and we
expect this one to be no different.
Unlike other mics which tend to
conform to standard form factors, the
d:screet Slim 4060 hides underneath
the wearers clothing and just barely
peeks through a buttonhole. The
result is a mic that it so inconspicuous it may go unnoticed by observers
standing an arms length away.
The d:screet Slim 4060 requires
phantom power but can be used with
any wireless transmitter or wired connection that supplies it. It retails for
$520 and is available now.
BEST MOTION GRAPHICS SOFTWARE

Adobe Character Animator
The new
new updates
updates to
to the
the latest
latest preview
preview
The
of Adobe
Adobe Character
Character Animator,
Animator, Preview
Preview
of
4, announced
announced at
at NAB
NAB this
this year
year bring
bring
4,
improvements to
to the
the animation
animation workworkimprovements
ow to
to give
give creators
creators more
more control
control
flflow
over character
character with
with less
less work.
work.
over
The most
most recent
recent Character
Character AnimaAnimaThe
tor updates
updates simplify
simplify the
the process
process of
of
tor
rigging aa character
character for
for animation
animation with
with
rigging
several new
new features,
features, including
including an
an
several
improved tagging
tagging system
system that
that elimielimiimproved
nates the
the need
need to
to remember
remember and
and use
use
nates
THESE AWARDS
REPRESENT ONLY A
HANDFUL OF WHAT WE
SAW AT NAB 2016.
specificc keywords
keywords when
when building
building your
your
specifi
character. Now,
Now, you
you can
can use
use either
either
character.
visual or
or verbal
verbal tags
tags to
to identify
identify the
the
visual
characters different
different elements
elements right
right in
in
characters
Character Animator.
Animator.
Character
Animating multi-view
multi-view characters
characters
Animating
has also
also been
been simplifi
simplified,
ed, now
now requirrequirhas
ing only
only one
one set
set of
of sync
sync behaviors,
behaviors,
ing
while the
the new
new Motion
Motion Trigger
Trigger feature
feature
while
automatically animates
animates characters
characters acacautomatically
cording to
to how
how they
they are
are being
being dragged
dragged
cording
within the
the frame.
frame.
within
Other improvements
improvements include
include aa DyDyOther
namic Link
Link to
to Adobe
Adobe Media
Media Encoder
Encoder
namic
to expedite
expedite exporting,
exporting, Auto
Auto Blink
Blink bebeto
havior, improved
improved lip
lip sync,
sync, selectable
selectable
havior,
attachment styles,
styles, more
more control
control over
over
attachment
behaviors and
and playback
playback speed
speed and
and
behaviors
more easily
easily confi
configured
gured dangle
dangle and
and
more
gravity controls.
controls.
gravity
BEST STREAMING SOFTWARE

Telestream Wirecast
Telestream Wirecast
Wirecast is
is aa software
software
Telestream
solution for
for live
live switching
switching and
and streamstreamsolution
ing. New
New this
this year
year is
is the
the ability
ability to
to
ing.
stream to
to Facebook
Facebook Live.
Live.
stream
One of
of only
only aa few
few products
products that
that
One
gives access
access to
to streaming
streaming live
live to
to
gives
Facebook from
from something
something other
other than
than
Facebook
an iOS
iOS or
or Android
Android device,
device, Wirecast
Wirecast
an
allows for
for simultaneous
simultaneous streaming
streaming to
to
allows
Facebook and
and Youtube,
Youtube, giving
giving the
the user
user
Facebook
the ability
ability to
to have
have aa higher
higher quality
quality
the
feed and
and use
use professional
professional cameras,
cameras,
feed
microphones and
and switching
switching abilities.
abilities.
microphones
Best of NAB 2016 Award Winners

Wirecast is also an affordable
switching option for live events, news
and sports, education and houses of
worship. Add titles, lower thirds, transitions and even live keying to your
production with Wirecast.
Wirecast is available now with two
different pricings: Wirecast Studio
for $495 offers unlimited number of
input sources, lower thirds, transitions, playlists anwd chroma keying,
and Wirecast Pro for $995 adds IP
streaming options and Firewire HDV
input options, as well as added production tools like live scoreboards,
replays, virtual sets and advanced
audio controls.
BEST PLUG-IN
NewTek NDI for Adobe Creative Cloud

NewTeks NDI for Adobe Creative
Cloud allows you to connect directly
to a live production workflow over IP.
The plug-in simplifies the review and
approval process by allowing better
collaboration between different teams
in different locations, giving more
flexibility to a live-to-air workflow.
NDI for Adobe Creative Cloud enables you to continue to edit your story
up to the minute of a live broadcast,
without need to save time to export or
transfer the final version. In essence,
NDI gives a standard network connection the ability to make the output of
Adobe Premiere Pro CC a source for a
director to use for insertion into their
live broadcast.
Directors and producers of live
broadcasts will gain more time to review created content for a better, more
compelling story, and stories can stay
more up to date, so that live broadcasts
can better keep up with the pace of
breaking news. NDI for Creative Cloud
is available now for $99 per system.
BEST I/O DEVICE

AJA U-TAP HDMI
The AJA U-TAP HDMI is a handy little

black box that connects the HDMI
output from your camera or other
capture device to your computer via
USB 3.0 for easy media capture on a
variety of platforms.
The AJA U-TAP HDMI consists only
of one HDMI input and one USB 3.0
output, making it extremely simple
yet effective in capturing both audio
and video signals to your computer.

Because the U-TAP HDMI does not
require any new drivers to be installed, its easy to connect wherever
you go. This, combined with a pocketable 3.3 x 2.4 x 1.0-inch design,
makes the U-TAP HDMI easy to use
and very portable. The device weighs
only 0.3 lbs.
The U-TAP HDMI supports the capture of resolutions and frame rates up
to 1080p and 60 fps and is compatible
with Mac OS X, Windows and Linux
systems. It works with a wide range of
software, including Skype, Adobe Connect, Wirecast, TwitchTV, Ustream and
YouTube Live, among others. The AJA
U-TAP HDMI is available for $345.
BEST STREAMING
SOFTWARE
Telestream Wirecast
MOST INNOVATIVE
Lytro Cinema
Lytro Cinema challenges the border between production and postprduction. As a quick explanation
of this impressive technology, Lytro
Cinema uses an ultra-high resolution
755 RAW megapixel sensor to capture
extremely detailed Light Field data
including color, direction and position
information for each pixel. This allows
creators to make decisions in postproduction that would normally be
locked in on set.
Focal point, depth of field and
relative camera position can all be
adjusted in the edit bay, allowing
cumbersome effects such as chroma
keying to be achieved much more
easily and with less preparation. The
Lytro Cinema camera represents an
amazing achievement that simplifies
many traditionally difficult or impossible post-production tasks.
BEST PLUG-IN
NewTek NDI
for Adobe Creative Cloud
BEST I/O DEVICE

AJA U-TAP HDMI
UNTIL NEXT YEAR
These awards represent only a handful of what we saw at NAB 2016, and
while we love these products, there
are certainly more worthy candidates
we may have missed. We want to
thank all the brands who took the
time to meet with us during the show.
We had a great time nerding out with
fellow video geeks, and we cant wait
to do it again next year.
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MOST INNOVATIVE
Lytro Cinema
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47
shooting
How to Shoot a Long Take
by sky scholfield
Whats exciting about the long

takes featured in Alejandro Irritus Birdman is that, with a
little bit of prep and practice,
that movie magic can be easily
replicated at home.
The long take, or oner as its also

known, has been getting a lot of
attention recently with the release
of Alejandro Irritus Birdman,
a new milestone in its use. In the
tradition of Alfred Hitchcocks classic
film Rope, Birdman is filmed in
what looks like one continuous shot
from start to finish. Granted there
are a couple straight cuts towards
the climax of Birdman, but almost
all of its entire hour and fifty-nine
minutes appear as if the events onscreen all happened in reality, one
after another.
I say it appears that way because
in fact, the film is made up of a series
of smaller takes, all cleverly blended
together to give a single seamless
appearance. Several scenes feature
so many moving parts like a full
marching band, levitating actors and
tons of extras that shooting had to
be broken into smaller chunks. Whats
exciting about the fact that Birdman
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was broken into smaller takes is that

every one of the crafty tricks Irritu
and the films cinematographer used
to blend two takes can be easily replicated at home. In this article, well talk
about how film a pure long take without the use of editing magic, and how
to construct a extremely long take just
like the one seen in Birdman.
The How and Why
Long takes in film have been used

to convey a sense of fluidity, instill
the atmosphere of a setting like the
cramped spaces backstage in Bird-
Hitchcocks Rope
also famously
chased the aesthetic of a single
extremely long
take. Like Birdman, Rope actually uses several
shorter takes joined
through clever
transitions.
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48
man,
man, or
or raise
raise tension
tension by
by withholdwithholding
ing the
the sense
sense of
of relief
relief aa cut
cut can
can give.
give.
Directors
Directors also
also often
often use
use oners
oners to
to set
set
up
up an
an entire
entire film
film in
in one
one shot.
shot. Long
Long
takes
takes can
can provide
provide aa way
way to
to introduce
introduce
key
key characters
characters and
and drop
drop plots
plots hints
hints
all
all in
in one
one shot,
shot, making
making for
for aa scene
scene
worth
worth watching
watching again
again after
after finishing
finishing
the
the film.
film.
Blending
Blending tricks
tricks aside
aside for
for now,
now, the
the
most
most difficult
difficult aspect
aspect of
of filming
filming aa
oner
oner lies
lies in
in preparation
preparation and
and perperfection.
fection. Shooting
Shooting for
for long
long periods,
periods,
generally
generally around
around ninety
ninety seconds
seconds or
or
more,
more, can
can be
be troublesome
troublesome ifif any
any one
one
thing
thing goes
goes wrong.
wrong. Several
Several mistakes
mistakes
and
and costly
costly resets
resets can
can force
force anyone
anyone to
to
reconsider.
reconsider. With
With the
the right
right preparapreparation
tion however,
however, aa long
long take
take can
can actuactually
ally end
end up
up saving
saving time
time and
and be
be an
an
interesting
interesting and
and stylistic
stylistic addition
addition to
to
any
any applicable
applicable project.
project.
Its
Its helpful
helpful to
to think
think of
of setting
setting up
up aa
oner
oner like
like you
you were
were putting
putting together
together
aa Rube-Goldberg
Rube-Goldberg machine.
machine. Those
Those
complicated
complicated contraptions
contraptions firing
firing off
off aa
series
series of
of events
events in
in quick
quick succession
succession
demonstrate
demonstrate aa good
good frame
frame of
of mind
mind
to
to be
be in
in when
when filming,
filming, knowing
knowing that
that
every
every step
step of
of the
the shot
shot has
has to
to work
work to
to
move
move on
on to
to the
the next.
next.
shooting
If you prefer not to work with a script, thats

totally fine, but youll have to at least make some
plans before starting.
First, know that if you are compiling long
takes into one larger long take, you have several
options to hide cutting in and out of a scene.
Your options, which will be elaborated on in the
companion to this article, How to Edit a Long
Take, include wipe cuts, solid objects, unmoving
scenes and cropping along solid objects. Keep
in mind a cut in and a cut out will be necessary,
stARt thinking of whAt kind

of movement You wAnt the
CAmeRA to mAke And Choose
equiPment ACCoRdinglY.
but for the moment start thinking about planning the long take itself.
Think of the movements and lines you want
your actors to speak and start visualizing your
intended route. Knowing what kind of rig you
will have your camera on will affect your route
considerably, so start thinking of what kind of
movement you want the camera to make and
choose equipment accordingly. If you want a
POV feeling, moving as if you were part of the
action, a shoulder mount or a gimbal would be a
good choice.
Gimbals provide stabilization, are versatile
in small spaces and give a bit of a gait as if you
were in the perspective of someone walking. If
you have a big budget or some craftsmanship,
camera cranes are great for perfectly smooth
movement and give the option to add vertical
movement to any scene.
A String of Compositions
At this point you should be able to start forming a vision of what your viewers will see and
what kind of shots you can compose along
the route. When filming a long take, youre
basically setting up several compositions and
bridging them all together, so now is a good
time to find some compositions you like and
string them together to make the initial rough
draft of your take.
Once you have this sketch of the route youll
be taking, go through the motions with your
actors and start blocking and setting down some
marks. When youre all on the same page and
you and the actors know everyone can get from
July 2016
each position to the next, you can start setting

up your lighting and sound.
Keep in mind instances when you will be orbiting around objects and characters; lights become
very difficult to hide, so using practical lighting
for long takes can save a lot of stress but may
require some extra work in post. If you choose to
use more than practical lights, make sure youre
setting up your lights so they arent visible anywhere along the shot and remember, if you need
to, you can move lights after hitting a mark. Dont
forget to assign that task to someone and include
it in your order of events.
Capturing sound is less of a headache given
audio capturing devices are easier to hide and
wireless lavaliers fill the need for size, portability
and reasonable price so well. An extra shotgun
following the action, though, is never a bad
choice, as long as the operator can stay out of
the shot.
Hitting the Mark
Now that youve planned your take, you can

start rehearsing. Run through the take several
times so everyone knows their marks and how
to stay out of the cameras way. Making a final
order of events for everyone can help keep everything in line and solidify certain cues based
on dialogue, camera movements or anything
essential within the shot.
Dont be afraid to shoot a cut away after the
long take as well. If youre not married to your
final product being entirely unbroken, a cut
away can be a great back-up. In the editing room
a cut away can save you from unseen mistakes
during shooting, give room to make editorial
changes and let you use the first half of one take
and the second half of another to you capture
your actors best performances.
Now, rehearse one more time and aim for
perfection! Sometimes, it can be helpful to run
through a final rehearsal, but secretly record the
take. With luck, everyone will be in the zone and
a little off guard. You can sometimes capture
some outstanding performances this way. If
youve done all of your preparation before starting, though, you wont need luck to capture your
perfect long take.
sky scholfield has been producing videos for clients for ten
years including national Public Radio, the smithsonian and
ngos throughout northern California. he now lives and
works in Chico, CA for north state Public Radio.
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49
Editing
How to Edit a Long Take
by Sky Scholfield
The fancy tricks used to make

Birdman look like one long
take are actually extremely simple and easy to replicate. With a
few camera tricks, some editing
magic and a little practice, you
can easily be on the way to making your very own long take film.
In one of the most ambitious films
using long takes since Hitchcocks
Rope, Birdman explores what
can be done in the unbroken space
between an hour and fifty-nine
minutes, but you probably already
knew that. What you may not know
though, is the film wasnt actually one continuous take, and more
surprising, the fancy tricks used to
make the film look like one long
take are extremely simple and easy
to replicate with a few camera tricks
and some editing magic.
Several sequences in Birdman
were so elaborate that it would have
been impossible to fit into even
the most jam packed shooting day.
Director Alejandro Irritu and Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki
WhEn you havE your

Script, BrEak it into
Small, managEaBlE
chunkS.
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improvised by cutting the film into

more manageable sections and using
relatively simple techniques to provide the illusion of unbroken time. In
your endeavour to create a long take,
consider some of these simple pointers to get you off to the right start.
First, when you have your script or
50
general guideline for your film, break

it into small, manageable chunks. The
size of the chunks should be dictated
by how elaborate the scenes are and
allow for several retakes if necessary
during your available shooting times.
This would be a good time to read the
companion article to this piece How
to Shoot a Long Take.
Breaking It Down
The process can be done based on

time or by the available editing tricks
at your disposal. The first and most
exciting in my opinion is the whip pan
or tilt. The whip pan is great because
you can make them, or you can fake
them in post. If you plan to use one,
all it calls for is quick pan where you
want to cut. Start your next sequence
with another pan going in the same
direction and at as close to the same
speed as possible and you have the
makings of a seamless cut. This effect
is simple to achieve if you remember
to match camera movement, speed
and exposure as close as you can.
You can see (or maybe not) an example of one of these cuts in Birdman
when he exits the theater into Times
Square. You may not be able to detect

the cut but you can definitely see the
signs of a whip tilt when the camera
points very briefly toward the ground
and at regular intervals throughout the
film when camera makes similar movements. Other tricks include solid colors
overtaking the frame, most commonly
a whiteout cause by looking into a light
source or a blackout when the lens is
obscured. Passing a solid colored wall
works as well. Dont be afraid to go old
school either, in Hitchcocks Rope
objects and actors obscuring the frame,
like the back of someones suitcoat,
provide a good moments to cut.
Cutting on stationary scenes works
as well, meaning at the end of one
scene and the beginning of another,
place the camera in exactly the same
spot perhaps a tripod with a magnetic mount, and edit when the camera
is fully stationary. In this case, make
sure that both the camera and anything in front of it is completely still
during the changeover.
If you are an experienced editor, you can also get fancy and crop
scenes to integrate new sequences
piece by piece. For example, shoot
editing
July 2016
two scenes in the exact same spot with similar lighting and crop the frame so that one
side is the previous take and the other is the
subsequent take. Plan for the action in Scene
A to leave the frame for just a moment and
you can cut the whole frame to Scene B, effectively fitting the two scenes together like a
puzzle. The cut will appear contiguous as long
nothing passes over your dissections and can
provide another way to creatively introduce
new sequences.
Finding the Cut
Once you have your manageable pieces, you

will know exactly where you will need to place
edits and can start choosing which techniques
you will be using and plugging them into your
shooting schedule. If its easier, you can also
reverse engineer this process and choose the
edits first based on context and split up your
shooting up accordingly.
In post-production, assuming you have shot
your scenes and are ready to start blending your
takes, it should just be a matter of cutting on
the edit points. For stationary scenes, objects
obscuring the frame and solid colors, simply
line up your shots in your editing softwares
timeline and cut the scenes together at their
most similar points. Adding a small cross fade
can help if they dont match up perfectly, but if
you did your homework in pre-production, this
shouldnt be a problem. A little color correction
around your edits can go a long way to making
your scenes blend smoothly into one another.
When editing a whip pan, the process is almost
entirely the same but can be helped with a little
bit of motion blur. Another great trick for masking cuts is to add continuous audio throughout
the cut, distracting the audience from the artifacts of your editing magic.
Now that you have finished the worlds best
long take, go back to the drawing board and try
again. Preparation, practice and post-production make perfect!
Sky Scholfield has been producing videos for clients for ten
years including national Public Radio, the Smithsonian and
ngOs throughout northern California. He now lives and
works in Chico, CA for north State Public Radio
A whip pan or tilt is a great way to hide a cut. All you need is to plan ahead so
that each pan or tilt moves in the same direction at approximately the same
speed. The motion blur caused by the cameras quick movement is perfect for
blending two shots together.

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51
Online VideO
by Wl and Bourne
Lets Play: Essential Gear

With some lets play videos
reaching into the millions of
views, its no wonder everyone is
scrambling to make lets plays of
their own.
Lets play videos e.g., Lets Play Halo
or Wland Plays Halo are insanely
popular, so weve gathered some tips
to help you get started in creating your
own. The most important thing for a
lets play is collecting the right gear. The
first piece is obvious: a good internet
connection. This is especially important
if you plan to use Twitch since high
quality, streaming video requires a fast
internet connection.
Gaming with Your Computer
The next consideration is your choice

in computers. This decision will vary
immensely based on what game
you wish to play, on what settings,
how youll deliver your final output
Twitch or YouTube and what
resolution that output will be. When
youre buying a game, take a look at
the system requirements.
Viewers wont put up with choppy
video, so as a rule of thumb, you
should always exceed the minimum
requirements for operation. If youre

planning to stream the game to Twitch,
you should exceed these requirements
by at least ten percent, so if the game
calls for at least 1.5GB of RAM, you
should have at least 1.7 to 2GB.
However, this isnt exactly a recipe
for success. Simulation games with
sandbox building modes like Minecraft,
The Sims, SimCity and Roller Coaster
Tycoon do not always properly account
for high poly counts the result of
over-building or improper level of
detail (LOD) settings. Additionally, some
games can have a multitude of settings
including LOD, LOD depth, reflections,
shadows, frame rate, particle settings
and resolution settings, which require
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An additional capture device from a company like Elgato or Blackmagic Design will be
needed if youre streaming your gameplay from a console system without built-in streaming capabilities.
52
additional RAM. In severe cases, the

system usage can be three to five times
that of the minimum system requirements. Additionally, if youre converting the video or adding effects live into
the stream, you may further eat into
your processing power.
Gaming with Your Console
If youre using a video game console

such as a XBOX One, PlayStation 4 or
Wii U, you may need a capture device
in addition to your computer, headset and camera. Elgato makes several
capture cards like the Elgato Game
Capture HD, Game Capture HD60
and Game Capture HD60Pro, which
costs about $180 and can be found
at most video game retailers. These
cards are cool because they capture
HDMI, convert the video to H.264 or
H.265, depending on the model, and
pump it out in USB 2.0 or 3.0 again,
depending on the model. Blackmagic
Design also offers a card called the
Intensity Shuttle for $199. With these
cards, you can capture directly to your
computer if you so choose.
Recently, PS4 and XBOX One added
Twitch support using their camera
add-ons. This support is relatively new
and still has bugs. Having a back up
like a Blackmagic box has advantages
but is not necessarily required.
Online VideO
July 2016
Quality Control
If you have a laptop, tablet or smartphone with

a good camera, you may not need to purchase
a webcam for the picture-in-picture view of
the gamer; however, youll want to invest in a
headset with a quality mic as this will produce
better sounding audio. If you dont have a usable
camera on your mobile, then youll need both a
headset and webcam; these vary in price based
on quality. Make sure to choose a camera that
can produce quality images, and take time to
properly set up a shot with adequate lighting and
correct exposure for the most polished outcome.
If your final output is YouTube, you may want
to edit your videos and even insert motion graphics. In this case, your computer not only needs to
match the settings for the game and capture the
gameplay; it also needs to meet the settings for
your editing software and effects package. While
some people have created solutions for adding
in commercials and graphics into their Twitch
streams, these solutions are often costly and none
of them are fool-proof.
accessories. However, this capability is limited to

Twitch at the time of this writing. If you exclude
games, this can run close to $500. From that point
on, the skys the limit as far as spending. For PC
games, some capable consumer desktops and laptops range from $600-$1,000 and offer everything
a low-end lets play creator would need.
Cost
Beyond the Production
Most of the perceived affordability of lets plays

stems from the gamers making these videos
often not taking into account the cost of their
gaming systems, games and accessories such as
a headset because they already own them. If you
only need to purchase a webcam, doing lets play
productions can be really cheap.
Lets consider some costs for those starting from
scratch. For streaming, by far the cheapest, easiest
solution is a PS4 or XBOX One with appropriate
With a polished
production and
consistent posting
schedule, lets
player Squirrel has
built a loyal audience eager for the
next broadcast.
Creating successful lets plays isnt just about the

video. Its about building a channel with a clear online presence, meaning dont just post a video and
call it a day. Posting multiple videos over a period
of time will slowly build a following around your
channel and its content, which hopefully will result
in video views and the fabled YouTube revenue.
On the Twitch side, its about becoming a personality that people want to follow and watch your
scheduled stream times. Twitch has rolled out a
revenue sharing subscription system, and the company has created social media positions involving
Twitch streams as a form of advertisement and PR.
Conclusion
With lets plays continuing to grow in popularity

and viewership, this format will remain a viable
way for gaming video producers to establish
themselves in the YouTube and Twitch communities. For someone who isnt a huge gamer, lets
play content may be a quick road to burnout,
but for the hardcore gamer/videographer looking
to monetize some gaming gear, lets play videos
could be the answer.
Be sure to use the right video setting for your game

when streaming. Go for the best possible quality while
still maintaining a smooth and steady stream.
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Wland Bourne is an avid gamer who also happens to be

an award-winning filmmaker as well as a VFX and motion
graphic artist.
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53
LegaL
LEGAL
by Roman Zelichenko and Mark Levy
Can You Record the Police in Public?
When it comes to recording police

activities, its important to know
your rights. Read on to learn how
to interact with the police when
confronted for using your camera
in a public space.
From the New York Police Department
to the Los Angeles Police Department, and everywhere in between,
police protect and serve the public.
They keep us safe at home, at school
and at work, and are among the first
to respond to emergency situations.
However, given the public scrutiny
police forces around the country have
received the past several years and
the proliferation of personal digital
recording devices, recording police
activity has become increasingly
common. It is therefore important to
understand your rights when it comes
to recording police activity.
Is it legal to record
police activity in public?
When it comes to photography alone,

the short answer to this question is
yes. According to the American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU), if you are
in a public space, such as a park or
a street, you are legally allowed to
photograph anything that is in plain
view while in that space, including
the activity of police officers, as long
as you do not interfere with their
law enforcement operations. This is
seen as a form of public government
oversight and is championed by free
speech advocates and civil liberties
unions alike.
While the same principles apply
to videotaping, the ACLU notes that
Banning the taping

of poLice in puBLic is
a fiRst aMendMent
vioLation.
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The ACLU offers the free Mobile Justice app,

which automatically uploads video recorded
through the app to ACLU servers for safe
storage in case your phone is confiscated.
54
there is an important legal distinction between taking photographs and

videotaping: the audio portion. While
the visual record of a video, which
can be seen simply as a series of photographs, should be fully protected,

the audio that is captured during a
video recording may be regulated
under state wiretapping laws, which
vary from state to state.
Still, despite the lack of clarity
about the audio portion of a video
recording, the ACLU maintains that
banning the taping of police officers
carrying out their public duty is a
First Amendment violation. Recent
court cases on the matter are consistent with this position.
Recent Developments
In New York City alone, dozens of

complaints were filed in 2014 about
police officer aggression toward civilian videotaping, according to an April
2015 NBC report and December 2015
article. One of those cases resulted
in a lawsuit filed against the city, the
NYPD and the officers involved. As
a result, that officer was formally
charged and arrested in December
2015 for unlawful arrest, illegal search
and official misconduct.
In this case, the officer was searching the pockets of an NYC resident
outside a nightclub. When a friend
raised his cellphone to film the en-
LEGAL
July 2016
counter, the police officer grabbed the friends

arm, arrested him and took him into custody,
throwing his phone out of the police car on the
way. The nightclubs surveillance cameras captured this encounter.
While the final result of the case is yet to
be determined as of this writing, the police
officers arrest in itself is telling. The ability to
record police activity in a public space is your
right, and undue restriction of that right may
not be tolerated.
How should I conduct myself

around the police?
If you find yourself in a public space filming

or wanting to film police activity taking place
in plain sight, and you are not interfering with
legitimate law enforcement operations, its important to know how to respond to an officer in
the event you are told to stop recording.
According to the ACLU, always remain polite
and never resist a police officer verbally,
physically or both. Resisting arrest, whether
the arrest is lawful or not, is in itself an unlawful act. If stopped by a police officer for filming, you should ask, am I free to go? Until
you ask, you are voluntarily being stopped.
Youre allowed to
record images of
anything in plain
sight, including
police activity, as
long as you are in a
public place, such as
a city street.
What does this all mean?
POLICE OFFICERS DO NOT

HAVE A GENERAL RIGHT TO
YOUR DEVICE OR THE DIGITAL
RECORDS WITHIN IT.
If the officer says you are not free to go, this
would indicate that you are being detained,
which requires reasonable suspicion that
you are about to or have committed a crime.
Finally, if you are detained, ask what crime
you are suspected of having committed and
politely remind the officer that it is your right
to record police activity in plain sight and in a
public space.
What rights do I have

over my recorded video?
Supreme Court decision, the Court confirmed

that the police may not generally search a persons cellphone for digital information without
a warrant during an arrest.
While you should never resist arrest or otherwise physically restrict an officer from obtaining
your digital device if asked, police officers do
not have a general right to your device or the
digital records within it, and you have the right to
politely remind them of this.
In most circumstances, police officers need a

warrant to search through your phone or other
recording device. Even if arrested, the police
may not search through the digital contents of
your phone, and this goes for photos and videos. In Riley v. California, a 2014 United States
The biggest and most important takeaway from

this is the confidence that you have the right
to record police officers as long as you are in a
public space, the police officers are operating in
plain sight and you are not interfering with their
duties or operations.
If questioned, be courteous and always ask if
you are free to go. While you should never resist
arrest, remember that you can always politely
remind a police officer that you have the right to
record them.
Ultimately, if you are confronted by a police
officer for videotaping, and your device has
been taken or tampered with, or youve been
arrested for such action, be sure to contact an
attorney to get tailored legal advice specific to
your case.
Roman Zelichenko is a business consultant with intellectual
property experience and has drafted legal opinions and articles on the subject. Roman is based in New York City. Mark
Levy is a movie maker and an intellectual property attorney
based in Colorado.
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55
Lighting
by t erry ORourke
5 Ways to Not Suck at Lighting

Unless you bring a van full of
lighting gear, the main determinant for how your scene will
look is the existing light on location. Sometimes its great, but
heres what to do when it isnt.
The reason you would bring a van

full of gear is to be prepared for anything. So, the main reason the lighting in your video might not be not
so good is you were not prepared.
Maybe you didnt spend enough
time considering the existing lighting, maybe you didnt bring enough
fill light, maybe you forgot to set
up your camera properly or maybe
you just dont understand how to get
good lighting.
1. Understand Bad Lighting
The first step in being prepared is

to understand what bad lighting is
and how to avoid it. That begins
with brutal honesty when viewing
not only your own work but the
work of others. Whenever I edit my
own projects I do a post-mortem.
It involves critically examining my
imagery through the eyes of an unbiased audience. I carefully examine
what is good and, more important,

what is not so good.
Its easy to get wrapped up in the
project and pat yourself on the back,
but you need to remove the rose colored glasses, really be honest with yourself and adopt a no-excuses attitude. Its
no so difficult to spot problems like too
dark, too light or too contrasty, but its
a bit more involved to recognize subtle
problems like confusing color shifts or
strange lighting patterns. Learning how
to identify these problems is the first
step to avoiding them.
2. Accurately
Accurately Monitor
Monitor Your
Your Shots
Shots
2.
The most
most common
common problem
problem for
for beginbeginThe
ners
is
video
thats
too
dark,
which
ners is video thats too dark, which
usually occurs
occurs from
from improper
improper camera
camera
usually
settings or
or relying
relying on
on the
the cameras
cameras
settings
automatic settings.
settings. Sometimes
Sometimes the
the
automatic
viewfinder
gets
it
wrong,
so
the
first
viewfinder gets it wrong, so the first
thing to
to do
do is
is familiarize
familiarize yourself
yourself with
with
thing
your cameras
cameras exposure
exposure settings
settings and
and
your
with the
the settings
settings on
on your
your viewfinder
viewfinder
with
or
monitor.
or monitor.
How does
does the
the viewfinder
viewfinder get
get it
it
How
wrong? You
You may
may shoot
shoot plenty
plenty of
of video
video
wrong?
for
a
project
only
to
find
yourself
for a project only to find yourself
back at
at home
home on
on your
your editing
editing suite
suite
back
tweaking the
the exposure
exposure for
for your
your video.
video.
tweaking
If youre
youre constantly
constantly increasing
increasing the
the
If
exposure in
in post,
post, then
then its
its possible
possible the
the
exposure
viewfinder
doesnt
match
the
camera.
viewfinder doesnt match the camera.
You can
can go
go into
into the
the camera
camera settings
settings
You
and fix
fix that
that so
so youre
youre getting
getting the
the most
most
and
accurate
image
possible.
accurate image possible.
3. Understand
Understand Your
Your Camera
Camera Settings
Settings
3.
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The Westcott Ice Light provides powerful fill, or even key, lighting in an extremely portable form factor. Consider making lightweight LED lights like this part of the kit you take
to every shoot for more controlled lighting.
56
Now that
that you
you have
have confidence
confidence that
that
Now
the
viewfinder
accurately
reflects
the
the viewfinder accurately reflects the
exposures
your
camera
makes,
youre
exposures your camera makes, youre
ready to
to familiarize
familiarize yourself
yourself with
with the
the
ready
cameras exposure
exposure settings,
settings, which
which will
will
cameras
help
you
avoid
the
biggest
mistake
comhelp you avoid the biggest mistake com-
Lighting
July 2016
Extra light directed at the front

of the subject along with the
correct exposure settings would
counteract the brightness of
the background and make for a
more pleasing image overall.
monly made in photography and videography: the

back light looks great but the subject might as well
not have even been in the shot because there is no
light! This has been going on since George Eastman was making pictures of his favorite puppy.
Camera settings are there for a reason and
the sooner you are comfortable with them the
better. Make sure the camera is properly set up
thE MOSt COMMOn PROBLEM

FOR BEginnERS iS ViDEO thAtS
tOO DARK.
and you know how to override the automatic
settings, and you will overcome many simple
hurdles to better lighting.
4. Add the Right Fill
Another common mistake is too little fill from

the side, which usually results in an unflattering
image. Exposure adjustments alone cant correct bad lighting, and you may still end up with
lousy images. Why not bring along a few lights,
or at least a few reflectors? Used in conjunction
with a little fill light, adjusting the camera exposure settings can work wonders.
Heres an example: You visit a famous museum and want to have it in the background
of your video, but the lighting is too contrasty.
Perhaps you adjust the camera angle and the
position of your subject to accommodate for
the lighting and make appropriate exposure
adjustments for the background, but it is still
not what you want. Maybe the lighting comes
from an odd angle, but you still want that

angle because it shows the museum really
well. Get out your on-camera fill light, adjust
the camera exposure for the existing light and
let the fill light bring up the shadows. You can
do this by adjusting the power of the light or
the aperture of your lens.
5. Look for Creative Solutions
Frequently, its unrealistic to adjust the lighting, and its impractical to move the subject
or the camera. Maybe its too much to fix the
situation or maybe time is of the essence and
you need to move fast. This is where a bit of
creativity comes in.
The past few years have brought about a change
in esthetics and what used to be unacceptable
has become the latest trend. This movement has
been enabled by technology, particularly in DSLRs,
which have large sensors and thus large aperture
lenses which allows the videographer to select
very large apertures and put the background out of
focus. This is one creative solution to the problem
of a poorly lit background.
There really is no reason for weak lighting.
Cameras with manual controls and large apertures can be found for sale in department stores,
and reflectors can be folded up and stored in
your bag along with small LED lights. You have
all the tools right at your fingertips. All you need
to do is apply the right techniques, and youll be
lighting like a pro in no time.
contents
Contributing editor terry ORourke specializes in retail

advertising photography and videography for clients worldwide
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57
Audio
by
by Blag
Blag iivanov
vanov
Dealing with Audio Mistakes

We all make audio mistakes.
Chances are theyre minor slips
hardly noticed and easily corrected. For bigger issues, heres
how to deal with, anticipate and
hopefully prevent them.
Most mistakes can be avoided with
organization and preparation. This
can be in the form of a written or
mental checklist and the thoroughness to check your work. Some of
these errors are easy mistakes that are
part of the learning process and go
away with time and experience. Some
are the result of a deliberate action or
lack thereof. Others seemingly land
themselves in your lap and have to be
dealt with regardless.
Studio and Location Recording

and Production Errors
Most mistakes are acts of omission,

the result of failing to do something
that causes issues down the line.
When progressing through the learning stages of any discipline, its useful
to be extra mindful and to take notes

whenever you catch yourself making a
mistake or deviating from an established best practice.
Equipment
The first step is to understand your

equipment. If youre entering a
situation where equipment is being
provided, it doesnt hurt to read up on
the specifications and to shed some
light on any possible unknowns. The
same
same applies
applies
especially
especially
to
to your
your
own
own gear.
gear. This
This kind
kind of
of knowledge
knowledge will
will
ensure
ensure that
that you
you are
are using
using the
the right
right
equipment
equipment for
for the
the job
job and
and avoid
avoid any
any
nasty
surprises.
nasty surprises.
Forgetting
Forgetting to
to arm
arm aa track
track for
for recordrecording
ing or
or to
to supply
supply aa microphone
microphone with
with
phantom
phantom power
power are
are common
common newnewcomer
comer mistakes
mistakes and
and can
can have
have aa masmassive
sive effect
effect on
on your
your production.
production. There
There
have
have also
also been
been cases
cases of
of placing
placing aa front
front
address
microphone
in
reverse.
address microphone in reverse. Learn
Learn
what
what the
the results
results of
of these
these mistakes
mistakes are
are
ahead
ahead of
of time
time by
by taking
taking aa moment
moment to
to
find
find out.
out. An
An unarmed
unarmed track
track will
will record
record
silence,
silence, an
an unpowered
unpowered microphone
microphone
will
will either
either be
be silent
silent or
or extremely
extremely
quiet,
quiet, and
and aa reversed
reversed microphone
microphone will
will
sound
sound muffled
muffled and
and hollow.
hollow.
Levels
Levels
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EQ tools, like those included in iZotopes RX 4 Advanced, are great for analyzing and
matching different recordings, such as matching ADR audio recorded in post with dialogue
captured in the field.
58
This
This leads
leads us
us to
to the
the important
important pracpractice
tice of
of checking
checking your
your levels
levels and
and getgetting
ting some
some test
test recordings
recordings or
or passes
passes
in
in before
before you
you commit
commit to
to recording.
recording.
Regardless
Regardless of
of whether
whether youre
youre on
on set
set
or
or in
in aa studio,
studio, you
you should
should stop
stop and
and
double
double check
check everything
everything is
is in
in order
order
and
that
you
are
getting
good
and that you are getting good sound.
sound.
This
This is
is aa great
great way
way of
of saving
saving youryourself
self the
the embarrassment
embarrassment and
and trouble
trouble
caused
caused by
by recording
recording several
several amazing
amazing
takes
of
silence.
takes of silence.
audio
audio
Comping
The mistake to avoid here is finding

yourself with a project with multiple
takes and inconsistent timing. The
lesson to learn is to not deny yourself
the tools that can benefit your work.
Comping is the digital process of
recording multiple passes and scrubbing between them to mix and patch
elements from different takes. The
analogue equivalent was to splice
multiple pieces of tape together.
Comping is far more accurate since
we can get down to the sample level
during editing. This works well for
both music and dialogue.
These tools not only help to produce cleaner takes but also contribute
to the creative process by creating
new possibilities. I have comped new
drum takes that drummers have liked
so much that they have re-recorded
songs based on the comp.
Mixing and Post-production
Not all projects are created equal or

by the same person. Sometimes a
mistake was made and missed; other
times an idea occurred after the fact.
Mixing can help clean up mistakes,
polish what is already there and serve
as a foundation that expands on what
was recorded.
Adding Performances
advertising index
July 2016
Other mistakes are not so much errors

as they are missed opportunities. Sometimes, when you pick up an existing
mixing project, you can come across
places that can benefit from a few small
changes. These situations are served
well by having a look through the track
or other takes for passages that come
close to what you are hearing in your
head. From there you can copy the
tracks over and gently massage them in
with some careful editing to the lengths
and timing. Crossfades are useful in
minimizing the effect of overlaps. Use
your ears to judge whether the resulting
edits feel natural.
I feel inclined to also include overdubs and additional recording in this
category. In the case of film dialogue,
its good to establish early on when
and where ADR will be required

because of lacking location sound. In
music terms, you might decide that
you need some more backing vocals,
additional guitar or extra percussion.
Depending on the budget, schedule
and situation, you might use sampled
instruments or guest musicians and
performers. I have been in ADR sessions where the original talents voice
was entirely replaced all together due
to scheduling conflicts.
Film Sound
A great rule of thumb is to always

record at least a minute or two of background noise when recording sound
on location. This will be an indispensable tool in your inventory when you
inevitably have to match ADR with onset dialogue. Use your EQ to add and
subtract frequencies in order to match
the distance of your source. The low
end rolls off as the subject gets farther
away from the microphone.
Matching sounds can be done
using an EQ with an analyzer and selecting a high resolution, after that it
is a matter of using your hearing and
getting the sound as close as you can.
Blue Cat Audio offers a free frequency
analyzer plug-in compatible with
most digital audio workstations. Logic
Pro includes one on its default EQ. A
paid alternative is available through
iZotopes RX 4 Advanced, which
brings a host of features that include
level and EQ matching, as well as
reverb reduction.
We hope you enjoyed the review of
common mistakes and solutions. Who
knows, maybe you even had a chance
to think back on your early days in
the sound game. Mistakes happen.
The best you can do is to be prepared
and experienced enough to gracefully
overcome them and, of course, to
learn from them.
Blag has a B.A. in Recording Arts from California
State university Chico. He is a sound engineer
and web developer with a love for music, video,
and tinkering with cars and computers.
you can comment on this article by going online:
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59
OpiniOn
Keeping up with the Kardashians
by Erik Fritts
In Defense of Reality TV:

Reality TV as Documentary
Documentary film and reality TV both claim
to show life as it is, but neither ever truly
succeed. Are the two really that far apart?
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blatantly scripted by writers and envisioned in the minds of directors.

Clearly some things in reality TV are
done just for the show, but the same
has been true for documentary since
its earliest days. In 1922, Robert Flahertys Nanook of the North mixed
footage of real everyday life with segments created and directed just for the
film in order to highlight conflict and
create tension. A similar technique was
used in the acclaimed 2012 documentary The Act of Killing.
Good reality TV captures highs
and lows, conflict and resolution; it
has the ability to capture the range
of human experience. Bad reality TV
is exploitative, overly-produced, and
ridiculously un-real. Whatever the
case, in theory, the Kardashians would
still be doing whatever it is that they
do with or without the cameras following them. Therefore, Keeping Up
with Kardashians, for better or worse,
is documenting events and presenting
The Act of Killing (2012)
Reality TV purports to capture raw

moments. While largely shaped around
interpersonal conflict, the genre claims
to show real life. Is it fair to categorize
reality TV as documentary?
Sure!
As Alfred Hitchcock once said, In
feature films the director is God; in
documentary films, God is the director.
We can all understand the heart of
this quote without needing a theological debate. Documentary is meant to
capture how something happens without the directors influence. Of course,
the director does shape whats seen
for example, where the camera is
placed and what ends up on the cutting room floor both influence viewers understanding of what happened.
Thus, theres always an inherent bias
based on the filmmakers worldview.
Reality TV can also capture real
things happening in the world, but the
genre is generally perceived as more
open to manipulation as its often
them in a narrative format, just like

any other documentary would.
There is a bias in everything. Creators make choices, consciously or
not, that dictate the outcome of the
product. Filmmakers and TV producers have to make a long series of decisions to appeal to an audience. True
independent filmmakers have a little
BoTh Are shApeD By

The ViewpoinT of
The proDucers.
more leeway to take unpopular risks,
whereas television sponsors demand
a product that is palatable for the
largest possible audience. But, when
examined, neither genre shows a truly
objective view. Both are shaped by
the viewpoint of the producers ,who
must choose to play up one situation
over another to create the desired
impact. The medium has its flaws, as
all do, but at the end of the day, reality
TV finds itself as the black-sheep of
the documentary family, sometimes
uncouth and uncultured, but studded
with occasional gems of insight to the
human condition.
Erik Fritts graduated Magna Cum Laude with a
degree in Film from CSU Sacramento. He works
as a multimedia specialist and freelance writer.
He loves waffles, classic cinema, spending time
in nature and playing with his dogs.
60
Directing
by Step h en Man d el J osep h
5 Fixes for On-set Emergencies

Its Murphys law; whatever can
go wrong probably will. Even your
backup plan needs a backup plan.
The best way to tackle unexpected
disruptions on set is to be prepared.
You wrote a script, estimated a realistic budget and scheduled your shoot.
Lets also assume youve assembled a
professional team of crew and talent.
Youve also gone over your checklist
repeatedly with microscopic detail
and left nothing to chance. After
all, this is your baby, your breakout
project, and you have a lot riding on
its success.
Nevertheless, this is not a perfect
world and unfortunately, theres no
such thing as a perfect production set
no matter how efficient you were
during the planning and pre-development stages. Lets look at the five
most common situations that curse
both budding and seasoned filmmakers alike. Well address the workable
approaches for how to handle these
on-set emergencies.
The No-show Dilemma
Assembling a cast of actors for your

film or video production can be
a time-consuming role in itself. It
involves vital decisions, contacting
agents, managers and casting directors, placing casting ads, rummaging
through headshots and resumes, auditioning potentials and endless rehearsals. Therefore, when you find a match
for your production, the last thing you
want to hear is that a cast member is
a no-show. At the last minute, you can

usually get another DP, assistant AD
or makeup artist, but missing an actor
can literally shut a production down.
To avoid the cost and frustration of
an actor flaking out on your production at the last moment, it helps to
have a backup plan. Depending on
the scale of the project, the stage you
are at in production and the length
of the shoot, this may mean shifting
gears to tackle scenes in which the
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Keep a list of understudies handy in case a cast or crew member cant make it to one or more days of the shoot. Having a replacement
already lined up prevents costly delays to production when someone doesnt show up, relieving some of the stress a no-show can bring
and keeping your shoot on track.
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61
Directing
July 2016
actor does not appear or having two to three

actors on standby to act as replacements. Usually, having two actors lined up for each role
can strain your budget, but if youre working
with an agency, you can assign the responsibility over to the agent to provide the contracted
actor the place, time and rate for the shoot
even if that shoot is for a single day.
However, if you dont have an agent attached to your project, which is likely the case
for most small video productions and independent films, then your best bet is to create a
talent sheet listing all of your second and third
AlwAYs mAke sure You

hAve contAct info for All
the tAlent At All times
during production.
Buying, renting
or borrowing a
generator allows you
to bring your own
power to a location,
ensuring you always
have a way to power
your lights and other
production gear.
choices and keeping those choices on speed

dial. Always make sure you have contact info
for all the talent with an assistant or on you at
all times during production. Having a backup
list of contacts is a valuable tool to avoid those
last-minute emergencies.
Rain, Rain Go Away
Unless your production is going to be shot

entirely indoors, one of the most common
obstacles to a video or film shoot is bad weather.
We all know from mega blockbuster films like
Steven Spielbergs Jaws that Mother Nature
can be a beast, leaving the filmmaker straddled
at her mercy. However, assuming youre not

making a film financed by a major Hollywood
studio, theres no way you can afford to go over
budget waiting around for Mother Natures
wrath to subside.
If youve scheduled a shoot for outdoors,
check your local weather channel. If rain, snow
or gusty wind anything that can ruin or delay
your shoot is predicted in the forecast, you
can plan for an indoor cover set ahead of time.
A cover set is an indoor scene in your script that
allows you to continue shooting in the event of
bad weather.
Ensuring Locations
Whether youre shooting indoors or outdoors

and unless youre shooting in your own backyard, you need to secure a location. There are
services that can help you secure locations, either through the citys permit office or through
your local film commission.
Even if youre shooting at your favorite neighborhood deli, you still need to have a formal
written agreement between you and the property owner. You could lose a location because
the property owner forgot you were supposed to
be filming there that day and made other plans
for the property.
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Your best backup to avoid this or a police
shutdown is to have a written contract or permit
in hand for your ideal location.
Without a shooting permit, law enforcement agencies have been known for putting the
brakes on productions shooting illegally.
To save yourself time and money, map out
your locations carefully and get permits when
needed. In case thats not enough, plan an alternative location that can be used for the shoot in
order to keep your production rolling.
Camera, Action But No Lights
Having power is essential to all productions.

How many times have you seen someone pull
out their cellphone, and it dies on them because
they forgot to charge it? Theyre left scrambling
around a caf or store to find a power outlet. Its
no different when youre on set or at a location.
Powering up ahead of time once again
saves you time and money.
When you scout locations, always make sure
there are power outlets for your equipment.
Some locations may not allow you to use their
power outlets, or there may not be any at all. If
this is the case, you may need to rent a backup
generator. For your own peace of mind, renting
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62
Directing
market Place
July 2016
a generator is your best solution to

having power on the set.
Equipment Failure
Whether youre shooting your project

with film stock or video, you absolutely need to test your equipment.
DoNt leave aNYtHiNg out wHeN it

CoMeS to eNSuriNg a
SMootH proDuCtioN.
This rule of thumb goes for lighting,
cameras and all mechanical equipment used for a production. But lets
say you tested your equipment before
your scheduled shoot and, halfway
through, the equipment abruptly
stops working. This has been known
to happen.
If this is the case, have a contingency plan in place. You may want to
shoot your project in locations near
the rental house, so that, in case of
equipment failure, they can get to you
or you can get to them, saving you
time and money.
Reach 100% of a steadily growing video-producing

audience in Videomakers Market Place!
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12/17/2015 1:47:18 PM
Final Tips
Dont leave anything out when it

comes to ensuring a smooth production. The best way to avoid Murphys
law is simply to be as prepared as possible for anything and everything that
could go wrong on you production.
Bring along a first-aid kit in case an
injury occurs on the set. Bring walkie-talkies in case theres no internet
or cellphone service at a location.
And most important, make sure both
cast and crew have maps for getting
to your location. In short, always be
prepared for the little
things.
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48
Stephen Mandel Joseph is a published writer
and journalist from NYC. He also writes screenplays and comic book scripts when hes not
freelancing. He has a passion for filmmaking
and directing.
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63
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OpiniOn
by Peter Zunitch
Dr. Strangeedit: or How I Learned to Stop

Worrying and Love the Jump Cut
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It shows up most often in single

camera talking heads with no b-roll. If
you have to make an edit, theres just
nothing to cut to. Failing all tricks
Im looking at you my friend and foe,
the Morph Cut the typical path to
skirt jump cuts is to zoom in, creating
the illusion of separate close and wide
shots. Where I come from, we dont
do the white flash thing. Its too
well flashy.
Back in the school days, we were
taught jump cuts were evil. They
were jarring, upsetting to the audience and disturbing to the viewers
train of thought. Even worse, a jump
cut called attention to the edit. The
occasional horror film, experimental
film or music video was their only
employ. In those genres, it was used
for achieving exactly those effects. It
became useful. This was the start of
the unthinkable, though. We started to
accept the unacceptable.
When the music video generation
came along in the early 1980s, we
thought it was a revolution in editing,
the direct antithesis of the French
and Italian led long shot realism.
Shots were reduced to mere seconds,
even frames. By themselves, they
meant very little, but combined they
formed a statement all their own
the montage approaching its purest
perceptible form. People grew an
intensely short attention span. Nonlinear editing was the enabler, and
together they ushered in a new era of
mesmerizing, ostentatious, dynamic
short stories.
Artistic ability notwithstanding, if a
person today has a computer of any
kind, they have the tools to create
and edit video to some degree. People
have something to say whether they
are heard or not, and YouTube leads
the way for the deluge of John Q.
64
Public to post titanic quantities of

video content for mass consumption.
Possibly theyll receive a stipend for it,
but thats not necessarily the point.
We have a wealth of people who
produce content with limited time,
resources and arguably knowledge to really put together a polished
quality production. What they want
is to, for glory or money, push out
ripe niche content as efficiently as
possible. At the other end, we have
viewers who are used to disruptive
video. They keep up when things
change without notice. They want
that niche content and care not if its
perfection incarnate, as long as they
can consume.
I myself often sneak off and watch
content about my favorite video
games during lunch. Its a break from
the serious editing work I do all day.
Indeed, time is limited, and Im more
interested in having access to quality
niche content than pristine production value. Its a different expectation than movies or television. Lets
get in, be informed and hopefully
entertained, and get out. If a jump cut
happens, I understand. Sometimes
the host will spout, Okay Im back,
sorry I had to go [do something], and
Im pleased they bothered to drop
the irrelevant material. I dont need a
transition; chances are I was only half
watching anyway. Most likely their
editing consisted of merely pausing
the screen recorder and then restarting it, and Im fine with that. The jump
on the screen was all the transition I
needed. I understand. Lets just move
on before I have to get back to work.
Wait a minute, did I just say I
liked the jump cut? Well, yes, in
this instance I think its perfect. My
video teachers are surely crying right
now. The general vlogging populace
Rick Merekis Move (2012)
It took a long time, but Im no longer afraid of the jump cut. In fact, its
quite useful at times.
isnt going to impress me with their

ability to add a real transition or cut
to b-roll of their cat, so lose it. Im
good. I used to watch MTV. I can keep
up. Like the few frame montage, the
jump cut is a transition reduced to
its most pure form. Perhaps its my
mindset, my expectations or the content, but in this case it works. I get it,
and others do too, and thats great;
its also a problem.
The other day I edited one of those
single camera talking head videos.
When the feedback came, the only
comment was please remove the
zoom; it distracts me. What? Are you
serious? You want me to make a jump
cut in the video because you think its
less jarring? Thats where I draw the
line! Times may change, but my standards remain. Thats using it incorrectly that goes too far! Professional
interviews laden with jump cuts? BAH!
Then again, it actually didnt look
that bad.
Peter Zunitch is an award-winning editor in New
York.
u sa .canon.c om
@canonusapro
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