Read me Before you Shoot!

Your proposal is complete. Your team is pretty much assembled. Your subject is ready. Now for the final preparations!

 

(And don't forget to add to this after your shoot!)

 

 

Part I - Legal Stuff - Important!

 

1) Release forms / oral release for on-camera appearances EVERYONE who appears on camera for more than a few seconds and whose face appears on camera in a way that they can be singularly identified must consent to being filmed, with the exception of crowds or people shot in public places. For public places, please make a large copy of the "Recording in Progress" sign that has been sent to you with your release forms and mount it such that it can be transported easily and can stand up on its own.

 

Release forms will be sent to you by email on request. In the case of oral release, you can use the oral consent scripts that have been sent to you. You must have a second video camera (can be a little handycam) to record video consent, as we don't want this to appear unnecessarily on the main video. As it can sometimes be challenging to translate the goals and aims of the projects to populations unfamiliar with video installation and/or video streaming on the web, you should consider in advance exactly how you will inform your subjects and explain the project to them. The paper forms or the video tape with the consent must be submitted to the GLP along with the rest of the video content recorded.

 

All crew members must sign a written release form (same as the general release), as oral forms are unacceptable for this purpose given that the form includes confirmation that their participation in GLP is as a volunteer and that they will not be paid. 2) Numbered list of all release forms A numbered list of the above forms and video release recordings, along with the actual forms must be either scanned & emailed/uploaded or mailed to the Global Lives Project at the contact information below.

 

Part II - Video Stuff - Really Important!

 

1) Record in HDV 16:9, but frame for 4:3 aspect ratio.

 

All recordings must take place in HDV 16:9 format. However, the installation designers determined that a 4:3 image will allow for the maximum size of screens and the most immersive user experience. As such, your edited video should be a 16:9 piece (we think it looks nicer), but you should plan for a 4:3 version of the video to look good as well for the installation. We recommend using the 4:3 guide frame function so you can have a reference through your camera's screen.

 

2) Shoot in 24P if possible.

 

If your camera has a 24P or 24F (Canon) mode, please use it to be consistent with previous shoots.

 

3) Make sure to give the camera operators a chance to get experience with the video camera, mics, & lighting being used.

 

Although your amazing volunteer camerawoman may have worked for the best TV station in Eastern Canada for the past 26 years, her station might only use JVC equipment and you might be shooting on a Sony or a Canon. Make sure that you confirm with all camera operators that they know the ins and outs of the camera to be used and have plenty of experience with setting its presets getting a feel for button layout, etc. If not, schedule a special session for camera operators during the days before the recording (can combine with pre-production meeting) for everyone to play with the equipment. Most camera manuals can be downloaded off the internet, and directors/producers should circulate these. Key issues with HDV cameras that we have had include focusing and low-light situations. The Sony Z1 and FX1, for example, have an important feature that we discovered this way called "hyperfocus," whereby when macro is turned off and the focus is set to one meter, everything from 1 meter to infinity stays in focus.

 

4) Battery back-up

 

Battery levels on the camera are rarely accurate. Be prepared with extra batteries - enough to have about 12 hours more than the shoot.

 

5) Shoot 24 full hours of tape

 

Since you will probably loose a total of 30-40 minutes of footage during tape changes throughout the day, it's important that you shoot some extra at the end beyond the 24 hours such that you end up with a full 24 hours of footage. As such, it's safest to shoot for approximately 25 continuous hours to make sure that it works out to 24 hours of actual footage.

 

Part III - Audio

 

1) Microphone setup

 

We recommend a 2-channel mic setup with a directional mic (shotgun) mounted on the camera and a wireless mic attached to the subject at all times. If you are using an HD camera that only has a stereo-mini audio input, you can acquire an adapter that will allow you to have two XLR inputs and use two professional mics as mentioned above. It is essential, however, that you test such a setup repeatedly to make sure that there is not interference noise coming in on the recording. This was a major problem for us before the California shoot.

 

The wireless is of great importance as it adds a great amount of intimacy to the shoot and really personalizes the main subject.  Anticipate that the subject will fiddle with her wireless mic, so be sure to keep an eye on it.  If the wireless is misplaced, it might be in your best interest to have someone readjust it at a down moment.  Also, explain to your subject that each time she touches the wireless it compromises the sound recording - this is an issue for you because it will lead to time-consuming audio editing in post-production, so best to nip this in the bud as best you can.

 

2) Mics break—bring backup solutions

 

Wireless mics—even the most expensive ones—break regularly. Bring both a backup set of wireless mics and an extra-long XLR cable and the appropriate mount in case you need to turn your shotgun mic into a boom. If you're traveling to a remote location for the shoot, you probably won't want to bring a boom pole, but you should identify a broom handle or something else on location that can be made into a boom if necessary.

 

 

Part IV - Still Photos

 

Still photos are absolutely essential. We will be using them in print materials (a book, we hope!) and on our website.

 

1) Camera & photographer.

 

You should be using the best-quality camera you can find around, definitely a digital SLR. If nobody on your crew has one, that means it's time to recruit an experienced (amateur is ok!) photographer. Many amateur photographers have contacted us to take part in GLP shoots, they have been photography students, retired people, and even bankers and business-people. These types of hobbyists are dying to use their skills and get their work published and with still camera technology being as great as it is today, it's easy for an amateur to take really really great shots. Get some examples of their work first and start recruiting. If you do get a business-person/hobbyist involved, they can also probably be helpful with other needs, i.e., donations, car, food for crew, etc.

 

2) What to shoot.

 

Get photos of both the subject and the crew. We need at least one really great photo from every hour of the day with the subject in it. These will go in the book, on posters and will represent each hour of footage on the website. We also need headshots of every crew member and all family members and close friends/colleagues of the subject. Also try to get a group photo of the family and another of the crew as well. If you can do one with the crew and the family/friends too.

 

3) Captions--do it on the spot!

 

It will be much easier to caption photos later if the photographers take notes during the shoot. Note things like peoples' first and last names (these will need to correspond to release forms--important!!), names of places, how long subject spends in each place, etc.

 

4) Stay out of the way.

 

Yes, this is the hardest part. After all of what is said about how important stills are, it is also very very important that the photographer get in for certain photos and get out. The photographer, unlike the videographer, should make strategic moves to go in to take a picture at most 5 to 10 times an hour. Aside from these strategic times to go in for the shoot, the photographer should stay out of the way and let the subject get on with their day. See #1 below.

 

5) Please do not check photos during your shift unless you are positively out of the camera's range--save this for after your shift when you are captioning. Sometimes if a photographer is looking down at the camera's screen, they are not aware of the video camera operator's movements and can stray into the frame.

 

 

Part V - Crew & Subject

 

1) Minimize interference

 

Try to make it such that at all times you minimize the number of crew members following the subject around. Still photographers don't need to be there all the time, and if you can work without a boom that's probably better as well. The less people there are from the crew in the immediate surroundings of the subject, the better. The best situation is to simply have the camera operator on the spot, and their assistant and the photographer hanging back as far away as possible. The assistant can have a walkie-talkie with a headset or a cell-phone and can be the bridge to the rest of the crew.

 

2) Schedule the day well

 

Make sure that you plan out every hour of the day very well. Think about transport to and from the site, where the subject might be going (use the life story interview as an opportunity to get as much detail as possible from the subject about what they might do during the day), how all crew members will be able to eat during their shifts, etc.

 

3) Liaison

Make sure that there is at least one person near the camera at all times that is familiar with the local area, the family members' names, friends, coworkers or other people who will be on the location, and that speaks the local language/dialect. This needs to be the point person for all communications with the family, local officials, or administrators/owners of any locations. All crew should be instructed to direct any questions to this person.

 

Part VI - Miscellaneous

 

1) GPS Logger

 

A GPS logger/tracker is a simple yet important element of the shoot. It will allow us to map the subject's trajectory during her day and show which photos/videos correspond to which locations. Make sure that someone from each shift is able to verify that the GPS tracker is working properly. It must be attached to someone's belt or bag in order to work properly, and it may need a new battery during the day. Please be sure to test and make sure that it works and that you are able to download data from it during the shoot.

 

2) Tape/camera change pit stop

 

Changing the tape is like taking a Formula 1 car in for a pit stop. You need to make sure that all settings are still correct on the camera (check for accidental button pushes or switch flips), clean the lens, change camera and mic batteries, make a few jokes with the subject, and then get back in and keep shooting.
The China crew introduced the use of Hitchcock's technique pioneered in Rope (1948) for producing seamless edits by ending each tape with the frame close in a stationary object that fills the entire screen with a solid color briefly, and then starting the next tape on the same image. While this is not required, it is a recommended technique, as it will minimize interruptions in the installation setting.

 

3) On the Perils of Inside/Outside Lighting --- Beware the ND Filter/Gain Trap

 

Many of the shoots will be moving in and outside, from light to dark spaces, when a shooter is trying to simply keep up with the action, she may forget the ND Filter and gain settings that were adjusted for a different lighting situation.  Please be conscious of this! And practice!

• Main video camera (preferably 1080p 24fps)
• Second video camera (best if identical to main camera, for use either in rotation or as backup)
• Third video camera (optional - can be a small camcorder - for behind the scenes/oral release footage)
• Tripod (for sleeping hours)
• Extra batteries for all cameras. Estimate that batteries may last only 30% of what they are rated, especially in hot climates
• Tapes - MiniDV are fine, can be used to record HDV footage with 60 minutes per tape. Bring 35 tapes tapes for shoot, life story and behind the scenes

• Steadicam
• Production van (nice to have as a base for the shoot and a place to take a nap)
• Portable light (don't bring anything too big or intimidating)