3 different camera wedding « Videomaker Community Forums

Digital Video
Member

This weekend the 18th I'm doing a wedding with 3 different cameras. My FX-1 will be my main camera. Next I'm using my GL-2 and my fathers cheap HD single chip camera. My FX-1 will be on the bride. What would you guys out there recommend doing for the other 2 cameras during the ceromony? Fixed rear camera and which camera? The wedding is outdoors so the lighing will be nice. Wedding is suppose to start at 3:00 and the sun sets around 4:45. I will have 2 camera operators. I'm thinking 2 HD cameras upfront and the GL-2 in the rear.
Please put in your thoughts
Thanks

Posted 5 years ago #
paulears
Member

The idea to use the 'poorest' camera for a rear static shot makes sense. When faced with jobs like this I try to give the best camera to the best operator in the best position - on the assumption that this camera will be the master - as in the one live for more time than the others. The rear static camera shot will be boring and always very similar- so it becomes a neat cover for those annoying moments when your other two cameras are reframing or focussing.

The only time I change this working system is when I'm short of cameramen - giving the simplest camera to the weak one. Or maybe giving the best pan tilt head to the poorest cameraman on the assumption that it will help his shots be wobble free. Giving a complex set-up to a beginner is more dangerous. I gave a proper studio camera with remote zoom and focus - on a pedestal to a novice - simply dreadful results. every time (and he did it often) he went up and down, the subject moved out of frame. Too steep a learning curve. On a mount with no option to raise or lower he's fine.

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

I think Paul pretty much nailed it. I'd just add a couple of comments -

The rear camera can be the weakest because viewers won't be as critical of a wide shot as of closer shots. But which is the weaker camera - a cheap HD or a GL2? I suspect the cheap HD might be weakest.

Don't downplay that static, wide shot too much - sometimes your best "cameraman" is no cameraman! We shoot weddings with three camcorders and I would never have a cameraman on our wide camera. I depend on that camera to ALWAYS have a good shot. When I go to that camera, I don't want to see panning, tilting, zooming, etc. - I just need a good, steady shot.

Do your best to get all three cameras set with similar exposure, white balance, etc. Remember, different brands/models are likely to need adjustment in post to make the colors look equal.

Posted 5 years ago #