Stills to video, need help

[OliKMIA]

Hi Matt,

Check 180 shutter angle/rule on internet. There are plenty of tutorials on youtube too. In the case of the GH5 there is an option to switch from shutter speed to shutter angle.

 

But honestly, try to be as close as the general rule (double your shutter speed in relation to FPS) and be careful of the artificial light sync (that's very important otherwise you may ruin your shot).

The rest is be more important: good composition, white balance, correct exposure in V-LOG, lighting. If you nail all that but are a little bit off on shutter you will be fine. The contrary is not true.

[meanwhile]

On 2017-7-27 at 1:55 PM, mercer said:

Welcome and congrats on the work... and new gear. Based on what you stated, I would say go with the Olympus, you're already familiar with it, it has better stabilization than the GH5

He said E5. Not EM5. Different!

With (WARNING!) damn all experience, but as a frankly terrific researcher wrestling with similar problems, on your budget I'd get a G85 and spend the money saved on good manual focus lenses, all of them from the same maker. And I'd budget about $500 on lights and maybe $1000 on sound gear.  Plus a very good video tripod with an even better video head. With all those costs, there really isn't room in the budget for a GH5. 

Otoh, if you're willing to shoot without the need for follow focus, then you don't need those manual lenses.

Most of all, don't neglect the sound gear and learning how to use it. Audio is much more important than people think and much harder. Make sure you understand things like room tone and presence.

Also, you don't don't say what genres you've shot. If you've not worked with soft boxes or some equivalent, then you need to fill in that gap. You should make sure you understand stuff like placing reflectors and flags.

[fuzzynormal]

This is going to sound counter intuitive to someone new to the process of making docs, but I would advise that you consider shooting your entire production with one 25mm prime lens.

A singular lens choice will limit your bad judgment regarding grabbing variable focal range shots (rookie mistake) and keep everything looking cohesive.

Again, maybe it sounds like a bad idea, but really consider it.  That simple choice can do wonders for the style and look of your film.

Also, someone posted a "cliff-notes" kind of video yesterday about all the fundamentals needed to make shots look cinematic... here it is:

https://youtu.be/rk6Cpe3KG8M

The info is brief, but it really is kinda all there.

[meanwhile]

..Assuming E5 wasn't a typo, it was an Oly DSLR that existed before the m43 mirrorless cameras but had the same size sensor. Some people still use them for the same reasons as the Fuji S5 - not a lot of megapixels, but they love the tonality...

(I almost bought one a few weeks ago!)

[Matt Y]

7 hours ago, meanwhile said:

..Assuming E5 wasn't a typo, it was an Oly DSLR that existed before the m43 mirrorless cameras but had the same size sensor. Some people still use them for the same reasons as the Fuji S5 - not a lot of megapixels, but they love the tonality...

(I almost bought one a few weeks ago!)

 It actually was the EM5. That was a typo. Although I did have an E5 to which I loved. I agree on tonality if the Fuji S5. Fuji has colors nailed down

8 hours ago, fuzzynormal said:

This is going to sound counter intuitive to someone new to the process of making docs, but I would advise that you consider shooting your entire production with one 25mm prime lens.

A singular lens choice will limit your bad judgment regarding grabbing variable focal range shots (rookie mistake) and keep everything looking cohesive.

Again, maybe it sounds like a bad idea, but really consider it.  That simple choice can do wonders for the style and look of your film.

Also, someone posted a "cliff-notes" kind of video yesterday about all the fundamentals needed to make shots look cinematic... here it is:

https://youtu.be/rk6Cpe3KG8M

The info is brief, but it really is kinda all there.

First of all, your YouTube videos are awesome. I subscribed to you about a month ago when this idea was being bumped around.  I have learned a lot and practiced on my kids with your techniques.

I love the prime idea and was actually thinking it would be easier. One bc zooms seem overwhelming and two, bc I have primes and prefer to shoot stills with them. To the group and to fuzzynormal, I have an Oly 12mm f/2, Oly 17 f/1.8, panaleica 25 f1.4 (love it), and Oly 45 f/1.8.  Also have the Oly 12-40 f/2.8. To the people familiar with these, are they good enough? Wanted to add the voigtlander 17 f/.95 for photos and now an excuse for this?  Just thinking of sticking with these. If you had to add one, what would it be?  I would dip into my own funds for this. 

10 hours ago, OliKMIA said:

Hi Matt,

Check 180 shutter angle/rule on internet. There are plenty of tutorials on youtube too. In the case of the GH5 there is an option to switch from shutter speed to shutter angle.

 

But honestly, try to be as close as the general rule (double your shutter speed in relation to FPS) and be careful of the artificial light sync (that's very important otherwise you may ruin your shot).

The rest is be more important: good composition, white balance, correct exposure in V-LOG, lighting. If you nail all that but are a little bit off on shutter you will be fine. The contrary is not true.

So a question of Vlog. Is that like shooting In RAW?  Is there a particular one I should use?  Just use the histogram for exposure and also not blow highlights?  Also syncing with artifical lights, any recommended videos or websites?  You people are great!!!

[OliKMIA]

LOG is not raw. It's just a different "picture profile" that gives more priority to the shadows and dark area to maximize dynamic range (that's a very simple explanation). Honestly I wouldn't shoot LOG if you don't know how to grade it in post. You can use the "natural" profile in the GH5 which is probably easier to handle.
For Sync, it depends of the power AC frequency in your country (50 or 60Hz). You must check and find the correct shutter speed/angle. Again, there are plenty of resources online. Just check

[meanwhile]

8 hours ago, Matt Y said:

.I love the prime idea and was actually thinking it would be easier. One bc zooms seem overwhelming and two, bc I have primes and prefer to shoot stills with them. To the group and to fuzzynormal, I have an Oly 12mm f/2, Oly 17 f/1.8, panaleica 25 f1.4 (love it), and Oly 45 f/1.8.  Also have the Oly 12-40 f/2.8. To the people familiar with these, are they good enough?

Do you understand the limitations of Panny AF? If you want anything like broadcast quality you are either going to have shoot with no follow focus for each cut or use lenses with the right sort of manual focus control to allow you a chance at doing follow focus. See -

Of the lenses you name, I think only the 12-40 has that potential.

As someone who has just done similar research, I really think that you are asking the wrong questions and doing the wrong research. You need to start by discovering the absolutely minimum quality needs for the market you want to sell to, a lot of which are about audio. You shouldn't even think about what camera body you should buy until you have budgeted for audio. For example, have you realized that you might easily have to spend $1000 on microphones? You also need to think about how you are going to function as a one man crew trying to do audio - to broadcast standards - and video at the same time.  Eg If you need to record groups then you may have to operate a boom mic and leave the camera on a tripod:

https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/record-indie-filmmaking-audio/

I'd start by researching how one man crews function

https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/filmmaking-tip-gear-for-a-one-man-documentary-crew/

and what HBO want quality wise. Not by asking which camera body is nice. Don't even think about that until you really know what you have to spend on audio and lights and whether you'll need real video lenses and a rig with follow focus. And for that you need to know what lighting condtions will be, whether you need to record groups, whether you need to focus on movement. First goals, hence acceptable limitations, then methods, then hardware - and the more I look, the more camera body is one of the least important parts. And most of all, if you want something a real TV company will look at, sound, sound, sound. It matters much more than you think and it is much, much, MUCH more complex.

(And I would be delighted if someone who has actual sold video at this level corrects me - life would get simpler!)

 

[Matt Y]

Hello everyone!  Since I have last wrote this train is slowly leaving the station and we are ready to role.  I have lighting, audio, and camera gear purchased and have been practicing.  The editor now has chimed in and provided his requirements which I THINK I am covered.  Here is what he asked if I can shoot in but seems to be some flexibility:

• Video:  shoot in 4K, 8 bit, in Vlog and in 23.976 fps
  • From what I have read the "24fps" for the GH5 is actually 23.976 fps in 4K shooting at 59.95Hz.  Is that what you all see too?  Just want to make sure.
  • The V log is something I have to purchase correct?  Is there another flat or V-log in the camera that I am missing already in camera?  
  • If I shoot in 4K at 60fps and indicate to editor, that is good room to slow things down for dramatics?  I am only shooting this fps for B-roll and special effects
• Audio:
  • He states that the ideal audio quality is 48K and speed of 23.976. 
    • I was going to use two sources of audio:  Rode Vidpro Mic feeding into camera and Lavier into a Zoom H1.  Do either or both or none fit the requirement?  I also have access to a zoom H4nsp.

Thanks a ton for the help.  will keep you updated as things go.  This project is a whopper but a ton of fun!  

 

Matt

[OliKMIA]

Video:  shoot in 4K, 8 bit, in Vlog and in 23.976 fps

>> If you are going for the GH5 why don't shoot in 10 bits ? Kind of strange that your editor asked for V-LOG and 8 bits. Just double check on that. Basically the you should film in 10 bits if you can, especially for V-LOG

From what I have read the "24fps" for the GH5 is actually 23.976 fps in 4K shooting at 59.95Hz.  Is that what you all see too?

>> Correct, in 59.95Hz the 24 mode will give you 23.976 but you can film in real 24p if you select the 24Hz mode.

The V log is something I have to purchase correct?  Is there another flat or V-log in the camera that I am missing already in camera?  

>> Yes, it cost $100 I think, it's just a code to enter in your camera to unlock the feature

If I shoot in 4K at 60fps and indicate to editor, that is good room to slow things down for dramatics?  I am only shooting this fps for B-roll and special effects

>> Yes, the editor can slow down in post but you should ask him first how he/she wants to handle that.

Audio:He states that the ideal audio quality is 48K and speed of 23.976.

>> I don t know but 48k is very good already, seems logic

I was going to use two sources of audio:  Rode Vidpro Mic feeding into camera and Lavier into a Zoom H1.  Do either or both or none fit the requirement?  I also have access to a zoom H4nsp.

>> Not sure about the question, but yes, the Rhode Video Mic Pro can be plugged directly to the camera.

[Matt Y]

20 hours ago, OliKMIA said:

Video:  shoot in 4K, 8 bit, in Vlog and in 23.976 fps

>> If you are going for the GH5 why don't shoot in 10 bits ? Kind of strange that your editor asked for V-LOG and 8 bits. Just double check on that. Basically the you should film in 10 bits if you can, especially for V-LOG

+++++ Good question.  He said that 10 bit takes up a ton of memory for me.  Is that true?  Is it a lot more than 8 bit?

From what I have read the "24fps" for the GH5 is actually 23.976 fps in 4K shooting at 59.95Hz.  Is that what you all see too?

>> Correct, in 59.95Hz the 24 mode will give you 23.976 but you can film in real 24p if you select the 24Hz mode.

The V log is something I have to purchase correct?  Is there another flat or V-log in the camera that I am missing already in camera?  

>> Yes, it cost $100 I think, it's just a code to enter in your camera to unlock the feature

If I shoot in 4K at 60fps and indicate to editor, that is good room to slow things down for dramatics?  I am only shooting this fps for B-roll and special effects

>> Yes, the editor can slow down in post but you should ask him first how he/she wants to handle that.

Audio:He states that the ideal audio quality is 48K and speed of 23.976.

>> I don t know but 48k is very good already, seems logic

+++++ This is where I am getting confused too.  He said the audio quality, ideally, should be at 48K and the speed of the audio at the fps speed.  What I was wondering is if the GH5 records to that internally and also if the zoom H1 records at those specificiation.

I was going to use two sources of audio:  Rode Vidpro Mic feeding into camera and Lavier into a Zoom H1.  Do either or both or none fit the requirement?  I also have access to a zoom H4nsp.

>> Not sure about the question, but yes, the Rhode Video Mic Pro can be plugged directly to the camera.