Advice for a dreaded project

daryl wrote on 3/27/2008, 8:02 AM
I HAVE to shoot a wedding this weekend, something I try VERY hard to avoid, but it's a relative, sooooo.
My question, I have an XH-A1 for my main cam, and an HV-20 for B roll, and have not had much time to experiment with them.
Should I shoot at 60i, 30f, or 24f for best results. The event is in a room with a lot of natural light (from the photos i've seen, it has a large section of sun roof).
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Daryl

Comments

TheHappyFriar wrote on 3/27/2008, 9:30 AM
but it's a relative, sooooo

"You know, I'd really rather WATCH then tape." :D

anyway... just shoot at normal NTSC SD. Why not? it's just a wham-bam-done! project, right?
daryl wrote on 3/27/2008, 12:10 PM
Oh man, that was indeed my first thought, one cam, shoot sd, render, go on with my life. BUT, I decided to get some more experience with HD, I plan on shooting EVERYTHING in HD from now on, but rendering to SD if necessary for the project.
I've read about a lot of issues with 24f (24p), both good and bad, then I've read a lot of good things about 30f (30p), does 60i buy me any advantages?
John_Cline wrote on 3/27/2008, 1:34 PM
Yes, 60i gives you the highest temporal resolution. There are two schools of thought in wedding videos, use 24p or 30p to give it the "once removed" film-like motion effect or the document the event "as if you were there" using 60i. There are also ways to convert to 30p or 24p after the fact.
Laurence wrote on 3/27/2008, 3:58 PM
Most wedding videographers use 60i so that they can do slow motion effects (which they do a whole lot of). If you don't use 60i, on your highlights piece you're going to have what you shot: an akward guy and a slightly overweight girl. Slow it down a little and put some over the top background music like the theme from Gladiator or something and you'll have exactly what they want: a sort of glorified Hallmarky thing that will make you cringe and the bride and her mother cry...exactly what you want.
farss wrote on 3/27/2008, 4:27 PM
Stop fretting over the image and start sweating over the audio!
You can make a watchable wedding video without a video camera using stills, if you've got good audio. If they can't hear those "I do" words you're dead meat.

Bob.
daryl wrote on 3/27/2008, 5:09 PM
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, yes, I learned the audio one a lonnnnnnnnnnnnng time ago, good micing and good back-up micing, and maybe one more back-up mic.
Thanks for all the info y'all, after Sunday, there's no place like home, there's no place like home!
Daryl
dmcmeans wrote on 3/28/2008, 3:50 PM
I've played with the various settings on the HV20, and I like the output at 60i best. I can always soften it and make a film look, but you can't get resolution back you didn't record. Once I saw how good HD footage looks, I made the decision never to work in SD again, even if it is a relative's wedding you just want to finish. HD converted to SD DVDs looks awesome.
UlfLaursen wrote on 3/28/2008, 10:55 PM
Stop fretting over the image and start sweating over the audio!

I would say that too. In audio I always have my biggest struggels.

/Ulf
Grazie wrote on 3/28/2008, 11:25 PM
Bad Video is almost acceptable with excellent Audio. However, EXCELLENT video is made to look rubbish with BAD audio.

Grazie
daryl wrote on 3/31/2008, 12:36 PM
OK, it's done! I went with 60i, no problems, pristine audio, superb, my wireless and shotgun worked to perfection I told my wife on the way home, "I have done my last wedding". Anyone who does that for a living, your are a superhuman videographer. It's a tough job but somebodies gotta do it, just not me!
I'd rather produce an instructional video on the varying techniques of fingernails on chalkboards, followed my how best to chew aluminum foil.
Thanks for the input y'all, 60i worked nicely.
Daryl
RalphM wrote on 3/31/2008, 3:53 PM
What you don't realize is that when you complete this wedding video, the rest of your family and their friends will want you to do an encore.

At this point you have two choices:

Use your editing skills in post production to turn your excellent footage into something no one wants to watch (bride and her family will then hate you)

or

Sell your camera...