My first Video Producer/Editor Job—Questions!

WildBlue wrote on 1/5/2003, 12:03 PM

Hi, I’m about to embark on my first professional job as a video producer, shooting a 2 hour meeting. I’m hiring a videographer to do the actual shooting, and I plan on editing in Vegas Video (of course). The client needs the final output on ten VHS copies. Here are my questions:

1) What’s the best way (best= easiest and least expensive: I know these are sometimes inversely correlated) to get Digital Video into my computer (I’m assuming the Videographer is going to shoot using a rented DV camera).
2) What’s the best way to check whether my PC editing is translating well into the VHS format—in other words, what’s the best way to monitor what I’m doing periodically in analog? Does buying the Canopus ADVC100 make sense for this kind of analog monitoring?
3) What’s the best way to get a master VHS copy, and then 10 additional copies made? Is there a way I can do this myself?

THANK YOU!

Comments

seeker wrote on 1/5/2003, 1:04 PM

WildBlue,

That's a lot of questions. First of all, you might want to consider using more than one DV camcorder. Maybe your videographer could "man" one of them and you could use the other. Possibly you could put one camcorder on a fixed tripod with the lens set at a wide-angle setting. Multi-camera coverage at events like weddings, conferences, or whatever is really a very good thing if not actually a necessity. Let's say at your meeting that someone asks a question of the speaker. I suppose you could suddenly "wheel" the camera from the speaker to the questioner, but that gives your viewer vertigo. It is much better to have one camera on the speaker(s) and another camera on the questioners. That gives you, the editor and post-producer, a lot of flexibility in cutting from the speaker(s) to the questioner(s) without snapping anyone's neck.

Another thing to consider is microphones. Built-in camcorder microphones suck. Your main speakers should have lapel mics. Whether you use radio mics or long mic cords is your decision. Just use some "real" microphones. And have your videographer equipped with a headphone to monitor your main speaker's sound (you want to get good pickup on the guys who are paying you -- the questioners can have a bit lower sound quality.) With the camcorder mics you will just be getting echoes, shuffling papers, doors closing, squeaking chairs, and coughs drowning out your "stars."

The answer to your first question is a FireWire cord. That's a scary question to be asking with an assignment like this. Good luck. Only, don't depend on luck. You can depend on having luck, bad luck that is. So you need contingencies. (And spare charged camcorder batteries and extra tapes in case the meeting "goes over.")

The answer to your second question is, as you guessed, to use Vegas' ability to put preview video out through the FireWire port through a DV camcorder (or a Canopus ADVC100) to a TV monitor. I am using a 21-inch Sony Trinitron as my TV monitor and I am continually amazed at the differences that appear between my computer monitor and the TV. The contrast and color saturation is significantly higher on the TV, which seems a bit counter-intuitive. However, I personally have some doubts that everything that shows up on the TV will show up on your VHS tapes. I would suggest making a short sample VHS tape to "close the loop" before you get too far along in the project.

As for your last question, about making ten copies of the VHS tape, that could be a problem. I suggest you make a DV tape as your master tape. Having the master be digital is good. Then you can make a few copies of the DV tape (no generational losses in copying digital) and then use several DV camcorders to copy the DV tapes to VCRs. By using several DV camcorders and several VCRs you can do the job in parallel. Otherwise, using a single master DV tape, a single camcorder, and a single VCR, it is going to take a long time to make all the copies. But if you have the time, take it. You want to avoid copying a VHS tape to a VHS tape if at all possible. Each time you copy an analog tape to an analog tape, you get a generational loss, and copies of copies can be really bad. I am not really an expert and those are just my opinions, so take them with a grain of salt.

-- seeker --

jubeisan wrote on 1/5/2003, 2:49 PM

If your videographer is using a dv camcorder you have nothing to worry about; as long as he shoots everything well. That means good shots, good audio, and so forth. You really don't need to monitor, but if you want to that is fine. Vegas dv codec is excellent and the quality you will have is broadcasting quality good.

The best way to mass produce the tape is do it your self or find some cheap duplicating house. Cheack the phone book there are a bunch of them.

Good luck.

PS. what is your system spec?

rextilleon wrote on 1/5/2003, 2:55 PM

You obviously don't have any experience--just out of interest---how did you get the job? How much are you charging/

WildBlue wrote on 1/5/2003, 2:56 PM

Seeker- thanks for that thorough response! I really appreciate all your advice. I just wanted to clarify that I know a firewire connection is the way to capture video into the computer. I should have been more clear in my initial question, which is really-- The DV camcorder will be a rental, so it may need to be returned before we can capture the video from it. Since I only own a mini-DV camcorder, is there some other way to capture the DV tape contents into my computer-- i.e. should I buy a cheap DV camcorder just for this purpose, or some other unit. Thanks again. Rob

jubeisan wrote on 1/5/2003, 2:56 PM

I forgot about the firewire. If he uses a dv camera firewire is your best choice. ADS PYRO 1394 dv is a good card. Make sure you if your using windows don't install the texas instrument driver that comes with the card. If you do prepare for nightmares(trust me). You don't have to restrict yourself to ads any fire wire card is good. However make sure you don't install the firewire drivers that come with the card USE THE MICROSOFT MSDV DRIVER PLEASE. You will sleep better at night if you do so.

WildBlue wrote on 1/5/2003, 3:06 PM

Thanks Jubeisan. Actually, as indicated in my response to Seeker, my question about capturing was poorly phrased. I've captured MiniDV using Firewire before. I'm concerned that I may not have the DV camera available to play the DV tape through the Firewire card, since we may have to return it. So, again, is there a cheap camcorder or other type of box I should buy to play through the Firewire card.

Paul_Holmes wrote on 1/5/2003, 3:13 PM

In one of your posts you said you already own a mini-DV camcorder. If your shooter is using a DV camcorder, and it uses the mini-DV format then your mini-DV camcorder should work fine. Any simple DV camcorder, like a cheap Sony or a cheap Canon, etc, works just as well for transfer as a very expensize 3-Chip camcorder. It's just digital bits being transferred from the tape to the computer.

seeker wrote on 1/5/2003, 3:20 PM

Rob,

There are three physical DV formats, Sony's Digital8, MiniDV, and regular DV. All three record the same DV format, but the tape sizes are different. If your rental camcorder is regular DV and you return it, you won't have any way to play your regular DV into your FireWire. And, to my knowledge, there isn't any such thing as a cheap regular DV camcorder. These are professional devices with professional prices.

Since you already own a MiniDV camcorder, you might want to rent a MiniDV camcorder (there are some good high-end ones) just so you will have tape playback capability after you return the rental.

-- seeker --

jubeisan wrote on 1/5/2003, 5:42 PM

Like paul said any cannon or sony should work. Chect the sofo web site for a compatible list, or use the old one you have.

WildBlue wrote on 1/5/2003, 8:56 PM

Thanks all for your much appreciated help. Rob

fmc wrote on 1/5/2003, 9:28 PM

Advice -

Your audio is paramount. Plan on a pre room/meeting place visit. This will pay dividends. Use professional mics.
Never shoot with a single camera - Minimum of two, preferably three As stated, your editing options with multiple cameras are greatly improved.
Haven't even considered lighting, movement and camera position.
Consider yourself lucky if you break even on your first project.
Been there/done that

swarrine wrote on 1/5/2003, 10:16 PM

WildBlue-

Everyone has to do their first gig. Judging by what you are asking, you have much research to do.

Whatever you do, make sure you hire a competent shooter. If you don't already have someone in mind post the location of the gig and date here and maybe someone can help you out.

WildBlue wrote on 1/6/2003, 10:45 PM

Thanks for your comments fmc and swarrine. I hear you loud and clear. Rob

pb wrote on 1/7/2003, 2:18 AM

I don't know what the trend in the USA is but up here VHS is dying, fast. My last dub job for a major oil company called for 25 VHS, 20 VCD (Mpeg1) and 40 DVDs. I think we all better get ready for the inevitable. Check out Sony's VHS line! THey dropped the SVO 1430 and those excellent duplicators (I bought the last four in North America last summer). How many VHS can you find at Blockbuster or Rogers? Not a lot. My next major investment is either a 6 at a time DVD duplicator or one of those cool automatic rigs that copies and labels as many as the magazine holds, overnight or whenever. Recent customers want their product on DVD as well. Only main market for tape is the news broadcasters and they want primarily DVCAM (since BetaSP has been supplanted by BetaSX).