Digital Video - December 2007 - (Page 39) GHOST HUNTERS TOOLKIT Whelpton uses a Panasonic DVC30 fitted with an YRL30G IR illuminator. CAMERAS: 3 Panasonic AGDVX100As, 3 Panasonic AGDVC30s, 1 Sony DSR-PD150, 3 Sony XC-555 Lipstick cameras, 3 Sony D1000 Clamshell recorders, 3 Birns & Sawyer clip-on matte boxes, 3 Birns & Sawyer Image 2000 Shoulder mount (for DVX), 1 Jimmy Jib Lite, 1 Canon 30D with Canon TC80 intervelometer (time-lapse) LIGHTING: 3- Panasonic AGYRL30G Infrared illuminators, 3 LitePanels MiniPluses, 1 Kino Flo Miniflo kit, 1 Kino Flo 2’ 4-bank, 2 Kino Flo 2’ 2-banks, 2 ARRI 300W Fresnels, 2 ARRI 650W Fresnels, 2 ARRI 1K open faces, 1 ARRI 2K Fresnel, 2 LitePanels 1x1s,1 1,000watt Honda portable generator, Assortment of suction cup grips, Matthews mini grip heads and mini Cardellini clamps for car rigging CREW: 1 Director of photography/Acamera operator, 2 Additional operators,1 Camera assistant /gaffer/tech, 2 Audio mixers,1 Camera PA note where the stairs are or where there’s a low overhang. It’s very, very challenging and a whole new way of thinking about operating in an otherwise blind world. “Exposing in IR is a bit different than in visible light, too,” adds the DP. “Once you put the camera into IR mode, the iris opens up completely and you use the camera’s gain to control your exposures. We have between +3 and +18 dB of gain. The illuminators have a spot and flood function and that helps to give us a bit more control. If the TAPS guys are across the room, we’ll spot the emitter in to get them, or flood it out if they come close. You’re generally watching the zebras to maintain good exposure, but the tricky part is the IR light falls off very quickly and you have to be aware of your backgrounds and try to balance exposure so the guys don’t look like they’re always in this black void.” During the first season of Ghost Hunters, Hobbes pushed for an additional B-roll day to help the camera crew catch up on lost time during the investigations. Now the production team www.dv.com spends two nights at each location; one following TAPS through their investigation and a second to shoot exteriors and detailed B-roll material. “On the initial nights, we shoot the introductions and walk-through, then we go to lights-out and shoot the investigation,” explains Hodge. “This is all runand-gun. Generally we leave one camera wherever TAPS sets up their command center, and A- and B-camera follow the remaining teams. There are usually two TAPS teams going through a location. One camera follows each team. “This season, we changed up the schedule a bit. We work a five-day week. Thursday night is our main investigation with the TAPS team, Friday is our B-roll night. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are for the analysis of the investigation, any outside research and the ‘reveal’ with the client. On Thursday we’re at a new location and start all over. We try to keep the days down to 12 hours, but they’re aggressive 12-hour days. We’re a small crew and it’s trying at times, but once you pull it off, it’s rewarding.” DV dv december 2007 39 http://www.integritydatasystems.net http://www.integritydatasystems.net http://www.dv.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.