Student Filmmakers - June 2008 - (Page 14) HD Production Using a Handheld Camcorder for Scene Selection Advantages to Selecting Angles with an HD Camcorder by George Avgerakis No doubt you’ve seen film directors making their way around sets while peering through a black viewfinder in pursuit of the perfect camera angle. The viewfinder allows the director to emulate the distance, angle and focal length of the on-set camera, thereby allowing the director to make valuable decisions that he can convey to the director of photography. However, once the viewfinder is released, the view must remain in the director’s memory and all other record of the view is lost. Perhaps a more desirable method of selecting scenes may be the simple consumer grade camcorder, especially a newer model camcorder designed to shoot in HD with a 16 x 9 aspect ratio. Obviously, the camcorder cannot precisely emulate all of the attributes of every feature film camera, but since most independent features are shot in 16 x 9 on HD camera, the viability of the camcorder has increased exponentially. In addition, there are many advantages to selecting angles with an HD camcorder that are not possible with a simple viewfinder. Here are some advantages to consider. Recording the Decision The most obvious benefit of using a camcorder to choose angles is that the work done is recorded and may be played back for other members of the crew. Actors or stand-ins can also be walked through the shot in various ways, which can be compared later. While the review of such shots represents a higher degree of collaboration than many directors desire, or have time to perform, the improvement in departmental understanding, general agreement, and cooperation of all concerned is well worth the investment. 1 studentfilmmakers June 2008
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