Making Videos--old dog learns new trick...

Rayray · Aug 5, 2017

I've always been a "point and shoot" (and this is about cameras!) kind of photog. From Brownies, to half-frame 35s and 16mm micros, to Canon's remarkable SX210-IS, I've shot here and there. But I ain't never been no videographer. So I'm trying to learn.

A friend genius on cameras helped me set up 3 video cameras, one on my head and 2 on tripods, all to video the same scene from different angles, of a TH piloted by me during a 5-8 minute test. I had the ST16 and drone ready. We checked to see the cams were aimed correctly, then started video and audio running on all 3.

I was intently staring at the drone, a finger on the Red button, when suddenly--CLAP! behind me and I jumped like a cat goosed in the rear. I whirled, drone forgotten. "WHY THE BLANKEY-BLANK DID YOU DO THAT?" I yelled. He looked sheepish. "Part of the multiple camera video editing process", said he, and then he explained. So I learned something in a way to remember.

Who knows why he did that? (Keep it clean)

Ty Pilot · Aug 5, 2017

Its an audible and visual point to align all the tracks and clips in post. Its a poor mans clapboard but works every time.

Mojoe35 · Aug 5, 2017

When i was doing video weddings, one thing I always did before the ceremony began was to start each camera rolling and then take a flash picture so all cameras saw the flash. Then when I started the editing, I would sync all the video tapes starting point where they saw the flash. Then everything would stay in sync while I completed the editing. I didn't ever use a "Clapper Board" as it would have just been one more piece of gear to drag along.

Having said all that, I don't think it would do much good for aerial videos. i'd probably have my "H" too high for it to see the flash anyway! ;-)

CraigCam · Aug 7, 2017

In any multi camera shoot, you need a sync point. The old school slate board would list reel, take, scene,date, etc...for editing and assembly later. Video caries time code so then SMPTE addresses where critical and I still insist on a QuickTime file with SMPTE when I do music for film mixing.
Most of our drone work being single camera, this is not needed and our MP4 has date and time stamped in and edits easily. If you add another camera for B roll or pick up shots then you'd want to sync the two cameras and you'd need a slate. Since the H audio is useless once motors are turning, I opt to start the camera, then get close enough to have it pick up my voice and I'll make a verbal slate first by saying very loudly where I am, the date, the time, and the camera settings.

Once that's done, I start the drone and do my hover and control check with the camera still rolling obviously. Then once the other cameras are set, make sure all of them capture a singular event like a clearly visible hand clap. The slate board helps as the visual of the bar hitting the board is typically full frame so it's easy to find the exact video frame where the bar hits. That's where scrubbing with an audio of the clap helps but as we've discussed, no location audio is from the drone and it's noise negates any ground based audio (I've tested this) so audio sync is not necessary. If you have a good visual moment that's set up on all cameras and everything is set to same frame rate, you can hand align clips post and not worry to much about sync drift even though there is no time code or master clock.

Modern slate boards are now synced to phones and tablets via Bluetooth and there are great apps that basically eliminate the chalk. Remember, all these challenges existed in the beginning of film making and silent movie production has the most in common with drone work as without the narrative, it is was the grand visual plus the music that kept the audience engaged. Cecil DeMille would have been all over drones back then.