Precautions:
Video Now is vigilant about the safe handling of equipment during load-in, setup, and shooting. Crews wear masks start to finish; throughout the time during the shoot. We are using a boom microphone for contactless recording when feasible. If a lavalier is used it is quarantined, or sanitized in a medical-grade UV-C enclosure.
Safe Shooting Practices
With some modifications to the usual way of working everyone can stay safe and still get the job done in a reasonable amount of time. After several months of lockdown, it is time for everyone to get back to what we love to do. Regular on-location shoots have been going on for months, but there are times when it is necessary to change the way we work.
Safe Options for Recording and Streaming
Remote Interviewer Option
With travel restrictions, lockdowns and COVID-19 concerns from many companies the ability to conduct interviews remotely makes not only good sense from a health standpoint but financial as well. Using Zoom Meetings, Skype or any choice of streaming services the video and audio of the FX9 camera is fed to the remote interviewer.
Complete "Bubble" Option
To be honest, this isn't my first choice method of conducting interviews, but we all need to adapt to COVID-19, so that being said:
This is the option preferred by motion picture companies and health care entities since they are either in an isolation bubble quarantine or serve an at-risk population. A self-contained cart is fitted with a camera, lights, and output for streaming. Conditions permitting the lights are placed on stands for best results. The cart is placed in a room in advance of the interview with the crew in an adjacent space. The interview can be conducted from the location, or over Zoom. The media is recorded in-camera, over a streaming application, and/ or real-time encoding for web delivery. This is an option that has been requested a number of times.
Pan/ Tilt and Camera Control
This is an option for safely adjusting the camera settings and framing from an adjacent space. Using a motorized pan/ tilt head and remote camera control the ideal shot can be set away from the interview.
Multi-Camera
Whether a regular video shoot, streaming or doing remote interviews we can live switch two or more cameras. It can be a wide and tight shot of an interview or coverage of a panel discussion with the entire panel on one camera and "singles" on the other. Also, PIP which is ideal for product demonstrations. The switched program is recorded in full HD and a DaVinci Resolve project file is created for any fine-tuning in post-production. The session can be streamed and the full resolution assets delivered afterward.
