Compact interview kit (video & audio) backpack/waterproofed

Rambo

A lot of what i do involves traveling and shooting from water craft, so the lightest appropriate kit i can take with me is very important for the mostly web based event videos i produce. Plus, i often have to carry an extra kit (additional interview camera and audio gear) with me on the ocean in a waterproof backpack as i shoot from the back of a Jet-ski with my main camera (hacked GH1) in a waterproof housing.

This is what i have come up with for the extra interview camera and audio gear. It all fits into an 8" x 6" x 3" waterproof pelican type case which is then placed in a waterproof soft bag.

   GF2 with 14mm pancake (also often swap out with 20mm pancake),
   Zoom H1,
   Rode Video Pro (with aftermarket dead cat),
   Duel Hot Shoe Flash Bracket,
   Marumi 55mm ND's 2,4 & 8 (with step up adapter 46-52 behind hood & 52-55mm in front of hood 
   2 Battery's,
   Collapsible Rubber Hood,
   Zoom Red windsock

After I've shot the main on - water footage (after 40kms on the Ocean) I park my main cam and quickly assemble this kit for interviews. The camera strap i use behind my head as a stabilizing point and place the camera out in front of me so to view the LCD screen. If i have extended interviews, i will carry a small collapsible full height ball head tripod and stand to one side with the Rode on a 3ft collapsible pole to get closer in noisy environments.

I shoot at 30inches distance to subject, M mode, select an appropriate ND, apertureF2.8 to blur background, lock focus, FLICKER 1/50 and use the in-camera mic and recording (Level 2) to sync the Zoom in post. Actually the in Camera audio (when there is no wind) is quite good at close distance and often more usable than the Rode and Zoom. Sometimes i will use the red windsock on the Zoom and place the Zoom inside the persons shirt acting like a Lav (see a still from the video below).

Hope this is of use to someone :-)

Roberto

@Rambo

Looks like you have got a nice little niche going. Not only a tried-and-true balance of settings, skills and equipment, but apparently a new revenue model. I assume you're doing short cameos for one-off clients?

bheath

@Rambo - This is VERY useful! Thanks. Really using this compact kit to it's fullest. Although the red dead cat could frighten the most confident talent. Might need to take 'er the curl up and dye salon. Or let it go naturally grey:) Thanks!

luxis

@Rambo hey, that's a very cool little setup,nice simple idea!

Rambo

Haha... No not a "new revenue model" have been doing this for years. http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com I found more $$'s to be made doing this than dreaming of making it big with a blockbuster movie... And heaps more fun. Does Rambo do cameo?? ..yep, I become part of the event, the clients love that.

bheath, the Red dead cat is all part of the act, so popular, people always asking what he is. As you probably guessed, I go against all video production convention, I get hired for my eccentricity....haha.

You want work, be different:-)

UPDATE >website link fixed

Vitaliy_Kiselev

I found more $$'s to be made doing this than dreaming of making it big with a blockbuster movie...

I think this is the direction this forum must go.
Not focus on indie narrative films, but more on practical work, working with real clients, interviews. docs, etc.

Rambo

Finding a niche VK, that's the key. The events I shoot I competed in for years, so i understand what people want to see and how the events are run.

There are hundreds of thousands of events held every weekend all over the world, from motorsports to athletic events, pro and amateur, artistic events, outdoor shows, wine tastings, music, cultural events, etc. Everyone of them has real people, real characters and interesting things going on, you can be as creative as you like. Choose an event you like and offer to shoot it for free, make a web video and promote it. Who knows, maybe the Event Promoter will like it so much he will pay you to do it next time. Suggest his sponsors help pay for the video in exchange for ads in the video or naming rights, that's what I did and it get's me overseas gigs.

The beauty of this type of work is it's repeatable, once you have done one event they want you to do more and it snowballs from there. Supply them video playback stats from Vimeo as proof of exposure value, clients love stats. Get yourself a free website ( I use blogger) promote yourself on Facebook and in event forums, it's surprising how quick things start to happen.

Vitaliy_Kiselev

@Rambo

Fully agree with you.

It is really astonishing how much people sit, collect gear dreaming of doing shitty horror movie. And in same time big amount of different interesting people and situations are available.

bheath

@Rambo - great discussion here. Thanks fellas. Once on a 16mm doc., I glued those little stuffed animal eyes to my rycote windscreen. Once in a while you'd hear them rattle, but not enough to justify removing them. It's really true, these little cameras emancipate us from the authoritarian fraternity of many of us had to enter in the film days. I went the kodachrome/Bolex route, which, in a way was like these cameras are now. @Vitaliy_Kiselev - Beautiful! When I was asked to teach a little course at sundance, I urged the students to make movies about their grannies or their big toe... (the films will be unique and get made). this was pre-DSLR, so we used bolex cameras. Boy was that fun, and so is this! cheers:}

luxis

@bheat "these little cameras emancipate us from the authoritarian fraternity of many of us had to enter in the film days." even more so with the great work of Vitaliy and the main "settings" researchers here, their time and dedication.

Great discussion indeed with simple and working points. Just look around things are there ; )

disneytoy

Rambo, this is brilliant. I need a new revenue stream here in the US. Maybe you can give some advice and tips from your experience what services you are providing your client. How are you getting your clients? I'm in California by the coast and can imagine plenty of events that could use a video like this. I'm guessing you provide all the graphics, music, etc. Do you agree on a length of video you will deliver ahead of time, or does that just come from the material.

I really want to look into this further.

Thanks!

tinbeo

@Rambo Thanks for all the " short cut ". I could see the Zoom under that guy's T- Shirt, also wondered what it looks like if that a lady. What about an iPhone ?

Is anyone using an iPhone for voice recording? Especially in a wedding celebrity without much noise? Please input your experience with iPhone voice recording.

Roberto

@bheath I went the kodachrome/Bolex route

Yep, Me too. H16/Kodachrome 25 ASA. (snif..) Can somebody please come up with a GH2 setting for this? Guaranteed to set hearts a-flutter for nostalgia sequences.

Rambo

@tinbeo, that is a lady, actually it's my client introducing the event in an interview...not too many guys with plucked eyebrows like that in my neighborhood....lol.

@disneyToy, there is tons of event work in Cali, I travel from Oz to do 4 different events every year there and I get asked to do others, but it's not economical for me to do that amount of travel when I have heaps to do here in OZ. Cali is chockablock with cameras and people ready to shoot with them but most seem to overlook events, maybe it's the "Hollywood" thing.

The video length is determined by what the client wants, a promo or a full event coverage. I work alone as a single camera person/editor/Producer etc, but I've have multiple unmanned cameras running like GoPros, time-lapse cams, etc.
My work is built around a specific skill I have developed, being able to shoot stable footage from my preferred video platform, usually a Jet-ski. However, as I have also participated in these events for the last 20 years, I instinctively know how the live event will unfold (within reason) and understand how to get the shots I want up close without having an impact on the event or race. I also have the trust of the people I'm shooting as I know most of them. I'm actually a very poor storyteller, so I prefer to let the camera tell the story with visuals.

I would follow whatever your passion is and shoot the types of events that interest YOU. If you love skateboarding/surfing, shoot that, but also be open to learn about other stuff, you never know where it might lead you. ( I'm definitely not the wedding type,you may be). The other important thing is the video has to benefit someone, a product sponsor, a Tourism Authority, etc. They are the ones that usually fund the video so they must get value for their dollar. I always ensure they get stats on the video and have a copy for their website etc. Shooting events exposures the local area and attracts people to the event, products used in the events expose the sponsors goods, always show plenty of recognizable locations/landmarks and discretely exposure products ( shoot plenty of banners, logos etc). Get creative, think outside the box, be different, stand out, even if that means taking on a Characters name like Rambo, playing on it and becoming a mini attraction yourself, have fun and people will want YOU for their event coverage. It's worked for me, but I'm a bit of a nutter...lol.

@bheath, @Roberto, there is a guy in Cali doing similar on-water things I do, but he combines Super8 film with digital cameras and this gives his videos an "Endless Summer" look, beautiful imagery.

All my work and history is on my blog, check out some of the videos, some of the early ones from 2006 show how I used GoPro cameras ( in one event I used 14 unmanned GOpros with delay timer mods) to film a whole event. Yep I was GoPros No1 video guy back when they were only 2 man band, which led to an invite by the CEO and tour of the GoPro Headquarters last year in Half-moon Bay, even had a beer with the famous LPowell on the same trip ( well i had a beer, he had a cocktail). It's been a fun ride and I'm still enjoying it. http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com Lot's more to tell, another time. R

tinbeo

@ Rambo :-) I visited Australia in the past. Perhaps eating huge crabs served at Golden Coast restaurant made my eyes avoid of her eyebows .. lol

Rambo

Ahh yeah, Mud Crabs, i love them. Next time try the Crocodile steak, tastes like chicken.

dream_beam

@Rambo Just great solution! Thanks for sharing!

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