Letus 35 Extreme with an Interrotron at DVinfo.net

John Carrithers · February 23rd, 2009, 03:34 PM

Greetings,
I have a project coming up that I would like to use an Errol Morris style Interrotron for the interviews. I was wondering if anyone has used something like this with their systems. I'll be shooting with an EX1, a Letus Extreme and Nikon lenses (probably a 1.4 50mm). My plan was to buy a piece of good glass and build something that can hold a small LCD monitor and the glass in front of the camera. This structure would stand on it's own or be mounted on a C-Stand so I don't add any more weight to the camera system. I would also rig a hood to go from the glass to the lens. I would feed the interrotron with a video signal of the interviewer using a small DV camera. If anyone has tried anything like this I would appreciate any information or suggestion on materials. I've used a teleprompter on large and small cameras with pleasing results. I'm just curious how well this would work with light having to travel through so much glass (mirror, nikon lens, letus and then ex1 lens). Thanks in advance.

Best,
JC

Giroud Francois · February 23rd, 2009, 04:32 PM

well, the interrotron is nothing else than a prompter, not showing the text to be spoken, but the head of either the subject itself, or the interviewer. if you got a mixer , you can even superimpose text or anyhing you want. if you treat it like a prompter, there should be no difference in use.

a small $30 bullet cam directly connected to a video to vga converter would allow you to display what you need for very cheap using a 15" lcd computer screen.

using special glass is not necessary, a simple glass taken from a picture frame should be ok, especially if the camera is covered with a black fabric.

David W. Jones · February 23rd, 2009, 06:08 PM

Just use a prompter, and feed it video instead of the script.

John Carrithers · March 3rd, 2009, 09:59 PM

Oddly enough I had a client call that wanted to shoot with a teleprompter for a gig this week. It'll be a good opportunity to test out the rig and teleprompter on someone elses nickel before I use it on my personal project. I've though about using a prompter for an interrotron but didn't feel like buying one and wasn't sure if someone would let me rent their teleprompter without an operator. The project I want the interrotron for is a doc a colleague of mine are putting together and we don't have any money at this stage. I was hoping to find a solution that was cheap but effective-like buying a good piece of glass, borrowing a small flat screen and building a stand.

I'll impart any lessons I may learn about using a teleprompter with a Letus after my shoot tomorrow.

JC

Ken Steadman · March 4th, 2009, 12:55 AM

You might want to take a look at these guys. Teleprompter
The most likely have a cheap solution for you.

John Carrithers · March 4th, 2009, 04:42 PM

I just got back from the shoot with my EX1/Letus and a teleprompter. I shot it with nikkor 105mm 2.8. Both lenses were WFO but it was just enough. I've attached an image incase anyone is curious. Over all I think I got good results. The person we hired for the teleprompter said the glass cuts light about 2 stops. The room we were in had glass all along one wall so were in pretty good shape. I think in a studio with limited lighting or in a room with less light we might have been fighting for a good exposure. Lit with an 8 bank kinoflo, muslin, bounce card and a couple of jokers. I talked to the teleprompter person about rigging an interrotron she could probably do it for $450 for two units with set up and breakdown. Might be worth while for my doc shoot later this month considering it's around what I've priced out for a DYI interrotron.

Thanks,
JC

Peter Ralph · March 8th, 2009, 05:35 PM

I would be interested to hear how the subjects get on with the interrotron. Is it professional talent?

Errol Morris claims most people get used to it to speaking to an interrotron, but it can take a while. His wife, who came up with the name, coined the term after watching Errol "interrogate" a few subjects. An intimidating experience for some.

John Carrithers · March 8th, 2009, 06:01 PM

I'll report back here once we have the shoot. I'm going to use it for interviews with women combat veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan war. I felt like eye contact with the audience would really add a lot to the telling of their stories.

Leonard Levy · March 15th, 2009, 09:28 AM

I've done exactly that and it worked fine with a small video camera feeding a teleprompter, and a P+S adapter on an HVX though the adapter part is irrelevant really.

Dennis Dillon · March 20th, 2009, 05:44 AM

Lived To Tell on CBS - Page 2 - b-roll.net FORUM

Philip Borgnes · March 24th, 2009, 10:18 PM

I'm in pre-production for a doc. and will be doing something very similar. I ran across this version called the Eyeliner:
http://www.mceyeliner.com/
Sells for about $1400.

Considering the time to build, and the ease to use it may well be worth it.

February 23rd, 2009, 03:34 PM	#1
John Carrithers Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Houston, TX United States Posts: 39	Letus 35 Extreme with an Interrotron Greetings, I have a project coming up that I would like to use an Errol Morris style Interrotron for the interviews. I was wondering if anyone has used something like this with their systems. I'll be shooting with an EX1, a Letus Extreme and Nikon lenses (probably a 1.4 50mm). My plan was to buy a piece of good glass and build something that can hold a small LCD monitor and the glass in front of the camera. This structure would stand on it's own or be mounted on a C-Stand so I don't add any more weight to the camera system. I would also rig a hood to go from the glass to the lens. I would feed the interrotron with a video signal of the interviewer using a small DV camera. If anyone has tried anything like this I would appreciate any information or suggestion on materials. I've used a teleprompter on large and small cameras with pleasing results. I'm just curious how well this would work with light having to travel through so much glass (mirror, nikon lens, letus and then ex1 lens). Thanks in advance. Best, JC

March 4th, 2009, 04:42 PM	#6
John Carrithers Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Houston, TX United States Posts: 39	I just got back from the shoot with my EX1/Letus and a teleprompter. I shot it with nikkor 105mm 2.8. Both lenses were WFO but it was just enough. I've attached an image incase anyone is curious. Over all I think I got good results. The person we hired for the teleprompter said the glass cuts light about 2 stops. The room we were in had glass all along one wall so were in pretty good shape. I think in a studio with limited lighting or in a room with less light we might have been fighting for a good exposure. Lit with an 8 bank kinoflo, muslin, bounce card and a couple of jokers. I talked to the teleprompter person about rigging an interrotron she could probably do it for $450 for two units with set up and breakdown. Might be worth while for my doc shoot later this month considering it's around what I've priced out for a DYI interrotron. Thanks, JC Attached Thumbnails

March 20th, 2009, 05:44 AM	#10
Dennis Dillon Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hobe Sound, Florida Posts: 213	See Link Lived To Tell on CBS - Page 2 - b-roll.net FORUM

February 23rd, 2009, 04:32 PM	#2
Giroud Francois Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: switzerland Posts: 2,133	well, the interrotron is nothing else than a prompter, not showing the text to be spoken, but the head of either the subject itself, or the interviewer. if you got a mixer , you can even superimpose text or anyhing you want. if you treat it like a prompter, there should be no difference in use. a small $30 bullet cam directly connected to a video to vga converter would allow you to display what you need for very cheap using a 15" lcd computer screen. using special glass is not necessary, a simple glass taken from a picture frame should be ok, especially if the camera is covered with a black fabric.

February 23rd, 2009, 06:08 PM	#3
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	Just use a prompter, and feed it video instead of the script.

March 3rd, 2009, 09:59 PM	#4
John Carrithers Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Houston, TX United States Posts: 39	Oddly enough I had a client call that wanted to shoot with a teleprompter for a gig this week. It'll be a good opportunity to test out the rig and teleprompter on someone elses nickel before I use it on my personal project. I've though about using a prompter for an interrotron but didn't feel like buying one and wasn't sure if someone would let me rent their teleprompter without an operator. The project I want the interrotron for is a doc a colleague of mine are putting together and we don't have any money at this stage. I was hoping to find a solution that was cheap but effective-like buying a good piece of glass, borrowing a small flat screen and building a stand. I'll impart any lessons I may learn about using a teleprompter with a Letus after my shoot tomorrow. JC

March 4th, 2009, 12:55 AM	#5
Ken Steadman Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: DC Suburbs Posts: 86	You might want to take a look at these guys. Teleprompter The most likely have a cheap solution for you.

March 8th, 2009, 05:35 PM	#7
Peter Ralph Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Denver/Vail Colorado Posts: 254	I would be interested to hear how the subjects get on with the interrotron. Is it professional talent? Errol Morris claims most people get used to it to speaking to an interrotron, but it can take a while. His wife, who came up with the name, coined the term after watching Errol "interrogate" a few subjects. An intimidating experience for some.

March 8th, 2009, 06:01 PM	#8
John Carrithers Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Houston, TX United States Posts: 39	I'll report back here once we have the shoot. I'm going to use it for interviews with women combat veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan war. I felt like eye contact with the audience would really add a lot to the telling of their stories.

March 15th, 2009, 09:28 AM	#9
Leonard Levy Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: USA Posts: 1,684	I've done exactly that and it worked fine with a small video camera feeding a teleprompter, and a P+S adapter on an HVX though the adapter part is irrelevant really.

March 24th, 2009, 10:18 PM	#11
Philip Borgnes Tourist Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2	I'm in pre-production for a doc. and will be doing something very similar. I ran across this version called the Eyeliner: http://www.mceyeliner.com/ Sells for about $1400. Considering the time to build, and the ease to use it may well be worth it.