Reality show... 1 or 2 cameras?
 

If you were going to shoot a "reality" episode, would it be easier to do it with one or two cameras... with 2 cameras (and 2 operators) you could get reaction shots... have time to get more b-roll... but you also have to worry about syncronizing all those hours of tapes and with reality being so run and gun, seems like the two camera operators might have a hard time staying out of each other's way/shots... My partner and I are not newbies to video and some extent television, but we have never attempted anything like this on our own... I'm sure it will be a learning experience... any thoughts? Thanks!

I would absolutely go with two cameras. Synching in post is much easier than you think. Especially if your NLE does multi-cam. (Avid does it natively, VEGAS has some sort of 'script', theres a multi-cam plug in for Adobe, so you should be pretty well covered)

I use FCP and in the past when I've had to sync 2 cameras, I simply used a flash from a still camera that I brought along and kept both cameras rolling the whole time... easy to find the flash on both camera's footage and sync to... How does that multi-cam feature work exactly, never used that feature. Thanks!

Multi-cam options simulate a live multi-cam shoot.

Multi-cam features, display a 'mulit-cam' view in your monitor. (different nle's do it differently) But basically, you pick the clips you want to synch, mark the synch point, and load them in 'multi-view'. Hit "play" and all the little monitors play at the same time. you can then 'switch' which monitor is 'active', putting that clip on the timeline. Some NLE's do it in real-time, some only update the alternate monitors when you hit 'stop'.

Of course, there are other ways to do this. Simply stack the clips on the timeline in synch to a slate, or 'flash' or some distinct point and then solo the different tracks, cutting and pasting as you go.This is the method you are using now.

Not sure if the latest FCP supports multi-cam or has a multi-cam plugin available. Sorry, I'm a pc guy.

Well the XL2 has a multi-camera time code feature. You can syncronize the time code regardless if one camera happens to be turned off or not. Its in the manual where it discusses time code settings. With the syncronized time code, editing the two tapes together should not be too difficult.

Douglas

Final Cut Pro does not currently have multicamera, but it is fully expected in the new release announced at NAB in a week and a half. It should be shipping by the time you're ready to post your shows.

There is already an application for multicamera editing that works terrifically with Final Cut. It's called Live Cut. http://livecut.sourceforge.net/ It's a great app and free, as of now. All you have to do is first sync your cameras in FCP, export each track as a reference movie, bring them into Live Cut. You can then instantly see up to 4 cameras all live in small windows. You just tap the number 1, 2, 3, or 4 to choose which camera you'd like recorded. At the end, you export your Live cut sequence as XML. Final Cut opens this right up in a new sequence...now you can go and adjust any of your cut points. It's great...I've used it several times and it saves MANY hours of work.

So DEFINITELY do 2 cameras, if you have them. However, you have to be even more than doubly prepared on your productions if you are going to do 2 camera shooting. Make sure you coordinate what camera is going to cover what. If there is something you have to get, be sure one camera is static or at least moving in an "on-air" way. In many situations, you may want to have one camera stay wider and the other do closeups.

Kevin

PS-Good idea with the camera flash. I may use that one...